The points-based immigration system

All overseas nationals arriving to work or study in the UK from 1 January 2021, including those from the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, come under the UK’s points-based immigration system.

The type of visa trainee teachers from overseas need to apply for may depend on whether their teacher training course is salaried or unsalaried.

Unsalaried includes:

• higher education institution programmes
• school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) programmes
• School Direct fee-funded programme

Salaried includes:

• School Direct salaried programme
• Teach First Leadership Development programme
• postgraduate teaching apprenticeships

Irish citizens can continue to enter, work and study in the UK under the Common Travel Area as they could previously.

Recruit by becoming a visa sponsor

---

Student visa -– for unsalaried teacher training courses

Teacher training candidates can apply for a Student visa to train to teach in England if they are undertaking an unsalaried initial teacher training (ITT) course and:and they:

• they have an unconditional offer from a licensed sponsoring institution
• they can financially support themselves in the UK and pay for their course
• theyhave canmet speak,the English read,language writerequirements andfor understanda EnglishStudent visa

Trainee teachers undertaking an unsalaried ITT course can apply:

• up to 6 months before their course starts if they’re applying from outside the UK
• up to 3 months before it starts if they’re applying from inside the UK

---

Sponsoring Student visas

To sponsor a Student visa your institution must be a licensed sponsor.

State-funded schools cannot sponsor Student visas.

You can check if your institution is already a licensed sponsor.

If you are not already a Student visa sponsor, you can apply for a student sponsor licence. This guidance has further information about being a sponsor, including your responsibilities.

---

Skilled Worker visa -– for salaried teacher training courses

Teacher training candidates can apply for a Skilled Worker visa to train to teach in England if they are undertaking a salaried ITT course and:

• they are offered a salaried training place by a school that is a licensed Home Office employer sponsor
• they canhave speak,met read,the writeEnglish andlanguage understandrequirements Englishfor a Skilled Worker visa
• their role pays at least £23,200,£25,000, or the relevant minimum rate for unqualified teachers in England, whichever is higher
• any part-time role pays at least £23,200£25,000 when the relevant minimum rate for unqualified teachers in England is pro-rated

Trainee teachers undertaking a salaried ITT course can apply for a Skilled Worker visa up to 3 months before they are due to start work in the UK.

---

Sponsoring Skilled Worker visas

State-funded schools can sponsor Skilled Worker visas.

Schools can check if they’re already a licensed sponsor. Sometimes it will be the local authority or academy trust that holds the sponsor licence instead of the individual school.

Schools can become a sponsor by following this step-by-step guidance. This guidance covers further information about being a sponsor, including your responsibilities.

---

Recruit without becoming a sponsor

Some visa routes in the points-based immigration system do not require you to sponsor the trainee.

---

Graduate visa

The Graduate visa is available to international students who have successfully completed their degree in the UK and been sponsored by a Home Office licensed student sponsor.

ThoseA Graduate visa lasts for: 

• 2 years if students apply on aor Graduatebefore visa31 willDecember be2026 

• 18 ablemonths toif study,students workapply on or lookafter for1 workJanuary in2027 

If thestudents UKhave a PhD or other doctoral qualification, it will last for up3 toyears. 

Their 2visa yearswill afterstart completingfrom the day their studiesapplication (3is yearsapproved.

Those on a Graduate visa will be able to study, work or look for PhDwork students)in the UK without a sponsor. This includes training as a teacher via either a salaried or unsalaried ITT course, as long as their training provider does not sponsor student visas.

If you are a training provider and you sponsor student visas, then any trainees you recruit must apply for a student visa instead.

Teachers or trainee teachers on a Graduate visa will be able to apply to switch to another visa route (such as the Skilled Worker visa) without having to leave the UK if they meet the requirements for the other visa route.

High Potential Individual visa

To be eligible for a High Potential Individual visa, trainees must have:must:

• have a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree or PhD from aan universityeligible listed in the Global Universities listuniversity
• beenhave awardedgained their qualificationinternational qualified teacher status (iQTS) no more than 5 years before they apply
• Englishmeet the language skillsrequirements tofor B1this intermediate level visa
• prove that they have enough personal fundssavings ofto £1,270
• passedsupport themselves in the UK, unless they’ve been in the UK with a securityvalid andvisa criminalityfor checkat least 12 months

Trainees do not need an offer of a place on a teacher training course to apply for this visa. They will be able to stay in the UK for 2 years with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, and 3 years with a PhD.

If their visa application is successful, they will be able to train as a teacher on either a salaried or fee-paying ITT course, as long as their training provider does not sponsor student visas.

If you are a training provider and you sponsor student visas, then any trainees you recruit must apply for a studentStudent visa instead.

Youth Mobility Scheme visa

A Youth Mobility Scheme visa lasts for up to 2 years and is for young people people:

• aged 18 to 30 whoor have18 to 35, depending on where they are from
• with certain types of British nationality or are from certain countries.countries or territories listed in the eligibility requirements

Young people can study or work while on this visa without a sponsoring educational institution or sponsoring employer. This includes training as a teacher via either a salaried or unsalaried ITT course.

Teachers or trainee teachers on a Youth Mobility Scheme visa may be able to apply to switch to another visa route without leaving the UK. They’ll need to meet the requirements for the other visa route.

Other visas

Trainee teachers from overseas may be able to work or study in the UK on another type of visa.

Guidance is available about Family visas, the UK Ancestry visa, the India Young Professionals Scheme and the British National (Overseas) visa.

EU Settlement Scheme

Citizens of the EEA or Switzerland might be able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living, working and studying in the UK without applying for a visa.

The deadline for most people to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme was 30 June 2021.

Citizens of the EEA or Switzerland, and their family members, can still apply if they or a family member were living in the UK by 31 December 2020.

They must also either:

• meet one of the criteria for a later deadline to apply
• have ‘reasonable grounds’ for not applying by 30 June 2021

More information is available about the eligibility criteria for later applications to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Applications to the EU Settlement Scheme can also be made by those who already have pre-settled status and are applying for settled status. To stay in the UK, those with pre-settled status must apply to the EU Settlement Scheme again before their pre-settled status expires.

Entry criteria for ITT

More information about ITT entry criteria is available.

Guidance for candidates

DfE offers support to international candidates on the Get into Teaching website.

Our

Candidates guidancefor tellsearly candidatesyears thatinitial ifteacher their qualifications come from a non-UK institution, their chosen training provider may want to see a ‘statement of comparability’ from UK ENIC(EYITT showing their equivalence to UK qualifications.

)

CandidatesInternational arecandidates invitedfor toEYITT callare Getnot intoeligible Teachingfor ona 0800teacher 389training 2500 for:adviser.

• guidance

  Early onyears theteacher UKtraining equivalentsgives ofmore theirinformation qualifications

• a free statement of comparability once they’ve submitted their application if their provider asks for this

candidates.

International