UK Excludes Nigerian and Ghanaian Teachers from QTS Route

The UK Department for Education (DfE) announced on September 22, 2026, that it has barred teachers trained in Nigeria and Ghana from applying for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England through the overseas-trained teacher application route. This change took effect on September 9, 2026, following a review of eligible countries.

The DfE stated that Nigeria and Ghana no longer met the necessary requirements for inclusion on the list. The decision is based on the high percentage of applications from these countries that include work-history references using public email services, such as Gmail and Hotmail, instead of official school email addresses.

This practice complicates the verification process for assessors, who need to authenticate applicants' professional records. The DfE emphasized that an eligible country must have a national regulator capable of confirming a teacher's professional standing and providing authenticated references.

The assessment process aims to ensure that teachers awarded QTS possess the required qualifications, skills, and experience to teach in English schools.