QTS exemption for teachers from outside the UK

Qualified teachers from outside the UK are allowed to teach in England for up to 4 years without QTS – even in schools where QTS is normally a legal requirement. You can learn more about this exemption, known as the ‘4-year rule’, from the school employing you.

To be eligible for the 4-year rule, you will need to have:

• qualified as a teacher in a country outside the UK
• successfully completed a course of teacher training recognised by the organisation that regulates teachers in the country where you qualified

The 4-year rule exemption does not apply to pupil referral units (PRUs), alternative provision academies, or alternative provision free schools, where QTS is required from the beginning of your employment.

Read more/Source: DFE UK