International Qualified Teacher Status (iQTS) (with PGCE)

Course Content

The iQTS programme has been designed to support trainee development in 5 core areas:

1. Behaviour management
2. Pedagogy
3. Curriculum
4. Assessment
5. Professional behaviours.

During the course, you will study and put into practice key skills and methodologies essential to becoming an effective teacher, including:

• Setting high expectations
• Understanding how pupils learn
• Demonstrating good subject and curriculum knowledge
• Planning and teaching well structured lessons
• Adapting to pupils’ needs
• Making accurate and productive use of assessment
• Managing behaviour effectively
• Fulfilling your professional responsibilities.

Primary teachers will be expected to teach all subjects across the primary curriculum, depending on the local curriculum.

For secondary trainees our subject specialists include: Art, Music, Design Technology, Food Technology, Business Studies and Economics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Computer Science, English, Drama, Classics, Modern Languages, Geography, History, Religious Studies, Psychology, Physical Education and Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE).

Our course is specifically designed to address the needs of international school teachers and will address how to apply what you learn to the international school setting.

Course Delivery

The iQTS programme is a 37-week school-based course. All applicants must be employed by a school for the duration of the course and be able to put into practice knowledge and skills gained from the course content.

Trainees will be guided through each stage of the course:

• You will work under the guidance of a mentor (appointed by the school in which you work), who will organise lesson observations and meet with you weekly to review progress and set targets. 
• You are allocated a University of Buckingham tutor who will travel to visit you in your school in the first term (UK government travel advice allowing) and then meet with you approximately once a month online to track progress and support where necessary.
• You will participate in regular live lectures and seminars, which are important to attend as a condition of the course. Dates of the Training Days can be provided.
• There is a weekly programme of readings and reflective tasks to engage in.

Entry Requirements

Your Background

1. You must have a university bachelor’s degree. If your degree was not awarded by a UK university, you will need a statement of comparability from UK ENIC. Please refer to our guidance here. 
2. You must have the equivalent of a UK GCSE grade 4 in mathematics. If you are teaching pupils aged 5-11 you also need a GCSE grade 4 in science or one of the science subjects. If you do not have an equivalent qualification you will be asked to sit a proficiency test. If your qualifications were awarded by a body outside the UK, you will need a statement of comparability from UK ENIC. Please refer to our guidance here. 
3. You will need to have IELTS 6.5 (with 6.0 or above in each component) or an equivalent English level qualification as per the University’s English Language Requirements.
4. You must pass child protection/safeguarding/criminal record checks. If you have lived in the UK you will need to apply for an International Child Protection Certificate www.acro.police.uk.
5. If you are teaching now, you should be able to provide evidence of your professional standing as a teacher.
6. You must be teaching within one of the following age phases (you do not have to teach children of all ages within any phase):
   • Ages 3-11 = primary
   • Ages 11-19 = secondary route
7. You must provide two written references.

Your School

1. You must be employed in a school as a teacher. You must be in school for a minimum of 120 days in the year.
2. That school must be happy to support you doing the iQTS course and must be happy to recommend you.
3. Your school must be able to provide an experienced member of staff in the school to act as your mentor, observing your lessons, providing feedback and discussing the weekly tasks set by the University of Buckingham. This will take 2-3 hours a week.
4. Your school should be able to provide written confirmation that they have carried out safeguarding/child protection checks and that you have been deemed suitable to work with children.
5. If you do not have any evidence of prior experience in another school setting, your school must be willing to support you in gaining a minimum of 10 days experience in another school setting by the end of the course.
6. You will be expected to attend online lectures on Thursdays in 20 weeks of the year.

Interview

Applicants who fulfil the criteria for entry onto the University of Buckingham’s iQTS course will be invited for interview. During the interview, applicants will be asked questions about the Teachers’ Standards, subject knowledge and their suitability to teach. Successful candidates will be sent a conditional offer which will include a successful School Placement Approval Meeting between university and their school and a request for any outstanding documents.

Additional PGCE

If you wish to add an optional PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate of Education), it is important to note that this is only suitable for students with good written English who have the ability to write at a high academic level. The course consists of preparing for and writing 2-3 essays.

Fees

Registration Fee: £300 (non-refundable)

iQTS only: £8300

iQTS with PGCE: £9300

Fees are invoiced for in September, at the beginning of the course, and can be paid in termly instalments or in one lump sum. Termly instalments can be arranged directly with the Finance department upon receipt of the invoice.

All fees are charged directly by the University of Buckingham, BISE will not add any additional charges for our services.

How To Apply

Click Apply Now below to apply online through Buckingham International School of Education. We will support you to complete your application before submitting it directly to the University of Buckingham.

If you have any queries, click Ask a Question and our admissions team members will endeavour to reply to your enquiry within 24 hours.

Our admissions staff are based in Mainland China and Hong Kong and our hours of business are 10am to 7pm (GMT+7), Mon-Fri.

Admissions for September 2026 intake will close on 30 June 2026.