New information sheet - overseas trained teachers and the four year rule

To become a fully qualified teacher in the England, all teachers must gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), including those who trained overseas.QTS is a standard that shows teachers have met the required professional level to teach in England.

If you trained abroad and have a teacher training qualification recognised by the relevant competent authority in your home country, you can work as an overseas trained teacher in a school. The job is called an unqualified teacher position, as you do not yet have QTS. You should gain QTS within four years of when you started work, so you can continue to work as a full teacher. This is called the 4 year rule.

The information sheet below will give you more details on the 4 year rule, and how this affects teachers who have a recognised overseas teaching qualification. If you have any questions, please contact us at rit@refugeecouncil.org.uk, or 020 7346 1166.

Overseas trained teachers and the four year rule