education · United Kingdom edition
It’s easy to be a Teacher.
To teach in England you need a bachelor's degree, GCSEs at grade 4 in English and maths, and qualified teacher status (QTS), usually gained via a PGCE, School Direct, or a Level 6 teaching apprenticeship. Training takes roughly one to four years, followed by a statutory two-year induction.
Last verified Version 1By Editorial Team
Key facts
United Kingdom- Median salary (2025)
£42,000/yr
Range £32,916 – £62,496
- Time to qualify
1–4 years
Around 1 year for a postgraduate route (PGCE/School Direct) if you already hold a degree, or 3–4 years for an undergraduate degree with QTS or a teaching apprenticeship. A statutory two-year induction under the Early Career Framework follows qualification.
- Cost to qualify
£0 – £9,535
A fee-funded postgraduate route (PGCE/School Direct fee-funded) costs around £9,535 in tuition for 2025/26, which can be covered by a student loan. Salaried routes and Level 6 teaching apprenticeships cost the trainee nothing — you earn while you train. Tax-free training bursaries (up to £29,000) or scholarships (up to £31,000) are available for shortage subjects such as physics, maths, chemistry and computing.
- Job outlook (2025/26)
0% growth
About 33,000 openings per year
All figures apply to United Kingdom. Salaries, licensing, and timelines differ by country — where other editions exist, switch between them at the top of the page.
Is it easy for you?
Tell us where you are now and get a personalized gap analysis for becoming a Teacher— what you’ve already met, what’s left, and your likely remaining time. Computed from the sourced requirements on this page; nothing is stored.
How to become a Teacher — step by step
- 1
Get the right GCSEs and A-levels 2–4 years (school/college)
Secure GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above in English and maths (plus science for primary), then take A-levels or equivalent if heading to university. These are non-negotiable gateways to teacher training.
- 2
Earn a bachelor's degree 3–4 years
Complete a degree in any subject for postgraduate routes, or take a BEd or BA/BSc with QTS, which builds teacher training into the degree. For secondary, your degree should relate to your teaching subject.
- 3
Gain classroom experience A few days to a few weeks
Spend time in schools through Get School Experience or volunteering. It strengthens your training application and confirms teaching is right for you before you commit.
- 4
Choose and apply for initial teacher training 3–6 months (application cycle)
Apply through the DfE 'Apply for teacher training' service for a PGCE, School Direct, SCITT, or a Level 6 postgraduate teaching apprenticeship. Salaried and apprenticeship routes pay you while you train.
- 5
Complete ITT and gain QTS 1–4 years
Train in school placements assessed against the Teachers' Standards. Postgraduate routes take about one year; undergraduate apprenticeships up to four. You'll be recommended for qualified teacher status on passing.
- 6
Secure a teaching post and start induction 2 years
Apply for an early career teacher role and begin the statutory two-year induction under the Early Career Framework, with a reduced timetable and a dedicated mentor.
- 7
Progress on the pay scale and specialise Ongoing
Move up the main and upper pay ranges annually, then pursue leadership, subject coordination, SENCO, or leading practitioner roles as you gain experience.
Requirements to be a Teacher
- GCSEs grade 4 (C) or above in English and mathseducationRequired
Plus a science GCSE at grade 4 if you want to teach primary. These are a hard entry requirement for all teacher training in England.
- Bachelor's degreeeducationRequired
A degree in any subject is needed for postgraduate routes. For secondary, your degree (or a subject knowledge enhancement course) should relate to the subject you'll teach.
- Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)licenseRequired
The legal requirement to teach in state-maintained schools in England, awarded by the DfE. Academies and independent schools can hire unqualified staff but most still expect QTS. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own teaching councils and registration routes.
- Initial Teacher Training (ITT)certificationRequired
Completed via university-led PGCE, School Direct, SCITT, High Potential ITT, or a Level 6 teaching apprenticeship — all accredited and leading to QTS.
- Enhanced DBS checklicenseRequired
An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (including the children's barred list) is mandatory before working with pupils.
- Two-year statutory induction (ECF)experienceRequired
Early career teachers complete a two-year, statutory induction under the Early Career Framework to retain QTS in maintained schools.
- Classroom and behaviour managementskillRequired
Assessed against the Teachers' Standards throughout training; subject knowledge, planning and safeguarding awareness are core.
