How to become a teacher in Northern Ireland

To teach in a grant-aided school in Northern Ireland you must be registered with the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI). You qualify through a four-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) or a one-year postgraduate qualification such as the PGCE, which GTCNI says is the most common route. You need GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent) in English and maths, and for primary teaching a science subject as well. Beginning teachers start on point M2 of the main scale, which is £32,916 in the 2025/26 scales.

The two routes

The BEd is a full-time, four-year undergraduate degree. You apply through UCAS, and you can specialise in early years, primary or post-primary (secondary) education.

The PGCE is a one-year postgraduate course for people who already hold a degree. You apply directly to the provider, either through its online portal or on a downloadable form, rather than through UCAS. For the PGCE route, GTCNI assesses whether your undergraduate degree is suitable before you can register. Check your degree with the provider and GTCNI before you apply.

Where to train

Four higher education institutions deliver initial teacher education programmes accredited by GTCNI: Queen’s University Belfast, Ulster University, St Mary’s University College and Stranmillis University College. They offer early years, primary and post-primary programmes with a range of subject specialisms, including maths, science, technology and the arts. All the programmes are based on the GTCNI teaching competences, and GTCNI accredits them on a rolling basis.

Entry requirements

The GTCNI minimums are GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent) in English and maths, plus a science subject for primary. Providers set their own further requirements and run their own selection. Courses are competitive, so look at each provider’s current admissions page instead of relying on a general figure.

Work with children involves criminal record checks through AccessNI, and your provider will tell you what it needs. See AccessNI checks for public sector jobs.

Registering with GTCNI

Registration is both your professional recognition and your licence to practise. Getting registered for the first time depends on an assessment of your teaching qualifications and a suitability assessment. You send an application with documentary evidence and the fee. The form depends on where you qualified:

• Northern Ireland graduates.
• Northern Ireland further education graduates (PGDFHE and PGCEFE only).
• United Kingdom graduates.
• Applicants qualified outside the UK.

There is a separate form for teachers who previously held eligibility to teach from the Department of Education. The annual fee is £44, and the registration year runs from 1 April to 31 March. Most teachers renew by a deduction from salary in April or May, and GTCNI is an approved professional body, so you may be able to claim tax relief on the fee. The registration team is on (028) 9033 3390.

Induction and Early Professional Development

All newly qualified teachers complete Induction and Early Professional Development (EPD). Your school and your teacher tutor confirm completion on the GTCNI portal. The Education Authority leads support during Induction, working with the school, and at EPD the school is the lead partner. The Education Authority has an Early Career Teacher programme for people in Induction.

Finding a first post

Who advertises a post depends on the school, so look at the Education Authority’s jobs page and at individual school websites. See Education Authority jobs and how to apply for how employment is arranged, and filling in a teacher application form for the form itself.

Pay

The latest confirmed scale is 2025/26, after a 4 per cent rise from 1 September 2025 that was accepted on 13 January 2026. The main scale runs from M2 at £32,916 to M6 at £43,830, and the upper pay scale from £47,390 to £50,876. Northern Ireland has no M1 point. No 2026/27 award had been confirmed by mid-October 2026. See teacher pay in Northern Ireland for the full table, and primary teacher and secondary teacher for the English routes.