QTS Application: Teaching Qualification Translation for UK

The UK is short of qualified teachers, above all in STEM subjects. If you trained as a teacher abroad, Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) lets you teach in maintained schools across England. You apply through the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA). Every document that is not in English must be translated by a professional. This guide covers the documents you may need, how qualifications differ by country, and how to move through the process quickly.

What Is QTS and Who Needs It?

Qualified Teacher Status is the licence you need to teach in state-maintained schools in England. Without it, those schools cannot employ you as a qualified teacher. Academies and free schools may still hire unqualified teachers if they choose. Since February 2023, the TRA has run a professional recognition route. It lets experienced teachers from abroad apply for QTS using their overseas qualifications and teaching experience.

TRA Application Process Overview

You apply to the TRA online, through the "Apply for QTS in England" service. There are several stages. At each one you may need translated documents. Here is how it usually goes:

Documents Requiring Translation

The TRA needs a certified English translation of any document that was not issued in English. These are the ones most often translated for QTS:

Country-Specific Teaching Qualifications

Teaching qualifications differ a lot between countries. So does the meaning of "qualified teacher." Knowing which documents your country issues helps make sure nothing is missed.

EU Countries

Most EU countries award teaching qualifications at master's level, under the Bologna Process. Common documents are the Staatsexamen (Germany), CAPES or Agrégation (France), Abilitazione (Italy), and CAP (Portugal). The TRA knows these qualifications well. But the papers that prove your status differ from country to country.

German teachers, for example, must translate both the university degree and the state examination certificate (Zweites Staatsexamen). The degree on its own does not give you the right to teach. French teachers need their CAPES or Agrégation results as well as their university diploma. Spanish teachers should send the Grado en Educación and the Máster de Formación del Profesorado. Polish teachers need the dyplom ukończenia studiów, plus any awans zawodowy (professional advancement) papers.

Australia and New Zealand

Australian and New Zealand qualifications are already in English and look much like UK ones. You usually need no translation. There is one exception. If you trained in New Zealand and have extra documents in Te Reo Māori, or your Australian documents include text in an Indigenous language, those parts need a certified translation. The main documents are your Bachelor of Education or Graduate Diploma of Education, plus your state or territory teacher registration.

Canada

Provincial bodies issue Canadian teaching certificates. Examples are the Ontario College of Teachers and the BC Teacher Regulation Branch. English certificates need no translation. Teachers from Quebec may hold French documents, and those do need a certified translation. The main documents are your Bachelor of Education and your provincial teaching certificate.

United States

US teaching licences come from the state and are already in English. The TRA wants to see your state licence or credential, plus your bachelor's or master's degree in education. You usually need no translation. Teachers from Puerto Rico and other US territories may have some documents in Spanish.

India

Most Indian teachers hold a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) from a university recognised by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). Depending on the university, the B.Ed certificate and mark sheets may be in Hindi or a regional language. Teachers usually also hold a subject degree, such as a B.Sc or B.A. That needs translating too if it is not in English. You may also need the NCTE recognition letter and your state teacher eligibility test (TET) certificate.

Common documents for Indian teachers applying for QTS:

• B.Ed degree certificate: issued by your university to show you finished the teaching course
• B.Ed mark sheets: your results by semester or year, with grades for teaching theory, teaching practice, and your subjects
• Undergraduate degree (B.A./B.Sc/B.Com): the subject degree behind your teaching qualification
• NCTE recognition letter: proof that the national regulator approved your B.Ed course
• TET certificate: your Teacher Eligibility Test results (CTET at national level, or a state TET)
• Teaching experience letter: from your principal, on school letterhead, giving your dates of work and the subjects you taught
• Police clearance certificate: from the state police or the national crime records bureau

Other Countries

DBS Checks and Overseas Police Clearance

To work with children in UK schools you need an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check. If you come from abroad, you also need criminal record checks from every country where you have lived or worked for six months or more since you turned 18. These police certificates are often in the local language, so they need a certified translation.

For more on police clearance translation, see our police clearance certificate translation guide.

Skilled Worker Visa for Teachers

Most teachers moving to the UK need a Skilled Worker visa. Teaching roles sit on the Immigration Salary List (once called the Shortage Occupation List). That means a lower salary threshold and a lower visa fee for many teaching jobs. The visa application needs its own set of translated documents, on top of the ones for QTS.

The good news is that the two lists overlap a lot. One certified translation of your teaching degree covers both applications. Get everything translated in one batch to save time and money.

For the full list of Skilled Worker visa translation rules, see our Skilled Worker visa translation guide.

Subject-Specific Documentation and STEM Shortages

The UK badly needs teachers of maths, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, and modern foreign languages. If you teach a shortage subject, your application may move faster. You may also find it easier to get a school to sponsor your visa.

For STEM subjects, the TRA may ask for more proof of your subject knowledge. That can include:

• Subject degree transcripts: full module lists that show how deep your subject knowledge goes, such as a physics transcript next to your B.Ed
• Professional development certificates: CPD records, extra qualifications, or specialist training
• Subject enhancement courses: any bridging or top-up course you took so you could teach a subject
• Lab or practical training records: for science subjects, proof that you can teach practical work

All of these need a certified translation if they are not in English. To show what your qualification is worth in the UK, you may also need an ENIC assessment. See our ENIC-NARIC credential evaluation guide.

Professional References Translation

The TRA wants at least one professional reference from a school where you taught. It must come from a headteacher, principal, or senior leader who can speak about your teaching. If it is in another language, it needs a full certified translation.

With references, the translator must keep the exact wording and tone. The TRA reads the reference against UK teaching standards, so small shades of meaning count. Nothing should be reworded or shortened. The translation must follow the original text faithfully.

Planning Your Timeline

The QTS application, the visa, and the translations each take their own time. Plan early, or you will be delayed. Here is a realistic timeline:

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the QTS application process take?

Once you have sent everything, the TRA usually decides within 4-8 weeks. Delays are common when a document still needs translating, or when a reference is slow to arrive. Get all your translations done before you apply.

Can I teach in the UK while my QTS application is being processed?

Yes, if a school sponsors you on a valid Skilled Worker visa. You can start work while your QTS application is open. But until QTS is granted, you are employed as an unqualified teacher, which can affect your pay. Many schools are happy to hire this way, above all in shortage subjects, expecting QTS to come through.

Do I need an ENIC assessment as well as a certified translation?

The TRA assesses your qualifications itself. It does not normally ask for a separate ENIC (once NARIC) statement of comparability. An ENIC assessment can still help. It gives independent proof that your qualification is UK Level 6 or above. Some schools ask for one for their own files.

What if my teaching qualification is below degree level?

The TRA wants a qualification at UK Level 6 (bachelor's degree level) or above. If yours is lower, such as a two-year diploma rather than a four-year degree, you may not qualify through the professional recognition route. A top-up degree or the assessment-only QTS route in England may work instead. Your certified translation must show the level of the qualification clearly, so the TRA can judge it fairly.

Can I use the same translations for both QTS and visa applications?

Yes. A certified translation that meets UKVI standards also meets the TRA's. Both want the same thing: a complete, accurate translation with a signed certification statement from the translator. You do not need two sets. Order everything in one batch. It costs less and keeps the wording consistent.