How long does Apply for QTS take, and what does it cost?
By George Wilks · Fact-checked against official sources on 6 Nov 2026 · Updated 6 Nov 2026
Short answer
Apply for QTS is free: DfE does not charge to assess your application or award QTS. DfE says it assesses 90% of applications within 12 months. Applications with verified teaching experience in England may be assessed faster, while missing evidence, slow references and verification requests cause delays.
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Key facts
- Fee: none
- 90% assessed within 12 months
- Faster: verified experience in England
- Slower: missing documents and late references
Speeding up your application
- Have your degree verified by UK ENIC and your transcripts ready before you start.
- Ask your teaching regulator for written confirmation of your professional standing.
- Give referees' school email addresses (the service expects school-domain addresses) and tell them to expect a request.
- Upload clear English evidence: an exemption, a degree taught in English, or an accepted B2 test.
Working while you wait
Academies, free schools and independent schools can employ teachers without QTS, and teachers who trained overseas can generally teach in maintained schools for up to four years before QTS is needed (not in pupil referral units or alternative provision). Pay may be lower until QTS is awarded.
Other costs to plan for
There is no QTS fee, but you may pay for UK ENIC verification, an English test, translations, and, if you need a visa, the visa fee and immigration health surcharge.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I track my application?
Yes, through your account on the Apply for QTS service.
What if DfE asks for more information?
Respond quickly; the clock effectively pauses until you do.
Will a job offer speed things up?
DfE prioritises verified experience in England, not job offers.
Sources
- Overseas trained teachers: apply for QTS in England (DfE) · checked 6 Nov 2026
- Apply for qualified teacher status (QTS) in England — service · checked 6 Nov 2026
- Recruit teachers from overseas (DfE guidance for schools) · checked 6 Nov 2026
Related answers
How do I get QTS if I trained overseas?
If you trained as a teacher in an eligible country or region, you apply for qualified teacher status (QTS) online through the Department for Education's free Apply for QTS in England service. You need a degree, a recognised teaching qualification, full teacher status where you trained, at least one school year of teaching experience and evidence of English. If you trained elsewhere, you can still reach QTS through a training or assessment route in England.
Which countries' teaching qualifications are recognised in England?
Teachers who trained in Australia, Canada, the European Economic Area (EEA), Guernsey, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Jersey, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Ukraine, the USA can apply for QTS through the DfE Apply for QTS service if they meet the other requirements. Since 9 September 2026, teachers who trained in Ghana, India or Nigeria are no longer eligible for this service. Teachers who qualified in Wales already hold QTS.
Can a school sponsor a teacher's Skilled Worker visa?
Yes. A school, academy trust or local authority can sponsor a teacher for a Skilled Worker visa if it holds a Home Office worker sponsor licence. It issues you a certificate of sponsorship for an eligible job that meets the salary rules, and you then apply for the visa yourself. Not every school has a licence, and a licence doesn't mean every role will be sponsored.
What salary do I need for a Skilled Worker visa as a teacher?
For eligible teaching jobs, the Skilled Worker salary must be at least £25,000, or the job's going rate if that is higher, and it must also meet the relevant national pay-scale rate. Teaching jobs therefore do not have to meet the general £41,700 threshold that applies to most other jobs. The Home Office publishes the pay-scale rates it uses for each pay area.
Can I teach in England without QTS?
Yes, in many schools. QTS is not generally a legal requirement in academies, free schools or independent schools, though many prefer it. In maintained schools, a teacher who qualified outside the UK through recognised teacher training can generally teach for up to four years before needing QTS. The four-year rule does not apply in pupil referral units or alternative provision, where QTS is needed from the start.