An undergraduate degree at class 2:2 or above, or equivalent.
It is important that your degree is directly related to the PGCE subject you wish to teach.
For Modern Languages applicants, we expect you to be able to offer two Modern Languages (from Chinese (Mandarin), French, German and Spanish), and can provide a range of placements for various combinations of these languages. We may not be able to offer you an interview if we do not have school placement capacity in your preferred language combination. It is important that you have qualifications in both the languages that you wish to teach. For your main language, these qualifications should preferably be at university level, or you should have it as one of your first languages, e.g. have spoken it from a young age. You will be expected to teach your main language up to and including A-level. For your second language, your qualifications should preferably be at A-level or equivalent (B2 CEFR level). You will be expected to teach your second language up to age 14 as a minimum.
We will also consider applications from candidates who have Third class Honours degrees if they also have extensive UK classroom experience (for example employment as a Teaching Assistant), or have a subsequent higher qualification e.g. a Masters.
If you need to improve your subject knowledge, you may be asked to complete a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course.
Grade 4 (C) or above in English and maths, or equivalent qualification.
We’ll consider candidates with pending GCSEs.
We’ll consider candidates who need to take a GCSE equivalency test in English or maths.
International qualifications viewed as comparable to qualifications taken within the UK can be accepted to meet this condition. In order for the University of Oxford to formally recognise any overseas qualification you must present a Statement of Comparability from UK NARIC. This can be obtained after application or interview and you may need to pay for this. Further information can be found here.
If the Statement of Comparability concludes that your qualifications are not equivalent, then the PGCE Course Director will review your case and we may ask you to complete an equivalency test in English Language or Mathematics. It is likely you will have to pay for this. You will be able to select the provider and type of test, as long as the final result is provided by our deadlines and is a GCSE or a direct equivalent. These conversations will occur after you have accepted any offer, we will not review before an application or interview.
Personal qualities
We seek graduates who enjoy their subject and see its relevance to everyday life. It is also highly desirable that you have a commitment to working with young people, show an interest in school teaching and are confident that you will enjoy the environment of state-funded UK secondary schools. For example, you may have previous experience of working with young people, either on a voluntary or paid basis. You might also have spent time in a UK secondary comprehensive school, observing lessons, and talking with students and teachers.
Other requirements
All offers are conditional upon:
- Proof of identity
- A GCSE pass in mathematics and English language (grades 4-9 or A*-C)
- Evidence of an undergraduate degree
- Satisfactory references
- Completion of a Financial Declaration form
All candidates will also complete an Occupational Health assessment, a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and any relevant international background checks.
During your PGCE interview you will have the opportunity to discuss additional conditions, such as a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course.
All conditions must be met before the course starts and your offer will lapse if these are not met.
We hope that we have answered your questions. If you are still unsure then please contact the PGCE Office on 01865 274020 or email pgce.admissions@education.ox.ac.uk
Repeat applications and withdrawals
If you have already applied for one or more of our PGCE courses and have been rejected at the application stage, if you wish to reapply, then please make sure that you have fully addressed all the feedback you were given about why you did not meet the selection criteria – ideally as a section in your personal statement. If we have interviewed you and rejected you for one or more of our courses already, either in the current or previous recruitment cycle, we reserve the right to reject your application without re-interviewing you, unless your application demonstrates that you have fully addressed all the feedback you were given about why you did not meet the selection criteria at that time, again, ideally as a section in your personal statement.
Once you have submitted your application, we would kindly ask that you do not withdraw it until you have received the outcome of your application from us, unless you have accepted an offer at another institution. If you withdraw your application more than two times before it is considered (e.g. applied, withdrawn, re-applied, withdrawn), we reserve the right to not consider your application again until the next year’s admissions cycle.
