UK QTS: Full List Of Countries Whose Teachers Can Apply As Nigeria Loses Eligibility

The United Kingdom (UK) has changed its eligibility rules for overseas-trained teachers seeking to obtain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England, removing Nigeria, Ghana and India from the countries whose teachers can apply through the direct QTS application service.

The UK Department for Education (DfE) said the change took effect on September 9, 2026, meaning teachers trained in Nigeria, Ghana and India can no longer use the “Apply for QTS in England” service.

The department said the revised requirements are aimed at ensuring that information provided by overseas-trained teachers can be properly verified.

According to the DfE, countries eligible for the direct application route must have a national regulator capable of confirming a teacher’s professional standing and must also be able to provide references that meet the UK government’s verification requirements.

Explaining the decision, the department said India does not have a national regulator that can confirm the professional standing of teachers.

It also said more than 70 per cent of applications from teachers in Ghana and Nigeria included work-history references submitted through public email addresses, including Gmail and Hotmail, rather than official school email domains.

The DfE said the new requirements were introduced to strengthen the verification process for overseas teachers seeking QTS in England.

Full list: Countries Whose Teachers Can Still Apply For QTS In England

Teachers with recognised teaching qualifications from the following countries and regions can continue to use the QTS application service, provided they meet all other eligibility requirements:

• Australia
• Canada
• European Economic Area (EEA)
• Guernsey
• Hong Kong
• Jersey
• New Zealand
• Switzerland
• Ukraine
• United States of America (USA)

The DfE said applicants from these countries must still meet the mandatory requirements for QTS, including requirements relating to their teaching qualifications, professional standing, teaching experience and English language proficiency.

Jamaica, Singapore, South Africa have additional conditions

Teachers who qualified in Jamaica, Singapore or South Africa may also apply for QTS, but additional conditions apply.

The eligible countries are:

• Jamaica
• Singapore
• South Africa

Teachers from these countries who are currently working in a valid teaching role in England can apply if they meet the other requirements.

Those who are not currently working in a valid teaching role in England may still be eligible, but they must satisfy additional requirements.

Generally, they must demonstrate a subject specialism in mathematics, science or languages and be qualified to teach children aged between 11 and 16.

What Does The New Rule Mean For Nigerian Teachers? 

The removal of Nigeria from the direct QTS application route means teachers trained in Nigeria can no longer use the “Apply for QTS in England” service from September 9, 2026.

However, the change does not amount to a permanent ban on Nigerian teachers working in England.

The UK government said overseas-trained teachers who are not eligible for the direct QTS service can consider alternative routes, depending on their qualifications and individual circumstances.

These routes include assessment-only QTS, teacher training in England and International Qualified Teacher Status (iQTS).

Nigerian teachers may also be able to work in England without immediately holding QTS under certain conditions.

The UK government states that qualified teachers from outside the UK can teach for up to four years without QTS in many schools, subject to applicable requirements and exemptions.

The latest changes therefore affect access to the direct QTS application service rather than completely preventing Nigerian-trained teachers from pursuing teaching opportunities in England.