How I Got QTS in Wales as a Teacher Trained in Nigeria

By Samuel Uzochukwu Agbaraji | Official guidance checked: 4 November 2026.

On 15 May 2026, I received an email from the Education Workforce Council confirming that my application for Qualified Teacher Status in Wales was successful. The award date on my certificate was 11 May. A few weeks later, I received another email confirming my School Teacher registration.

Those two emails marked different stages of the process. The first confirmed that Wales recognised me as a qualified teacher. The second confirmed that the EWC had added my name to the professional register in the School Teacher category. That registration required a separate application.

I trained at Abia State University and worked in public secondary schools in Imo State, Nigeria, from 2012 to 2025. I later became Dean of Studies and Vice Principal for academics. After moving to Cardiff to study at the University of South Wales, I wanted to know how the EWC could recognise my teaching qualification and experience.

My first step was to get a Statement of Comparability from UK ENIC. After that, I applied to the Education Workforce Council (EWC). The part of my EWC application that took the most follow up involved documents from other people.

I needed a professional standing letter from Nigeria, confirmation from a recruitment agency in Wales and an updated Police Character Report. Here is what the EWC asked for in my case, how I responded and what I would check first if I were applying again.

Step 1: Apply to UK ENIC for a Statement of Comparability

I started with UK ENIC because I needed its Statement of Comparability as evidence for my QTS application. The statement explains how overseas qualifications compare with UK education levels. I used it alongside my original certificates when I applied to the EWC. UK ENIC application portal

For my UK ENIC application, I provided my university certificate and official transcripts, my secondary school certificates and results, and my passport. If you are gathering university records, check that the transcript is official and shows the subjects and grades. UK ENIC recommends including your secondary school qualification alongside any other qualifications you want it to assess.

Check your name before uploading documents

Compare your full name and other personal details across your passport, certificates and transcripts. If the names differ, find out what evidence the organisation needs to link the records. For example, someone who changed their name after marriage may be able to use a marriage certificate.

If you plan to use an affidavit, ask UK ENIC or the EWC whether it will accept it for your case. The right evidence depends on why the names differ and which organisation is reviewing the document. It is easier to check before submitting than to deal with a new request after paying.

What I paid and how long I waited

I paid about £70 for my UK ENIC application and waited around a month for the outcome. At the time of checking, UK ENIC lists the standard electronic Statement of Comparability at £69.60 and aims to complete the assessment within 15 working days once it has the documents and full payment. The timeframe can restart if it asks for more information.

Check your online account for messages and requests while you wait. UK ENIC says it will notify you through your account if it cannot carry out the assessment.

Once my statement was available, I used it as supporting evidence for my Welsh QTS application. The EWC made a separate decision on my QTS application. UK ENIC Statement of Comparability guidance

Step 2: Apply to the EWC for QTS recognition

I applied directly to the Education Workforce Council, usually called the EWC, for recognition as a school teacher qualified outside the UK. I applied on the basis of the teacher training I had completed in Nigeria.

The EWC has separate routes for people who qualified in different places. If you trained outside the UK, use the link on the EWC page specifically for qualified school teachers from outside the UK. Start with the route that matches where you trained and the qualification you hold. EWC guidance for practitioners trained outside Wales

For my application, I needed the UK ENIC statement and my certificates, along with a reference from the last school where I taught before leaving Nigeria. I also needed a Letter of Professional Standing from TRCN and evidence that I was seeking teaching work in Wales. Check the latest instructions for your own application before sending your documents.

My Master’s in Education was part of my reason for coming to Wales. For QTS, I applied using the teaching qualification I already held. If you are studying for a master’s and already qualified as a teacher overseas, keep those two parts of your background clear when you explain your application.

My application timeline

The EWC acknowledged receiving my application on 22 April 2026. Before that acknowledgement, I had already contacted the EWC about how TRCN should send my professional standing letter. The dates below show how my application moved forward. They include time spent sorting out evidence as well as the time it took to receive a decision.

In the acknowledgement, the EWC told me to expect an outcome within 21 working days. That timeframe applied to my case. If you need recognition before a planned start date, allow time to gather documents and to follow up on anything the EWC asks another organisation to send.

Getting my Letter of Professional Standing from TRCN

The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, known as TRCN, issues the Letter of Professional Standing. It confirms a teacher’s registration, licence and professional standing with the Council. If you are a Nigerian trained teacher, use TRCN’s own instructions to request it. TRCN Letter of Professional Standing

I already had my Nigerian teaching licence and TRCN identification card when I wrote to TRCN for the letter. TRCN had to verify my standing as a teacher. I paid ₦60,000 and waited about a month for TRCN to send the letter directly to the EWC. That was what I paid for my application. Check the current charge with TRCN before paying.

The EWC confirmed where TRCN should send the letter. I used the official registration email address the EWC had given me.

I still had to follow up. In early May, the EWC said it had yet to receive the letter. That was a useful lesson in keeping track of evidence you cannot upload yourself. First you request the letter, then the issuing body sends it, and finally the EWC matches it to your application. A confirmation from the sender can help you find out where a delay has happened.

If you have to follow up, give the name you used on the application, any reference the EWC has provided and the date the sender says it sent the letter. Ask whether the EWC can match it to your record. If the issuing body has yet to send the letter, ask what it still needs from you.

Keep separate requests separate

A recruitment agency may ask you for its own evidence of professional standing while the regulator is assessing your application. I later requested a separate letter for an agency. Keeping track of the intended recipient helped me distinguish the evidence for QTS from the evidence for recruitment.

A simple note with the recipient, when you requested the letter and when TRCN sent it can save you from following up on the wrong letter. This is especially useful if a regulator and an employer are asking about similar documents at the same time.

