Undergraduate degree plus postgraduate training

You can study for a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree, then train to teach after you graduate. Following your undergraduate degree, you can apply for a postgraduate teacher training programme to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

• To train as a primary or secondary teacher in England, you can choose either a university-led or school-led route. Most will also lead to a postgraduate qualification, usually a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).
• With university-led programmes, you’ll conduct the majority of your study at your university or college, but you’ll also spend time being trained in at least two schools.
• With school-led programmes, you’ll receive hands-on training in a school from day one, where you’ll learn from experienced teachers.
• Typically, undergraduate programmes last three years, with postgraduate teacher training taking a year to complete as you work towards your Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) recommendation.
• If you are considering teaching after you graduate, you may wish to choose an undergraduate degree in a relevant national curriculum subject. If the undergraduate degree you choose isn't closely related to the subject you want to teach, you may still be able to apply for postgraduate teacher training after you graduate by taking a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course.

Fees and funding

The amount training providers charge varies – for UK and EU students, it can be up to £9,250 per year for a full-time undergraduate programme starting in 2018. UCAS does not arrange student finance, but we can give you information and advice about funding and support to help point you in the right direction.

• Tuition fee and maintenance loans – you can apply for a student loan to cover your tuition fees and living costs. Find out more from Student Finance England.
• Extra student funding – if you have dependents, you could access further funding to support your teacher training, such as Parents' Learning Allowances, Childcare Grants, or Child Tax Credits. The student finance calculator from Student Finance England allows you to estimate the level of funding that may be available.
• Disabled students and care leavers – universities and colleges have different ways of supporting you in higher education. Check if you are entitled to additional support and funding.

If you're considering postgraduate initial teacher training, you may be eligible for funding. For certain in-demand subjects, you can apply for a tax-free scholarship or bursary to support your postgraduate training. Find out more about postgraduate funding options.

Applications and entry requirements

Firstly, you must be planning to study an undergraduate degree awarded by a higher education provider in England.

• If you’ve not yet started your undergraduate application, use our multi-destination search tool to find the course that’s right for you.
• You’ll then need to register with UCAS Undergraduate to submit, and track the progress of, your application. We've got lots of information and advice to help you complete your application, including writing a UCAS Undergraduate personal statement, and how to get an undergraduate reference.

Following your undergraduate degree, you can apply for up to three postgraduate training programmes on your UCAS Teacher Training application. It’s worth considering a combination of different routes when you apply. Find out more about university and school-led postgraduate initial teacher training programmes in England.

Before you apply, you must make sure you have achieved the following minimum requirements to be eligible for postgraduate initial teacher training programmes:

1. You’ll need to have achieved a standard equivalent to grade C/4, or above, in the GCSE examinations in English and mathematics.
2. If you intend to train to teach pupils aged three to 11 (early years and primary), you must also have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade C/4, or above, in a GCSE science subject examination.
3. As teaching involves working with children on a daily basis, there are also some non-academic requirements you'll also need to meet.