A day in the life of a Teacher
Most teachers arrive before 8am to prep the room and catch up on emails before the bell. The day is built around four or five timetabled lessons, broken by registration, a duty slot at break or lunch, and brief windows to photocopy, mark, or chase a pupil who missed homework. Lessons demand constant energy: explaining, questioning, managing behaviour, and adapting on the fly when something isn't landing. After pupils leave there are meetings, parents' evenings, detentions or clubs, and the planning and marking that rarely fit into the school day — most teachers take work home. Secondary staff juggle multiple classes and exam pressure; primary staff stay with one class all day. It's relentless and tiring, but the moments when a concept finally clicks, or a struggling pupil turns a corner, are what make teachers stay.
Is it worth it to be a Teacher?
Teaching in England is genuinely rewarding and offers strong job security, a respected pension and clear pay progression, with statutory minimums rising from September 2025. Demand is real, especially in secondary maths, physics and computing, and shortage-subject bursaries up to £29,000 plus salaried and apprenticeship routes mean you needn't take on debt to qualify. But be honest about the trade-offs: workload is heavy, term-time hours stretch to around 45 a week with evening marking and planning, and retention is a known problem — many teachers leave within their first few years. Starting pay outside London lags some graduate professions, and behaviour and workload pressures are real. If you are motivated by the subject and the pupils rather than the salary, and you go in with realistic expectations, it is a sustainable, meaningful career.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming you need a degree in education — any degree plus a postgraduate route to QTS is enough, and for secondary your subject degree matters more.
- Overlooking salaried and apprenticeship routes and paying tuition unnecessarily when you could earn while you train.
- Not securing GCSE grade 4 in English and maths early — these are hard requirements that block all teacher training in England.
- Missing out on shortage-subject bursaries (up to £29,000) by not checking which subjects are funded before choosing a route.
- Treating QTS as the finish line and underestimating the statutory two-year Early Career Framework induction that follows.
- Choosing teaching for the holidays rather than the work, then being blindsided by the real term-time workload and evening marking.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a teaching degree to become a teacher in the UK?
No. You can do a degree in any subject and then a one-year postgraduate route (PGCE, School Direct or a teaching apprenticeship) to gain QTS. Alternatively, an undergraduate BEd or a BA/BSc with QTS combines the degree and training. You always need GCSEs grade 4 in English and maths.
How long does it take to qualify as a teacher?
If you already have a degree, a postgraduate route takes about one year full-time, followed by a two-year statutory induction. An undergraduate degree with QTS or a Level 6 teaching apprenticeship takes three to four years.
Can I get paid while training to teach?
Yes. Salaried routes such as School Direct (salaried) and the postgraduate teaching apprenticeship pay you a salary while you train, so there are no tuition fees. Fee-funded routes charge about £9,535 but may come with a tax-free bursary of up to £29,000 in shortage subjects.
What is QTS and do I legally need it?
Qualified Teacher Status is awarded by the Department for Education and is legally required to teach in state-maintained schools in England. Academies and independent schools can employ teachers without QTS, but most still expect it, and it makes you far more employable. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own equivalents.
How much do teachers earn in the UK?
From September 2025 the statutory minimum for a qualified teacher in England (outside London) is £32,916, rising to £51,048 on the upper pay range, and up to £62,496 in Inner London. Leadership roles and Inner London headteachers earn considerably more.
Is there a teacher shortage in England?
Yes, particularly in secondary subjects like maths, physics and computing. Secondary recruitment was about 11% below target for 2025/26 — the best in four years, though still short. Primary recruitment targets are generally met. Shortage subjects offer the largest training bursaries.
Sources
Every figure on this page traces to one of these primary sources.
- 1How to become a teacher — steps and routes — Get Into Teaching, Department for Education · accessed June 15, 2026
- 2Initial teacher training bursaries funding manual: 2025 to 2026 — GOV.UK · accessed June 15, 2026
- 3Initial Teacher Training Census, 2025/26 — GOV.UK / Department for Education · accessed June 15, 2026
- 4Qualified teacher status (QTS): qualify to teach in England — GOV.UK · accessed June 15, 2026
- 5Secondary school teacher job profile (salary, hours, entry routes) — National Careers Service · accessed June 15, 2026
- 6Teacher pay (from 1 September 2025) — Get Into Teaching, Department for Education · accessed June 15, 2026
- 7Teacher recruitment and retention improving but shortages persist in some subjects — National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) · accessed June 15, 2026