Postgraduate Certificate in Education: Primary 5-11 years with iQTS PGCE
About This Programme
The PGCE Primary (5 to 11 years) with iQTS at the University of Birmingham Dubai is a one-year, full-time initial teacher training programme that prepares graduates to teach children aged 5 to 11 across the breadth of the primary curriculum. It leads to international qualified teacher status (iQTS), which the UK Department for Education recognises as equivalent to English qualified teacher status (QTS), and the University describes it as the UAE's only fully in-person iQTS programme aligned with the English Teachers' Standards. Trainees complete 120 days of assessed teaching placements in two different partner schools, plus 20 days of Intensive Training and Practice, supported by school mentors and University link tutors, alongside lectures, seminars and workshops on the Dubai campus. Dedicated modules build English and mathematics teaching, and the course runs on its own calendar from September to June, starting up to three weeks before the main University timetable. Entry needs a 2:2 degree, GCSE-equivalent passes in mathematics and science, IELTS 6.5 or education completed in English, and full safeguarding checks, and trainees must live in the UAE for the whole course.
Course Highlights
- Leads to iQTS, which the UK Department for Education recognises as equivalent to English QTS; the University is on the DfE's list of approved iQTS providers.
- Two full-time school placements in two different partner schools: 120 days of assessed teaching, plus 20 days of Intensive Training and Practice.
- Personalised support from University tutors, trained school mentors and senior teachers, in a programme developed with the UK Department for Education.
- Research-led training in reflective, critically aware practice, with skills aligned with the English (DfE) teaching standards and UAE standards.
- Birmingham is 68th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, as stated on the course page.
What You'll Study
Teaching blends University-based sessions with extensive school placements: lectures, small-group seminars and workshops on the Dubai campus led by University tutors; block teaching sessions with micro-teaching, collaborative planning, directed tasks and reflective practice linked to the iQTS Teachers' Standards; and dedicated modules that build English and mathematics teaching, supported by academic assignments and subject knowledge audits. Trainees complete 120 days of assessed teaching placements in partner schools and 20 days of Intensive Training and Practice (ITaP), supported by trained mentors and University link tutors. On the two full-time school placements, trainees apply their learning through team teaching, supported solo teaching and observing experienced teachers, with school-based mentors and link tutors developing their pedagogy and subject knowledge. Assessment combines academic assignments, competency evaluations against the iQTS Teachers' Standards, and the assessed placements. The course runs on its own calendar: it starts in September, up to three weeks before the main University of Birmingham Dubai timetable, and finishes in June. Holidays cannot be taken in term time, school half-terms are not holiday weeks, and the University advises against booking holidays close to the end of the academic year.
Course modules
60 credits, all compulsory: three 20-credit modules, including the Primary Teaching Experience module, supported by 120 days of assessed school placements across partner schools. The University reviews the module list regularly.
- Primary Teaching Experience20 credits
- Primary and Early Years School Studies 120 credits
- Primary and Early Years School Studies 420 credits
Entry Requirements
Applicants must be judged suitable to train to teach in England and in the country of training, passing background and safeguarding checks, and must live in the UAE for the whole programme. Applications include a personal statement of about 500 to 700 words on academic achievements, experience of working with children, any schools the applicant works in or is linked to, and what they hope to gain; and two references, one academic and one professional, ideally on letterhead and on the University's form, confirming suitability to work with children in the primary phase. Shortlisted applicants attend an interview and assessment day with a 30-minute panel interview, with University staff and partner schools present; a successful interview leads to a conditional offer. Offer conditions, met before September, are a Fitness to Teach health assessment; a suitability declaration; an International Child Protection Certificate for anyone who has lived or worked in the UK, a Dubai Police check within three months of the placement start, and police clearance from the home country and any country lived in for three months or more in the past five years; a Prohibition Order check carried out by the University; verified qualifications; a signed code of professional conduct under the fitness to practise rules; and photographic ID.
Careers
The course leads to a UK government-backed qualification recognised internationally and in England, and prepares graduates for diverse educational settings, with an emphasis on communication, problem-solving and cultural awareness. According to the Department for Education, iQTS holders are qualified to teach in all English schools (with the right to work in the UK); to teach where QTS is a legal requirement, they complete the statutory induction period, in a DfE-accredited British school overseas or an eligible school in England. The course page cites Birmingham as one of the top UK universities targeted by leading graduate employers (High Fliers Research Report 2026), and the Careers Network Dubai offers information, advice and guidance.
Accreditation & Professional Recognition
Accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and listed as Active on the Commission for Academic Accreditation register as the Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Primary Education. The UK Department for Education lists the University of Birmingham Dubai among the providers it has approved to offer iQTS, and recognises iQTS as equivalent to QTS.
Programme Details
Award
Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) with international qualified teacher status (iQTS)
Start Date
September 2026 (applications closed; September 2027 details to follow)
Typical Offer
2:2 degree or equivalent, plus GCSE grade 4/C or equivalent in Mathematics and a Science
Duration
1 year full-time (September to June)
Qualification
Certificate
Subject Area
Education
Campus
Dubai
Study Pattern
Full time
Delivery Format
In person
Tuition Fee
AED 78,333/yr
AED 78,333, full-time, for September 2026 entry. The fee covers tuition, examinations and graduation and can be paid in full or in three instalments; it does not include visa or living costs. Applications for September 2026 entry to this programme are closed, and details for September 2027 entry will be published later. Applications are made online through the University of Birmingham Dubai Admissions portal, with no application fee; for this course, offers follow the interview and assessment day and are conditional on the suitability and safeguarding checks. A non-returnable AED 5,000 deposit, deducted from tuition, is paid on accepting an offer. Scholarships of up to 30% are assessed from the application itself, with no separate form, and full-time students can apply for a student visa sponsored by the University.