In line with other national accrediting bodies, our fee-funded places cost £9,250, with a higher fee for international trainees.

We have fee-funded training posts available in a wide range of subjects. Spaces can go quickly – please check our Vacancies page for an up to date list.

You need to have achieved at least a 2:2 for your undergraduate Honours degree e.g. BA(Hons) or BSc(Hons).

If your undergraduate degree does not meet our requirements, but you have a postgraduate qualification, e.g. Masters or Doctorate, this will be suitable.

Your degree subject does not have to match the subject you want to teach, e.g. your degree is in History but you want to teach Maths. You may be required to complete a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course before your training starts to ensure the level of your subject knowledge is good enough. SKEs are only available for a selection of subjects: find out more here.

If you don’t have a 4/C at GCSE in Maths and/or English, it is possible to take a GCSE equivalent and get the result before the end of August. However, not all equivalent qualifications are accepted by the University.

Functional Skills, Key Skills, Adult Numeracy and Adult Literacy qualifications are not accepted by the University as GCSE equivalents.

If you do not hold GCSE qualifications, please contact us to confirm that we are able to accept the qualification you hold or are thinking of getting.

Yes, if you’re a resident of the UK, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, although your qualifications can be from elsewhere. Criteria have been set by the UK Government to support you through this process. You will find guidance and information about how to obtain a ‘Statement of Comparability’ from UK ENIC (was NARIC).
https://www.enic.org.uk/

There is a great deal of information on the UK Government’s ‘Get into teaching’ website for anyone with international qualifications, including those who have trained as a teacher overseas: 
https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/non-uk-teachers

If you are a resident of the UK, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man but English is not your first language and you do not have a GCSE grade 4 / C or higher in English Language (or an equivalent qualification recognised by the University), you will need to have IELTS 7.0 overall (including 7.0 in academic writing) or equivalent.

No, the Rural Schools Alliance cannot sponsor visas for international trainees.

The University of Winchester can sponsor visas. If you would like to train with us, meet the course requirements for qualifications and can write in English at the level required (IELTS 7.0 overall (including 7.0 in academic writing) or equivalent), please contact the Admissions team at the University. They will need to check your details and will ask to see the original certificates for your qualifications, your Statement of Comparability from UK ENIC, and your IELTS certificate.

If the University is satisfied that you meet the course requirements, you can apply to the RSA for a place on one of our courses. Please state on your application that you have approval from the University.

Arranging Student Visas can take some time, so you will need to start your application process (i.e. contact the University) as early in the academic year (September to July) as possible.
You can find information about Student Visas here, including how to apply and what you will need to apply such as documentation and money (e.g. the course fee: £16,700 (2023-24) + money to support yourself: £1,023 per month (for up to 9 months = £9,207), unless you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months on the date of your application or if you’re from a country listed under the ‘differential evidence requirement’): Gov.uk | Student visa
And here is the University’s page: University of Winchester | Student visas

If you have read our information about what happens if you’re successful at interview, you will have seen that all trainees must have an enhanced DBS clearance check. As an international trainee, this will also include an international criminal records check. This will take time (it can be several months) and must be completed before the course starts at the beginning of September in your training year. If this has not been completed with satisfactory results by the time the course starts, you will not be able to join.

There is a great deal of information about training as a teacher in England on the Get into teaching website: Train to teach in England as a non-UK citizen
This page also contains links to information about English schools and the education system, which you will need to be familiar with if you are invited to interview.
Please also read the latest guidance on safeguarding: Keeping children safe in education. Safeguarding is the main priority in English schools and past international applicants have found it to be very different to what they are familiar with.
There are also books available on the subject of learning to teach, such as the book below and subject specific books e.g. ‘Learning to teach Science in the Secondary School’:

Amazon.co.uk | Learn to teach in the Secondary School

It’s worth noting that as our schools are in rural areas, you may need your own transport to get from home to school and to university. Public transport is available, but journeys can be much longer.

All our courses are fee-based; we do not offer salaried courses.

Yes, but…

Any training placement is offered on the condition that original certificates can be provided before training begins, usually by August of the same year. You will need to find them or order replacement certificates if successful at interview. The qualifications must match those given on your application form.

Advice about obtaining replacement certificates from exam boards can be found on the UK Government’s website:
https://www.gov.uk/replacement-exam-certificate

There is a maximum of a 40 working day window (not including school holidays) from when we receive your application to the offer of a place.

We will review your application and get in touch, usually by email.

If we invite you for interview and we don’t hear back, we will attempt to contact you by email and the telephone number you have provided. If you don’t reply we will assume you no longer wish to pursue your application with us.

Get in touch! We would love to help –  whether it’s answering your questions or organising a day’s visit to one of our schools. Our contact details are at the bottom of this page.

Alternatively, the Department for Education has a ‘Get Into Teaching’ website that offers independent information and advice about a career in teaching and how you can be supported to make the choices that are best for you.
https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/