Government & Regulation
UK QTS for Overseas Teachers — Visa Sponsorship Path
Overseas teachers can either obtain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) before applying, or come on a Skilled Worker visa with a school agreement to obtain QTS after arrival within 4 years.
Key fact
iQTS programme allows pre-arrival qualification; school-sponsored route allows post-arrival training
Step-by-step
- 1Option 1: complete iQTS abroad (international Qualified Teacher Status) and apply for sponsored UK teaching role.
- 2Option 2: get a UK school job offer + Skilled Worker visa, then complete QTS through assessment-only route or post-graduate certificate within 4 years.
- 3Teachers are SOC code 2316 / 2317 / 2318 — going rates apply.
- 4Specific shortage subjects (physics, computing, modern languages, mathematics) often have higher demand and easier sponsorship.