The minimum academic entry requirements for admission to a teaching qualification are: Degree: This must be validated by a higher education institution in the United Kingdom or an undergraduate degree of an equivalent standard from a higher education institution outside the United Kingdom. All degree classifications are considered, however, priority is given to candidates with a 1st or 2:1 honours degree. English: National Qualifications in English at SCQF Level 6 (for example, Higher Grade) or an accepted alternative from the list below. Mathematics: National Qualifications in Mathematics at SCQF Level 5 (for example, National 5, Standard Grade or Intermediate 2) or an accepted alternative from the list below. Please note: Applicants must have achieved their English and Maths qualifications PRIOR to application. Applicants who apply with a pending English or Maths qualification will see their application rejected. Pending degree qualifications are considered. The minimum academic requirements are set by the GTCS General Teaching Council for Scotland. Further info at: Memorandum on Entry Requirements to Programmes of Initial Teacher Education in Scotland September 2024 Evidence of completed qualifications At the point of submitting your application, you must have listed all your qualifications at that time, including High School Maths and English on the UCAS application form. If you have omitted any qualifications, there may be a delay in processing your application. We do allow 7 days from submitting your application for you to forward missing documents by email to [email protected] Personal Statement, Experience and Reference Applicants who meet or have the potential to meet the academic entry requirements will be considered for a place on the programme and their personal statement and reference will be reviewed. Applicants should use the personal statement to demonstrate their suitability to join the teaching profession and to talk about their interests and wider achievements and the extent to which they match the skills and attributes desirable in a teacher. The GTCS advise that applicants should show that they have the capacity to meet the Standard for Provisional Registration which specifies what is expected of a student teacher at the end of Initial Teacher Education. Relevant experience with children should also be noted with preference given to those with recent experience shadowing a primary school classroom. Interview Interviews will be held from December and invitations will be updated on UCAS track where applicants can accept, decline or request a reschedule. A communication will be sent out shortly after the UCAS invitation is received and will contain details of the interview structure. Please note that we will be unable to provide feedback to applicants who are unsuccessful at interview stage. Disclosure Scotland If you are accepted to the PGDE you must undertake a criminal conviction check prior to enrolment. It is your responsibility to pay for the check. Fitness to practise Where a programme of study requires the student to act in the course of practical training in a quasi-professional role in relation to patients, children, clients or service-users or where the qualification provides a direct licence to practise, the University has a duty to ensure that the student is fit to practise. Fitness to Practise is assessed not only in terms of academic attainment but also in accordance with relevant professional standards and expectations. Students registered to study on initial teacher education degrees are subject to separate Fitness to Practise procedures. A copy of the Faculty Code of Professional Conduct and Fitness to Practise will be made available to students on the PGDE programme.