You need grade C/4 or above in GCSE English and Maths, and for primary teaching, additionally grade C/4 or above in a science subject. Some classroom experience (usually a minimum of 10 days) and a good Honours degree (either predicted or confirmed) are also essential. The primary route is open to students from any degree background – although a degree relating to a national curriculum subject might give you an advantage – while for secondary teaching, your degree ideally is in the subject that you would like to teach or very closely related.

If you studied a subject at A-level but not at degree level, or have relevant professional experience in a subject, you may be eligible to complete a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course to train in a priority subject. These include: maths, physics, chemistry, biology, geography, English, modern languages, computing, religious education, primary maths, or design and technology. Further information about SKE courses is available on the Get into Teaching website.  You can also speak to the admissions staff for courses of interest to you to check which courses you would be eligible for with your degree background.

Different course providers might accept different GCSE-equivalent qualifications you might have, so contact providers on your preference list to discuss your qualifications with them directly. Some providers, for example Edge Hill University, also offer their own GCSE equivalency programmes and/or standalone tests for candidates that don’t have the required GCSE qualifications or marks. LJMU accepts the GCSE equivalence tests provided by Equivalency Testing, but we would recommend you always check with the admissions staff for your chosen courses before you sign up for particular test providers. At LJMU, you can contact the admissions team for all teacher training courses offered via education@ljmu.ac.uk or 0151 231 3000 (option 1). Some providers and courses will need you to have passed your GCSEs or equivalence tests at the time of applying, where others will just make this a condition of your offer, so you need to check this with individual course providers before applying.

If taking an equivalency test is not an option, local community colleges usually also offer one-year resit courses for English and maths GCSEs as evening classes. Check with local colleges directly, or ask if the teacher training course provider can recommend a course to you.

Nobody could have foreseen events in 2020, and admissions staff are likely to be more flexible for this recruitment cycle and show understanding of the challenges candidates faced. Admissions staff at LJMU have confirmed that while it is an advantage for candidates to have some relevant work experience already, it is not essential during this application cycle.

If you had work experience cancelled, make sure you mention this on your statement, so admissions tutors can see that you had been proactive to arrange this. Consider other options to demonstrate that you have a thorough understanding of the profession: what have you done to research teaching as a career? Have you spoken to any teachers about the challenges and rewards of teaching? How have you developed your insight into the skills and personal characteristics required for a good teacher? How do you keep up-to-date with developments in the sector? Listening to relevant podcasts, watching relevant videos online or reading news updates on websites like TES would all help you with this.

The main routes for postgraduate teacher training are: university-led (PGCE or PGDE courses), school-led (sometimes also advertised as ‘School Direct’), SCITT (i.e. school-centred initial teacher training) and Teach First. They all lead to qualified teacher status (QTS), which is needed to teach in state schools in England and Wales. In addition, all routes offer a combination of study and a minimum of 24 weeks’ practical experience in the classroom. For further information about these options, please download a copy of our ‘Routes into Teaching’ factsheet.

No route is better than another, but different options will suit different people. You should research providers carefully and consider a number of factors when making your decision: depending on your previous experience and confidence levels in the classroom, one route might appeal to you more than others. There may be more availability of certain routes in your local area, or you might have had certain providers recommended to you.

The online course search lists available courses for your chosen subjects in your chosen region. Each course profile provides detailed information about the course, school placements, fees and financial support, entry requirements and training provider. It also lists contact details for admissions enquiries, so you can phone or email course providers to discuss any questions you have about the course or your eligibility.

Applications for university-led, school-led and SCITT courses in England and Wales are made through UCAS Teacher Training, a central application system. You can select up to three choices initially, which can all be from the same route (e.g. all school-led) or a mix of different routes (e.g. one school-led and two university-led courses). Applications for Teach First require you to complete a separate application form. Please download our factsheet on applying for postgraduate teacher training courses for more details. It also includes information about applying for teacher training courses in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Tuition fee loans for the full cost of course fees of up to £9,250 and maintenance loans are available for all subjects. Trainee teachers in priority and shortage subjects also receive tax-free bursaries or scholarships in addition. If you are a parent, have an adult dependant or a disability, you may be eligible for further financial support. Please see funding information on the Get into Teaching website. (NB: this will be updated following the completion of the government’s spending review.)

A strong statement demonstrates your motivation to pursue a career in teaching and provides a reflection on your classroom experience or other relevant settings where you have worked with children or young people. Write clearly and concisely, use positive language, and double-check your spelling and grammar. For more detailed advice and an example personal statement, please download our factsheet on applications for postgraduate teacher training.

These usually involve a number of practical tasks, including written tests, group discussions, and delivering a mini-lesson or teaching activity, in addition to an individual interview. You may be asked to prepare for some of the tasks in advance, while others will just be given to you on the day. Interview questions focus on aspects like your motivation to teach, your understanding of the profession, your relevant work experience, your insight into current issues in education or your specific subject, working with pupils, as well as diversity, inclusion and safeguarding. Our interview guide provides further tips on preparing for the tasks and advice on answering common interview questions.

While social distancing measures are in place on university campuses, providers might move the interview process online and conduct virtual assessment days and individual interviews instead. Our blog provides guidance on preparing for virtual assessment centres and video interviews.

On UCAS Teacher Training, ‘Apply 1’ refers to your initial application, where you enter up to three choices. If you don’t receive any offers from your chosen providers in ‘Apply 1’, or you decline all offers you receive, you automatically move into ‘Apply 2’. You can then select additional training programmes, but only one at a time and only courses with remaining vacancies. During the 2019 admissions cycle, nearly 2,500 people found a teacher training place through Apply 2 (source: UCAS Analysis and Research), so do not be disheartened if none of your three initial choices offer you a place.