PGCE and BEd Courses

A PGCE course mainly focuses on developing your teaching skills, and not on the subject you intend to teach. For this reason, you are expected to have a good understanding of your chosen subject(s) - usually to degree level - before you start training. Courses generally last for one year full-time or up to two years part-time.

PGCE courses are available at universities and colleges throughout the UK.

You must have a UK undergraduate degree or a recognised equivalent qualification. Find out if your qualifications are equivalent to UK qualifications through UK NARIC. If your degree subject does not link closely to the subject you intend to teach, you may improve your ability to gain a place on an ITT programme by following a pre-training course to boost your subject knowledge.

You also need a standard equivalent to at least a grade C in GCSE English language and mathematics. If you want to teach primary or key stage 2/3 (ages 7-14), you must also have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade C in a GCSE science subject.

The majority of PGCE applications are made through the Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR). However, some ITT providers require that you approach them directly.

For secondary courses, you are able to apply to up to four different providers. For primary courses you may apply to two providers, in order of preference. If you are unsuccessful with your first choice, your application will be passed on to your second, and so on.