Apply to provide international qualified teacher status
Source: gov.uk (2025-06-19)

Information for English accredited  initial teacher training (ITT) providers about the Department for Education international qualified teacher status roll-out.

Application process

Applications to provide an international qualified teacher status (iQTS) programme are now open throughout the year. Email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) for our application form.

Applications should be submitted at a minimum of one academic year before you plan to deliver and a maximum of two academic years before intending to deliver. We will review applications periodically. It may take up to 12 weeks to receive feedback on your application.

Once sent, your application form is received by the iQTS team, you will not be able to make any amendments to the form.

If you have not heard back within 12 weeks, or have any questions or concerns, email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

Approved providers must:
- complete our application form, confirming your eligibility to deliver iQTS
- comply with iQTS inspections, including paying a fee currently set at £15,000 for the inspection
- develop training for in-school mentors to support trainees
- ensure trainees can feed back on the programme to raise any concerns, and share information on successes and challenges with DfE
- award iQTS to all trainees who meet the iQTS Teachers’ Standards at the end of the course, and submit data accordingly to DfE
The programme you create, must:
- incorporate the iQTS version of the core content framework (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/initial-teacher-training-itt-core-content-framework) (CCF)
- meet the requirements in the iQTS criteria (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-qualified-teacher-status-criteria-for-providers)
- allow trainees to meet the iQTS Teachers’ Standards (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-qualified-teacher-status-teachers-standards)
Background

The iQTS is an international teaching qualification. It is recognised by the Department for Education (DfE) as equivalent to qualified teacher status (QTS) in England. Further information is available in the introducing iQTS (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-qualified-teacher-status-iqts/introducing-the-international-qualified-teacher-status-iqts-pilot) policy paper.

The iQTS pilot ran from September 2022 to summer 2023 and is now in the wider roll-out stage.

There is no cap on trainee numbers in the wider roll-out phase, but providers must seek additional permission from DfE if they wish to recruit more than 200 trainees.

No DfE funding is available for the delivery of the iQTS programme. Providers participate at their own risk.

We expect providers to set their own course fees, which should be affordable in a number of global settings, so that the iQTS programme is an attainable qualification worldwide.

Providers must deliver a training programme that meets the:
- needs of candidates and providers
- quality-control standards set by English ITT providers and DfE
- practical, logistical and financial requirements to scale the training
Eligibility

To apply to deliver iQTS, providers must:
- already be accredited by DfE to deliver initial teacher training leading to QTS in England
- have been successful in the reaccreditation process that took place as part of the ITT market reforms
- have an inspection rating of 1 (outstanding) or 2 (good) for their primary or secondary QTS provision
We will be updating the criteria once Ofsted’s new ITE inspection toolkit is published, to reflect the new toolkit.

We are unable to accept applications from recently accredited initial teacher training (ITT) providers that have yet to be inspected.

Security of data

DfE expects providers to treat and protect iQTS personal data in the same way as ITT data, in line with UK GDPR requirements. You will need to provide a copy of your security plan, if requested. It is agreed that statutory and other constraints on the exchange of information will be fully respected, including the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, and the Human Rights Act 1998, and any successor or amended legislation to the same.

Providers will be required to submit candidate data to DfE through the register trainee teachers (https://www.register-trainee-teachers.service.gov.uk/) service.

DfE engagement with providers

Policy queries, concerns and comments can be directed to our email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) for assistance as required.

Withdrawal of iQTS approval

Approved iQTS providers must comply with the iQTS criteria and supporting information (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-qualified-teacher-status-criteria-for-providers).

DfE may withdraw approval, if:
- the provider loses their domestic (English) ITT accreditation
- the provider fails to adhere to any DfE guidance relating to iQTS
- provision is non-compliant with one or more of the specified iQTS criteria
- the provider fails to comply with DfE data and reporting requirements
- the provider ceases to offer provision
- the provider fails to deliver the requirements they have set out in their submitted application
- DfE has been presented with proof of non-compliance with a provider’s submitted application
- the provider receives a grade 4 at iQTS inspection and subsequently fails the iQTS reinspection
Evidence of non-compliance might include:
- DfE monitoring and evaluation
- inspection feedback
- feedback from schools, trainees, or providers themselves
In all but the most serious cases of non-compliance, DfE will give providers the opportunity to address the problem before we start the formal process of withdrawing your iQTS approval status.

Process for withdrawal

The timeline for the withdrawal of iQTS approval status is:

We will contact you to tell you we have been presented with evidence of non-compliance and we are starting the withdrawal process.

You will have 2 working days to acknowledge receipt of the email and advise us if you intend to ask for the decision to be reviewed. If you do not respond to this email, we will assume that you do not intend to challenge the decision.

You will have an additional 5 working days to submit your grounds for the review. This must directly address the evidence of non-compliance we have been presented with and include any evidence you would like us to consider. You should email your evidence to xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

We will review the evidence you have provided within 2 working days. We’ll let you know if we can make a decision based on the documentation only, or if we intend to arrange a call to discuss.

If we can make a decision on the documentation only, we will contact you within 2 working days to advise of the outcome. Either DfE will uphold the decision and your iQTS approval status will be withdrawn, or it will overturn the decision to withdraw your iQTS approval status. The latter may come with conditions that we will then arrange to discuss with you.

If we do need to arrange a call with you to discuss the evidence you’ve provided, we will contact you with a date and time within 2 working days.

Following this call, we will contact you within 2 working days to advise you of the outcome. Either DfE will uphold the decision and your iQTS approval status will be withdrawn, or it will overturn the decision to withdraw your iQTS approval status. The latter may come with conditions that we will then arrange to discuss with you.

If your iQTS approval status is withdrawn, and depending on the reasons for this, we may allow you to continue to deliver iQTS until the end of the academic year, or we may arrange for another provider to take over the delivery of iQTS to your trainees.

If you wish to request a reconsideration of our decision to withdraw iQTS approval, you must send your request to xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) within 2 working days of us informing you of our decision to withdraw approval. Your email should outline the reasons for the request and provide any additional evidence you would like DfE to consider.

The reconsideration of the decision will be led by a DfE official not involved in the original decision to withdraw and of at least equal grade to the official who took the withdrawal decision. You will be informed of this decision by email. This decision will be final and there will be no right to a further reconsideration.

The decision to withdraw approval will not impact your domestic ITT accreditation.