General requirements for all Overseas-trained teachers
1. Overseas police check from relevant country
2. UK DBS (Disclosure Barring Scheme) check 3. Eligibility to live and work in UK
Scotland and Northern Ireland
Typical turnaround times, for fully completed forms, are between two and four weeks. This timescale is dependent on the number of applications received. For teachers from the European Economic Area (EEA) applying for QTS in England under the terms of Council Directive 2005/36, the directive gives four months from the date of receipt of all supporting documentation to consider individual cases.
Overseas-trained teachers from outside the EEA OTTs from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA From 1 April 2012 qualified teachers from Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the USA can apply to the Teaching Agency for qualified teacher status (QTS) without undertaking further training or assessment in England.
Teachers who gain QTS through this route are also exempt from the requirement to serve a statutory induction period. You’ll find the application form for QTS NON-EEA nationals and further information about the application process on the Department for Education website:
The four year rule: outside the EEA: South Africa, Switzerland..
The four year rule applies to teachers who qualified in countries outside of the EEA and Switzerland (such as South Africa, African countries, India etc) except for teachers who qualified in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA. OTTs are allowed to teach in state maintained schools and non-maintained special schools in England as unqualified teachers for four calendar years. The four year period an OTT is allowed to work as an unqualified teacher begins on the first day the individual taught in a state maintained school or a non-maintained special school in England and expires exactly four years later regardless of whether the OTT has taught throughout the four year period. It is strongly recommended that the OTTs from the above mentioned countries carry out the following before or shortly after the arrival to UK:
1. Arrange a check on whether their qualifications are equivalent to a UK first degree. This check should be made with UK NARIC.
2. Arrange to take part in an employment based training course leading to QTS at or near the beginning of your 4 year period. For more information and advice please follow the link below or contact Prospero Teaching
EEA
EEA member states nationals European Economic Area (EEA) nationals who are recognized as qualified school teachers in an EEA member state may apply for QTS in England under the terms of Council Directive 2005/36/EC without the need for further training.
Teachers who gain QTS through this route are exempt from the requirement to serve a statutory induction period.
EEA member states are: Austria, Belgium; Bulgaria; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Iceland; Italy; Latvia; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Malta; The Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Republic of Ireland; Romania; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; United Kingdom. Swiss nationals are also eligible for assessment. You’ll find the application form for QTS Nationals of EEA member states on the Department for Education website