UK Removes Nigeria, Ghana and India From Direct QTS Application Route

Teachers trained in Nigeria, Ghana and India can no longer apply for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England through the UK Department for Education’s overseas-trained teacher recognition service.

The change took effect on September 9, 2026, following an update to the eligibility requirements for the Apply for QTS in England service.

The Department for Education said countries included in the route must meet specific requirements that allow applicants’ qualifications, professional standing and teaching experience to be properly verified.

One of the requirements is for countries to have a national regulator capable of confirming teachers’ professional status and providing authenticated references.

The department said Nigeria, Ghana and India no longer meet the requirements for the direct application service. The UK government has previously reported that a high proportion of applications from the newly eligible countries required additional verification of applicants’ qualifications and professional records.

The change means teachers trained in Nigeria and Ghana who had planned to obtain QTS through the overseas recognition service will need to consider other routes if they want to gain the English teaching qualification.

QTS is an important professional status in England and is required for teaching in many maintained schools. However, it is not legally required in every type of school, including many academies, free schools and private schools.

The UK government says qualified teachers from outside the UK can, in certain circumstances, teach in England for up to four years without QTS under the so-called four-year rule. After that period, QTS is required for teaching in many schools.

Teachers affected by the new eligibility rules can also explore alternative routes, including assessment-only QTS, which allows experienced teachers to demonstrate that they already meet the required standards without completing a conventional teacher-training programme. Applicants generally need at least two years of teaching experience, a bachelor’s degree and other specified qualifications.

Another option is international qualified teacher status (iQTS). The UK government says iQTS is available to non-UK citizens and can be completed while living and working outside the UK. Successful completion leads to English QTS.

The Department for Education said the changes are intended to strengthen verification and ensure that teachers receiving QTS have the qualifications, professional standing and experience required to teach in England.

South Africa remains among the African countries whose teachers can use the relevant overseas-trained teacher recognition route, subject to meeting the applicable requirements.

For Nigerian and Ghanaian teachers seeking opportunities in England, the immediate effect is therefore not a blanket ban on teaching in the country, but the closure of one specific route for obtaining QTS. Other routes remain available depending on an applicant’s qualifications, experience and circumstances.