PGCE Certificate

The Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is one of the main pathways to becoming a teacher in the UK. Most PGCEs offered in England, Wales and Northern Ireland offer the Qualified Teacher Qualifications (QTS) and qualify you to teach in countries around the world.

There are many PGCEs available, each designed to prepare you for life as a different kind of teacher. We’ve put together a guide to some of the PGCEs on offer, and what you need to know before you apply.

If you’ve already decided that you want to apply for a PGCE, you can begin the search for your perfect course with us. Alternatively, you can read our guide to the different types of PGCE funding.

Last minute PGCE courses

It’s not too late to find a PGCE starting in 2026. Many universities still have places for programmes starting this year. Our dedicated 2026 search includes hundreds of Masters degrees and conversion courses worldwide.

What is a PGCE?

The Postgraduate Certificate in Education is an academic qualification that is designed to help graduates become teachers. PGCEs give you substantial teaching experience through school placements, along with a grounding in important educational theory.

There are PGCEs aimed at different subjects and each stage of the school system, so you can pick a qualification that’s tailored to the learners you want to teach:

• Lower Primary Education, ages 3-7 – The youngest learners are the focus of this qualification.
• Primary Education, ages 5-11 – These courses generally concentrate on the core primary curriculum, although some programmes allow you to specialise in a particular subject.
• Secondary Education, ages 11-16 – Secondary Education PGCEs are centred on specific subjects.
• Post-16 and Further Education – Completing one of these PGCEs means you can apply for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QLTS) status, a separate classification to the QTS you need to be able to teach in primary and secondary schools.

Types of PGCE

As well as these options, you’ll also have to decide whether you want to take a university-led or a school-led course.

As you might have guessed, university-led teacher training courses are based at a university, but offer plenty of practical teaching experience. You can expect to:

• Spend a minimum of 24 weeks on placement at schools
• Receive QTS and a postgraduate qualification (usually a PGCE)
• Learn about pedagogy (the theory of teaching)

Meanwhile, school-led teacher training courses, delivered by school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) providers, differ in a number of ways and won’t always offer a PGCE (although many do). With these programmes, you can expect to:

• Gain the QTS you need to teach in England and Wales
• Get first-hand experience from day one of your course, working with and learning from colleagues at your placement school

If you already have three years of work experience (not necessarily in education), you could also be eligible for a salary while training with School Direct.

Both university-led and school-led programmes come with the possibility of generous Government funding.