Gorizzume

Teach First: does its training programme sponsor a UK visa?

NoTraining Programme

No. Teach First does not sponsor its training programme for international students who need a visa. Teach First's own eligibility page states outright that it cannot sponsor visas for the Training Programme, and requires candidates to already hold the right to work in the UK for the full two years. This is a stated policy bar, not merely a pay shortfall, though year one pay of roughly £23,000 to £33,500 depending on region would also sit at or below the new entrant threshold for much of the range.

Sponsors grads?
No
Pay vs threshold
Below the threshold
Opportunity
graduate scheme
Pay
Year 1 approximately £23,000 to £33,500 depending on region
2027 cycle
No published date as of 1 October 2026
Confidence
high

What is covered: None for the Training Programme

“The right to work in the UK for the full two years (we can't sponsor visas).”
Teach First, from its own careers pages
The catch: Teach First does hold an active Skilled Worker sponsor licence on the gov.uk register. That licence is plainly not applied to the Training Programme itself, given the explicit statement above; it is presumably used for experienced or leadership hires elsewhere in the organisation.
Teach First early careersVerify on gov.ukSee the licence record

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About the training programme

Locations
Across England, regions indicated as preferences during applicationSource
Starting pay
£26,075 to £34,702 in year one depending on subject and region“First year - secondary (all other subjects) £32,018 £30,412 £27,589 £26,075”Source
Degree requirement
2:1, with 2:2 accepted for secondary only“We'll consider 2:2 degrees for secondary teaching only. For primary, we accept 2:1 or above.”Source
Recruitment stages
  1. Application form (~60 min)
  2. Online task-based assessment (~50 min, competency questions)
  3. Screening by the team (20 working days)
  4. Development Centre (one day)
“You will be asked to answer competency-based questions about your motivation, leadership and adaptability.”Source

What Teach First publishes about this programme

Checked against Teach First's own careers pages on 2026-10-01. Anything not published is worth asking the early careers team before you apply.

  • Visa sponsorship policy: published
  • Application dates: not published
  • Pay: published
  • Locations: published
  • Degree requirement: published
  • Recruitment stages: published

More early careers programmes at Teach First

Sources

Verdict last checked 2026-08-11. Application dates last checked 2026-10-01.

Common questions

Does Teach First sponsor visas for its training programme?

No. Teach First does not sponsor its training programme for international students who need a visa. Teach First's own eligibility page states outright that it cannot sponsor visas for the Training Programme, and requires candidates to already hold the right to work in the UK for the full two years. This is a stated policy bar, not merely a pay shortfall, though year one pay of roughly £23,000 to £33,500 depending on region would also sit at or below the new entrant threshold for much of the range.

Does the pay clear the UK Skilled Worker salary threshold?

The pay for this scheme sits below the Skilled Worker salary threshold, which is itself a reason sponsorship is not possible.

What is the catch international students miss with Teach First?

Teach First does hold an active Skilled Worker sponsor licence on the gov.uk register. That licence is plainly not applied to the Training Programme itself, given the explicit statement above; it is presumably used for experienced or leadership hires elsewhere in the organisation.

When do applications open for the Teach First training programme?

No published date as of 1 October 2026. Checked on 2026-10-01 against Teach First's own site.

Where is the Teach First training programme based?

Across England, regions indicated as preferences during application, according to Teach First's own careers information.

What does the Teach First training programme pay?

£26,075 to £34,702 in year one depending on subject and region, according to Teach First's own careers information.

What degree do you need for the Teach First training programme?

2:1, with 2:2 accepted for secondary only, according to Teach First's own careers information.

What are the recruitment stages for the Teach First training programme?

Application form (~60 min), Online task-based assessment (~50 min, competency questions), Screening by the team (20 working days), Development Centre (one day), according to Teach First's own careers information.

How should I confirm Teach First's sponsorship before applying?

Read the specific vacancy on Teach First's careers site, ask its early-careers team directly, and check the employer on the gov.uk Register of Licensed Sponsors. Policies and thresholds change, so treat this page as a starting point and confirm for the exact role and cycle.

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Sponsorship data: Home Office register + job ad wording. Not immigration advice, verify on gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.