Your questions

FAQs for applicants

What are the entry requirements for the PGCE at the University of Bristol

Visit the prospectus for academic requirements.

Read about competencies we expect to see.

The PGCE at Bristol is extremely competitive: each application is considered on its own merits and the decision on whether to invite applications for interview is based on all the information supplied on the DfE Apply form.

Due to the volume of applications received by the University, we regret that it is not possible for us to enter into correspondence with unsuccessful applicants. In most cases, lack of success is due to the level of competition for places rather than any specific weakness in an application, and consequently, we will not be able to advise applicants on how to strengthen any subsequent application. There is no right of appeal and the decision will not be reviewed. However, concerns that the University's Admissions Principles and Procedures have been incorrectly implemented may be investigated under the Applicant Feedback and Complaints Procedures. Please see 2025 for more information.

What steps should I take before making an application?

We would recommend the following:

look for the current National Curriculum for the PGCE subject that you wish to apply for;
visit a state secondary school if possible;
talk to teachers about their experiences.

What steps should I take after making an application and when do courses close?

regularly check your application on Apply for teacher training - GOV.UK ;
regularly check your emails (this will be the primary mode of correspondence that we use to to communicate with you);
respond ASAP if we've invited you to attend an interview;
make sure that you have read everything we've sent you in preparation for your interview.

Universities and colleges will begin to consider candidates from October, so early application is advised, especially for the in-demand subjects.

The PGCE offers places on a first come, first served basis and courses remain open until all places have been filled. Prospective candidates are advised that courses may close at short notice, especially late in the cycle. This means that some applications made through DfE may reach us after courses have closed.

Applicants may be offered a place on a waiting list for a limited period. Qualified applicants may be offered a place as places become available.

Prospective international applicants are advised to leave sufficient time to complete all pre-course admissions requirements, including visa and finance applications in order to ensure they can meet the course start date; it is likely that applications will close at the start of August so prospective applicants should bear this in mind.

You can check whether courses have vacancies by checking Find postgraduate teacher training courses

I studied overseas or am a native of non-English speaking country. Do you accept my qualifications?

W‌e can accept a range of international qualifications as GCSE equivalents. You will need to send us your certificates if you are offered an interview and we will assess them.

If your school qualifications do not appear under Profile E you will be required to obtain an IELTS certificate or meet one of the English language requirements noted on this page, this would be a condition of offer should you be successful at interview. The IELTS should be 6.5 overall with no less than 6.0 in each band. IELTS is required in addition to GCSE English and GCSE Maths or overseas equivalents.

I am an EU national. Am I eligible for teacher training?

Information about immigration and funding can be found on the Department for Education's website.

Is funding available for Subject Knowledge Enhancement Courses?

Further information can be found here: https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/how-to-apply-for-teacher-training/subject-knowledge-enhancement
Applicants may be asked to complete an SKE as a condition of offer
Incoming student teachers may need to self-fund SKEs

FAQs for offer-holders

I have recently been made an offer for a place on the PGCE programme. What do I need to do now?

Please ensure you read the offer email and attached documents that we send you. Also make sure that you have received your formal offer letter and offer pack by email. There may be specific conditions attached to your offer and subject-specific tasks, but all offer-holders are required to:

Firmly accept the offer on Apply for teacher training - GOV.UK
Complete the Health Questionnaire we will send you and return this to the University's Occupational Health service.
Apply and pay for Enhanced Disclosure through the Disclosure and Barring Service via Verifile. We will send you further information on this once we have received your PGCE references. (If you are already subscribed to the Update Service we may not need you to make a new DBS application).
Undertake any pre-course reading and preparation - details of this were sent to you with your offer email.

You should also start thinking about accommodation and can find information here: Accommodation

Find out what support will be available to you as a new University of Bristol student: New students | Current students | University of Bristol Please note, PGCE has its own deadlines for online and in-person registration and we will be in touch with you over the summer to give you further details on this.

Please note, if your offer is conditional, please don't forget to let us know once these conditions have been met. You will also need to ensure you send us any outstanding documentation we have asked for in good time.

Do I need to get an Enhanced Disclosure through the Disclosure and Barring Service?

Yes, you do. You will be required to apply and pay for a DBS Enhanced Disclosure certificate through Verifile and to send us the certificate prior to the start of the programme. However, if you already hold a current DBS for the Child Workforce and you have signed up for the Update Service, we may be able to accept this in place of a new application.

Am I eligible for the government training bursary?

There are certain criteria which must be fulfilled in order to be eligible for the bursary. Candidates must:

hold a UK first degree (with at least 2nd class honours or equivalent) or an overseas equivalent;
be training in an eligible ITT subject;
not already hold QTS or be eligible to receive QTS;
not be undertaking paid teaching work when receiving the bursary;
be taking a qualifying postgraduate ITT course;
not be taking any other ITT course.

Further information can be found on the DfE's website.

When and how do I pay my fees?

The home fee for PGCE programmes at the University of Bristol for 2025 entry is £9535. Please see Get Into Teaching for further information.

Information about when and how to pay your fees can be found on our Fees and Funding website.

Do you have any specific information for overseas offer-holders?

Important information about everything you need to consider before beginning your studies at the University of Bristol can be found here: New international students | Current students | University of Bristol

You might also be interested in the Global Lounge: Global Lounge – Celebrating all cultures, building communities and inspiring social exchange (bristol.ac.uk)

I've got questions which aren't answered here. Who can help me?

The PGCE office can. Please contact us by email in the first instance on: ed-pgce@bristol.ac.uk.

We look forward to hearing from you!