Showing that I was looking for teaching work in Wales

The EWC asked for evidence that I was seeking work as a school teacher in Wales. For my application, the confirmation had to come directly from a prospective employer or recruitment agency. I contacted Aspire People and asked the agency to confirm that I was looking for teaching work in Wales. This was a separate request from the reference from my last school in Nigeria.

The detail that mattered was the type of work I was seeking. I was interested in different roles in schools, including learning support. When asking an agency for help with a School Teacher application, be specific about whether you are seeking teaching work, classroom support work or both. Give the agency the EWC’s instructions so it can respond to the request accurately.

I would ask the agency about this early. Find out who handles professional checks and what they need from you before they can confirm that you are seeking work. If the agency needs more information about your employment history or qualifications, you can deal with that while preparing the rest of your application.

What to include when asking an agency for help

Give the agency enough information to understand the request in one reading:

• Your full name as it appears on the QTS application.
• Details of the teaching work you discussed with the agency.
• A copy of the instructions the EWC gave you.
• The recipient address and any application reference from the EWC.
• A request for the date of sending, so you can track the confirmation.

This is a request for accurate evidence about your job search. The agency should describe what it can confirm from its own records. I would keep a copy of my request alongside the EWC email so I could refer to both if anything was unclear.

Why I had to update my Nigerian police report

The EWC could not accept my earlier Nigerian criminal record document because it was too old for my application. I obtained an updated Nigerian Police Character Report and submitted it on 11 May. The EWC confirmed receipt.

An overseas police document can take time to obtain or update. Before relying on a document you already have, read the current instructions and ask the EWC whether it accepts that type of document and how recent it needs to be for your application. The point of checking first is to find out whether you can use what you have or need to request a new document.

I would also keep the overseas police evidence separate from any DBS information a school or agency requests. Ask who needs each document and for what purpose. During a job search, an employer may be working through recruitment checks while the EWC is reviewing your recognition or registration. A response to one organisation can leave a separate request from another outstanding.

How I kept track of requests from different organisations

My application involved the EWC in Wales, TRCN in Nigeria, a recruitment agency and the authority responsible for my police report. Some evidence came from me. Other evidence had to come from the organisation that issued it. Keeping that distinction clear is the most practical advice I can give someone preparing to apply.

If your application is paused, turn the latest email into a short list of actions. For each item, write down who needs to act, what they need to send and who should receive it. When you follow up, name the one outstanding item you are asking about. That makes it easier for the person handling the request to give a useful answer.

What happened after the EWC recognised my QTS?

The recognition email came on 15 May and confirmed that the EWC had awarded my QTS on 11 May. I kept the electronic certificate, the award email and my teacher reference number in my records for future applications.

The difference between QTS and registration came up while I was speaking with a recruitment agency. I sent my QTS certificate, and the agency explained that it still needed to confirm my EWC registration. The certificate showed my qualified status. I needed a separate confirmation to show that I was on the register as a School Teacher.

I applied on 28 May and paid £45 for School Teacher registration. The EWC confirmed my registration on 3 June. Its current registration page lists £45 for the School Teacher category and says registration is renewed annually. It also lists separate categories for learning support. Check the category for the duties you will carry out and confirm the fee before applying.

QTS, registration and recruitment checks

If a recruiter asks whether you have QTS and EWC registration, give two separate answers. You can say which country recognised your QTS and give your registration category. If one step is still in progress, say which one and give the latest confirmed status.

Did I have to complete induction in Wales?

The EWC told me that I was exempt from statutory induction under the route it had assessed. If you qualified outside the UK, ask how the induction rules apply to your own training and circumstances. Welsh Government guidance explains that an exemption can apply where a teacher completed recognised professional training outside the UK and meets additional criteria.

When you receive your decision, read the whole email and keep the section that explains your induction position. If a school or agency later asks about it, you can refer to what the EWC told you. Contact the EWC if your decision does not make the position clear.

What I would do before applying again

I would start by confirming the route and checking what the EWC needs from me and what it needs directly from someone else. In my case, asking about the professional standing letter early was useful because I could give TRCN the destination the EWC had confirmed. I would give the same attention to the age of the overseas police report.

Next, I would check the names and dates across my records. A CV might show the period you taught, while your certificate shows when you qualified. If your name appears differently on a document, ask how the EWC wants you to explain it. If an employment date is uncertain, find the original record before using a date in an application.

I would keep copies of the documents I had submitted, then make a separate list of anything another organisation was due to send. That list is where I would record the dates I made requests and any replies. A folder of certificates is useful, but it cannot tell you whether a letter sent by someone else reached its destination.

Plan the job search alongside the application

You can use the time you spend gathering evidence to read school and supply adverts. Check the subjects or age groups the role covers, where the school is and whether the hours fit your availability. If you are studying, check the work conditions on your own immigration permission and the term dates for your programme before agreeing to work. Scholarmake guide to student jobs in the UK

Allow for the journey as well as the hours you are paid to work. A supply agency can ask about availability across several schools. Knowing which locations you can reach for an early start helps you give a clear answer. If you are moving to the city, factor in travel as you compare areas and housing costs. Scholarmake guide to Cardiff living costs

Where I am now

I now work as a Learning Support Worker at Craig y Parc School in Cardiff, supporting pupils with additional learning needs. My experience teaching in Nigeria helps me give clear instructions, pay attention to how pupils respond and work with colleagues when they need extra support.

My work in learning support and my registration as a School Teacher are two parts of my professional experience in Wales. On my CV, I can name my current job accurately and list Welsh QTS and EWC School Teacher registration separately under professional qualifications and registration.

If you are at the beginning of your own application, start with the EWC route for the place where you trained. Then identify the first document you need from another organisation. In my case, those documents needed the most follow up, and knowing who had to send each one made the process easier to manage.