Teachers from the European Economic Area (EEA)

The EEA includes all countries that are members of the European Union (EU) or the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

EEA nationals who are recognised as qualified school teachers in an EEA member state, may apply for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England under the terms of Council Directive 89/48/EEC, without the need for further training.

EEA member states are: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Swiss nationals are also eligible for assessment under the Council Directive.

From 1 January 2007 teachers from Romania and Bulgaria are eligible for assessment under the Council Directive.

Induction requirements

Teachers who gain QTS through this route are exempt from the requirement to serve a statutory induction period.

The GTC administers this route to QTS. If you fall into this category and wish to apply for QTS in England, then you will need to complete the appropriate application form and return it to the GTC to be processed.

You can either download the appropriate form (attached as a related page) or contact the GTC who will send you the appropriate application form.

Contacting the GTC

If you require assistance in completing the application form, or have any other queries, please contact the Teachers’ Qualifications section  using form attached as a related page, by e-mailing tqanswer@gtce.org.uk or by calling +44 (0) 121 345 0140. The TQ Section's postal/fax contact details are also included here for reference:

Teachers’ Qualifications Section
General Teaching Council
Victoria Square House
Victoria Square
Birmingham
B2 4AJ
United Kingdom

Fax: +44 (0) 121 345 0100