The Apply for Qualified Teacher Status (AQTS) service enables highly qualified overseas-trained teachers to gain QTS in England without further training or assessment, provided they meet strict eligibility criteria.
What’s changing:
- Applicants must evidence at least one year of post-qualification teaching experience, verified by references.
- From early 2026, references will only be accepted from official school email domains (for example, @school.edu).
- References from personal email accounts (such as Gmail or Hotmail) will no longer be accepted.
The DfE has also produced this
Q&A document to assist with any queries.