Entry Requirements
Candidates for the PGCEi should normally:
- hold an approved first degree with at least second class honours (or equivalent), or an approved professional qualification deemed to be equivalent to a second class honours degree
- be an established educator with day-to-day access to a computer and the internet and regular connections to an educational context (including online learning) for the duration of the programme*. Please ensure you give details of the link you have to an educational context in your application. This can form part of your personal statement or can be detailed in a CV which you upload.
* Your educational context may be a swimming pool, a sports field, a performing arts studio, a music studio, a gymnasium, a biology lab or an outside space. We would like to ensure that all applicants have some link with an educational institution, whether that be on a volunteer, paid part-time or full-time basis, and regardless of job role. Your specific education setting will be particularly relevant during the final two modules:
- in the second module you will be expected to explore and analyse your existing or previous practice through a particular theoretical lens, or to try out and evaluate a new pedagogical approach, informed by the theory
- in the third modules you will be asked to complete a research project relating to an aspect of student understanding
English language requirements
All applicants are required to provide proof of English language ability. For UK applicants, we can accept GCSE English of Grade C/4 or above, or a recognised UK degree. We can also accept high school qualifications or degrees from countries on the Home Office’s list of recognised countries and selected other English-speaking countries and institutions as evidence of English proficiency.
If in doubt, please contact us for advice. If you do not have one of these acceptable qualifications, you will need to provide an IELTS test of 6.5 (6.0) or an equivalent acceptable English language test.
Documentation required
Alongside your application, you will need to provide the following supporting documents:
- copy of your degree certificate
- copy of your degree transcript
- copy of your English test certificate - if English is not your first language and you have one
We must have these documents by the 20th of the month previous to the month the course starts, for example if the course starts 1 July, we must have your documents by 20 June.
Degree certificate and/or transcript
You must provide a scanned copy of your degree certificate and final transcript for us to assess your application. If your degree documents were submitted in a different name, you will be required to provide evidence of your change of name. For example, this might be a marriage certificate or notification of your change of name by deed poll.
Reference
We can accept either an academic or a work-related reference. References can be emailed to us directly by your referee from their institution or company email address. The reference can either be submitted on our reference form or we can accept a letter on their institution/company letter-headed paper. Please note we cannot accept references from your friends or family.
Proof of English language
All international, non-native English speakers are required to provide proof of English language. We need an IELTS test result which must be dated within two years of your start date.
Please see the policy on minimum English language entry requirements, which provides further information on acceptable equivalent qualifications.
Providing documentation
Once you receive an offer letter from our Admissions Team, it will detail any outstanding conditions. You will need to meet these conditions before you are eligible to register for the course. You will also find details of what your conditions are on your MyNottingham portal.
Personal statement
During the application process you will be asked to provide a personal statement. This should be about your previous experience, what you hope to gain from the course, and plans for your future career.
You should include details about your teaching and learning experiences. You should explain what you have learned from those experiences, and how you think the PGCEi will be able to help you develop as a teacher in future.
If you have done other work in which you have trained people or worked in a teacher-style role or as an educator, please include details of these too. You should aim to write approximately 500-700 words.
Details on how to apply and application guidance can be found on each cohort page.