UK Drops Nigeria, Ghana From Qualified Teacher Status
Teachers trained in Nigeria and Ghana can no longer use the United Kingdom’s direct application route for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England, following a change that took effect on September 9, 2026. The UK Department for Education (DfE) removed both countries from the list of countries whose teachers are eligible for the overseas-trained […]
The United Kingdom has removed Nigeria and Ghana from the list of countries whose teachers can obtain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) through a direct application route in England. This change, effective September 9, 2026, was announced by the UK Department for Education (DfE). The decision was made to ensure proper verification of the professional standing, qualifications, and employment history of overseas-trained teachers.
Countries must now have a national regulator capable of confirming teachers' professional standing and provide authenticated references. The DfE cited the use of public email addresses in work history references submitted by applicants from Nigeria and Ghana, which makes verification more challenging. While this change effectively bars Nigerian and Ghanaian teachers from using the direct QTS service, they may still pursue alternative routes to teach in England.
These include assessment-only QTS, teacher training in England, or international qualified teacher status (iQTS).
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