You can become a qualified teacher in the UK without a degree, but only in further education: colleges, sixth forms, training providers, adult education and apprenticeship delivery. The qualification that gets you there is the Level 5 Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills), and you can take the Level 5 Diploma in Teaching online with Lift College, with a named UK tutor and a 7-day free trial. Schools are different: in England, state schools normally require Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which needs a degree, although QTLS holders have been legally recognised as qualified teachers in maintained schools since 2012. This guide sets out every realistic route, who each one suits, how long it takes and what it costs.
Can you become a teacher without a degree?
Yes, with one honest caveat. Further education employs tens of thousands of teachers whose main qualification is their trade or profession rather than a degree: plumbers teaching plumbing, carers teaching health and social care, chefs teaching catering, accountants teaching bookkeeping. The Department for Education's own guidance for FE confirms there is no statutory requirement to hold a degree or QTS to teach in a college, and the sector's teaching qualifications sit at Level 3, 4 and 5 of the Regulated Qualifications Framework, not at degree level. Academic subjects are the exception: to teach A-levels in a college, you will usually need a degree in that subject.
In primary and secondary schools the position is stricter. State-maintained schools in England normally need QTS, and every route to QTS either requires a degree on entry or awards one on the way through. Academies and free schools legally may employ unqualified teachers, but in practice almost all advertise for QTS. The exception is QTLS, which the Education (School Teachers' Qualifications) (England) Regulations have treated as equivalent to QTS since 1 April 2012.
So the short version is this: no degree means further education first, and the Level 5 Diploma in Teaching is the qualification employers ask for.
What do you need to become a teacher without a degree?
Employers and awarding organisations look for four things.
- Subject expertise. A Level 3 qualification or above in the subject you want to teach, or substantial industry experience. A Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care, a trade qualification, a professional accountancy certificate or several years in the role all count.
- Level 2 English and maths. GCSE grade 4 or above, or Functional Skills Level 2. Colleges will not let you start a teaching placement without them.
- A teaching qualification. For a full teaching role that is the Level 5 Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills). For sessional or trainer roles the Level 3 Award in Education and Training is often enough to start.
- A placement. The Level 5 Diploma requires at least 250 hours in a further education setting, including 150 hours of teaching your subject. Most people arrange this through a college that is prepared to take them on as a trainee or unqualified lecturer.
You must also be 19 or over, and because FE students include 16 to 18 year olds you will need an enhanced DBS check and safeguarding training.
Which routes into teaching exist without a degree?
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| Route | Where you can teach | Degree needed? | Typical time | How you study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 5 Diploma in Teaching (FE and Skills) | Colleges, sixth forms, training providers, adult education, prisons, apprenticeships | No. Level 3 subject knowledge plus Level 2 English and maths | 12 to 18 months | Online with a 250-hour placement; portfolio and observed teaching, no exams |
| Level 3 Award in Education and Training (AET) | Sessional training, workplace trainer, assessor roles | No | 6 to 12 weeks | Short course, often the first step before the Level 5 |
| QTLS after the Level 5 Diploma | As above, plus recognised as qualified in English maintained schools | No | 6 months professional formation with the Society for Education and Training | Evidence portfolio after the diploma |
| Teacher degree apprenticeship (TDA) | Primary and secondary schools in England | You earn the degree while working | 4 years | Paid school employment plus university study, leads to QTS |
| Undergraduate degree with QTS | Primary and secondary schools | You earn the degree | 3 to 4 years full time | University, with school placements |
| Unqualified teacher in an academy | Academies and free schools only | No, but rare in practice | Open ended | Employer led; most schools still expect QTS |
Sources: Department for Education, Further education teacher training guidance; gov.uk, Apply for teacher training; Society for Education and Training, QTLS professional formation; Ofqual Register entry for TQUK 610/3842/8.
How does the Level 5 Diploma in Teaching work?
The TQUK Level 5 Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills) (RQF) is the Ofqual regulated qualification that replaced the Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training (DET) in September 2024. It carries 120 credits at Level 5, 395 guided learning hours and 1,200 hours of total qualification time, and it is built on the Department for Education's Learning and Skills Teacher occupational standard. If you still see the DET on job adverts, our DET vs Level 5 Diploma in Teaching guide explains exactly what changed.
With Lift College you study online with a named UK tutor, submit a portfolio and complete observed teaching sessions during your 250-hour placement. There are no written exams. Most learners finish in 12 to 18 months; people already working in a college usually finish faster because their placement runs alongside the course from day one. You can start for £67.99, or take the 7-day free trial first and then pay £79.99. Nothing is charged until day 8, there is no contract, and every payment carries a 14-day money back guarantee.
What is QTLS and does it make you a qualified teacher?
Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) is a professional status awarded by the Society for Education and Training after you have completed a Level 5 teaching qualification and a period of professional formation, usually around six months. It is voluntary in further education, but it is the only route that lets a teacher without a degree be treated as qualified in English maintained schools. Our QTLS vs QTS comparison covers how schools view it in practice and how long the whole journey takes.
How much do teachers without a degree earn?
Further education pay is set by each college rather than a single national scale. Indicative 2026 ranges in England from live job adverts and college pay frameworks are roughly £24,000 to £28,000 for an unqualified or trainee lecturer, £28,000 to £38,000 once qualified, and £38,000 to £45,000 or more for advanced practitioners and curriculum leads, with sessional trainers paid around £20 to £30 per teaching hour. Shortage subjects such as construction, engineering, digital and health often command the upper end. Many people train while employed as a sessional or trainee lecturer, which means you are paid while you complete the diploma. Our how to become a college lecturer guide has the full salary picture and the job search tips.
Which route is right for you?
Choose the Level 5 Diploma in Teaching if you have a trade, profession or Level 3 subject qualification, you are 19 or over with Level 2 English and maths, and you want to teach adults or post-16 learners within 12 to 18 months. This is the route for career changers who want to stay in work while they qualify, and the diploma is listed in the teaching and education course range alongside the assessor and teaching assistant qualifications.
Choose the Level 3 Award in Education and Training first if you only need to deliver occasional training sessions or you want a low-cost way to test whether teaching suits you before committing to the diploma.
Choose the teacher degree apprenticeship or an undergraduate degree with QTS if your goal is a primary or secondary school classroom and you are prepared for three to four years of study. Neither is a shortcut, but both are paid or funded routes that end with a degree.
Choose the Level 3 Teaching Assistant route if you want to work in a school now and build towards teaching later. The Level 3 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning gets you into a classroom quickly, and the HLTA Level 4 course lets you lead whole classes under a teacher's direction. Many HLTAs move into teaching through the degree apprenticeship or, where their experience is vocational, through the Level 5 Diploma in further education.