UK Drops Nigeria, Ghana From QTS List

The United Kingdom has removed Nigeria and Ghana from the list of countries whose teachers can apply directly for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England, following changes introduced by the UK Department for Education (DfE).

The revised rules, which took effect on September 9, 2026, also removed India from the overseas-trained teacher QTS service. The DfE said the decision followed updated eligibility requirements aimed at improving the verification of teachers’ professional qualifications, employment history and professional standing.

Under the new criteria, countries seeking access to the direct application route must have a national regulator that can confirm teachers’ credentials and provide reliable references.

The DfE said Nigeria and Ghana did not meet the reference-verification requirement, citing concerns about the format of employment references submitted by some applicants.

“Our data shows that more than 70% of applications from teachers in Ghana and Nigeria include work history references that use public email addresses rather than a school’s official email domain,” the department said.

It added that this has increased the time and resources assessors need to confirm whether applicants’ information is accurate.

“We must be confident that the information applicants provide is genuine. This helps ensure that overseas teachers awarded qualified teacher status have the skills and experience needed to teach in schools in England,” the DfE said.

QTS is a recognised professional status for teachers working in England and is required in many schools, although some institutions do not legally require it. UK government guidance states that overseas-qualified teachers may teach in England for up to four years without QTS under specific conditions.

The latest changes do not prevent Nigerian and Ghanaian teachers from pursuing teaching opportunities in England. Those unable to use the direct application route can explore alternative pathways, including assessment-only QTS, teacher training in England, or international qualified teacher status (iQTS).

Applicants seeking QTS through eligible routes must meet several requirements, including holding a recognised degree, professional teaching recognition in their country of training, completing required induction programmes and having at least nine months of post-qualification teaching experience.

They must also provide employment references that can be verified through official school email addresses.

South Africa remains among the African countries whose teachers can access the direct QTS application route, provided they meet the required conditions.