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What is a PGCE? The UK teacher training qualification explained

The PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) is a one-year postgraduate course that prepares graduates to teach in UK schools. In England it usually comes with QTS (Qualified Teacher Status), the professional status required to teach in state-maintained schools. This guide explains what the course contains, who it is for and what it is worth outside the UK.

Definition and length

The PGCE is a short postgraduate qualification offered in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It usually lasts one academic year full time, or about two years part time.

The year combines university study with school placements. In England, initial teacher training includes at least 120 days in schools, across at least two schools. In Scotland, the equivalent course is the PGDE.

PGCE and QTS are not the same thing

The PGCE is an academic award; QTS is the professional status of a qualified teacher in England. Most PGCE courses in England lead to both, but some routes award QTS without a PGCE.

Before applying, check the exact course title: “PGCE with QTS” does not carry the same rights as a PGCE alone.

Credits and level

Many PGCEs include up to 60 UK credits at master’s level (level 7), roughly 30 ECTS credits, which can later count towards a master’s in education.

Some courses are “Professional Graduate Certificates” at bachelor’s level (level 6). A PGCE is not a full master’s degree.

Entry requirements

You normally need a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, plus recognised standards in English and mathematics (and science for primary teaching). International applicants often provide a statement of comparability for their degree and an English test.

In England, applications go through the government’s official “Apply for teacher training” service. Bursaries exist for some shortage subjects; amounts change every year.

International PGCE and recognition abroad

Some universities offer an “international PGCE” (iPGCE), often online, for teachers in international schools. It does not award QTS and does not by itself qualify you to teach in English state schools.

Outside the UK, recognition is not automatic: each country sets its own rules for public-school teaching. Check with the authority of the country where you want to teach.

Frequently asked questions

Useful pages

• Scholarships by discipline
• Calls for papers by discipline
• Conferences, seminars and study days by discipline
• Research internships and short research stays abroad

DzCademia practical guides

• How to get a host letter for an internship, a scholarship or a research stay
• Research internship abroad: find, fund and prepare your stay
• Answering a call for papers: abstract, proposal and selection
• Finding a scholarship and succeeding in your application (bachelor, master, PhD, postdoc)
• Taking part in a conference or a seminar: choose, prepare, present
• How many ECTS credits is a master’s degree? Understanding and converting credits
• Graduate teaching assistant: teaching during your master’s or PhD