Study Education in the UK — degrees, the route to QTS and careers

It is important to understand the two distinct paths. Education Studies degrees are academic programmes exploring how people learn, the sociology and psychology of education, policy and curriculum — they do not, by themselves, qualify you to teach. To teach in most state schools in England you need Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), gained through an initial teacher training (ITT) route such as a PGCE with QTS or an undergraduate degree with QTS. Many international students study Education Studies, an MA Education, or specialist Master's such as TESOL, while those wanting to teach must check QTS route eligibility carefully.

Entry requirements vary by route: Education Studies offers commonly sit around BBC to BBB, while QTS routes have specific subject-knowledge, English-language and school-experience requirements. Graduates work in teaching (with QTS), education policy and administration, charities and NGOs, educational publishing and edtech, training and international schools. For international students, the right starting question is whether you want to teach in the UK (which means planning a QTS route and confirming visa eligibility) or build an education career more broadly. Study UK Now helps you choose the route that matches your goals and confirms requirements.