Teach First: does its teach first training programme sponsor a UK visa?
No. Teach First does not sponsor its teach first training programme for international students who need a visa. Trainees are employed by their placement school, not Teach First itself, so Teach First cannot sponsor a visa. Applicants must prove eligibility to work in the UK for the full two-year programme by April of their intended start year, and Teach First's own knowledge base states plainly that the Graduate visa and Youth Mobility Scheme visa do not cover the required period and cannot be accepted as proof of right to remain. Pay for the September 2027 Nomination route follows unqualified teacher pay in year one, rising to qualified teacher salary in year two.
- Sponsors grads?
- No
- Pay vs threshold
- Not published
- Opportunity
- graduate scheme
- Pay
- Unqualified teacher pay range in year one, qualified teacher salary in year two
- 2027 cycle
- No published date as of 23 September 2026
- Confidence
- high
“The Graduate visa and the Youth Mobility Scheme visa do not meet our criteria to cover the initial training period and two-year Training Programme. Therefore, we cannot accept either of these as proof of right to remain.”
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Sources
- https://teachleadchange.org.uk/about/international-applicants
- https://www.teachfirst.org.uk/knowledge-base/training-programme/application/eligibility-requirements
Verdict last checked 2026-09-23.
Common questions
Does Teach First sponsor visas for its teach first training programme?
No. Teach First does not sponsor its teach first training programme for international students who need a visa. Trainees are employed by their placement school, not Teach First itself, so Teach First cannot sponsor a visa. Applicants must prove eligibility to work in the UK for the full two-year programme by April of their intended start year, and Teach First's own knowledge base states plainly that the Graduate visa and Youth Mobility Scheme visa do not cover the required period and cannot be accepted as proof of right to remain. Pay for the September 2027 Nomination route follows unqualified teacher pay in year one, rising to qualified teacher salary in year two.
Does the pay clear the UK Skilled Worker salary threshold?
The pay for this scheme is not published clearly enough to judge against the threshold.
What is the catch international students miss with Teach First?
This rules out the two visa routes most international graduates of UK universities would otherwise hold, since the programme's minimum length outlasts both a standard Graduate visa and a Youth Mobility Scheme visa.
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.
Other public sector schemes
- NHSSome tracks
- Civil ServiceNo
- Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeNo
- GCHQNo
- Teach FirstNo
- Police NowNo
- FrontlineNo
- Unlocked GraduatesNo
- BBCNot published
- Bank of EnglandSome tracks
- Local Government AssociationNo
- HM Revenue and CustomsNo
- Met OfficeSome tracks
- Environment AgencyNo
- Transport for LondonNo
- Network RailNo
- Nuclear Decommissioning AuthorityNo
- National Crime AgencyNo
- OfgemNo
- Bank of EnglandSome tracks
- GCHQNo
- Transport for LondonNot published
- Police NowNo
- DstlNo
- GCHQNo
- Royal Air ForceNot published
- Network RailNot published
- UKAEANot published
- Transport for LondonNot published
- UKAEANot published
- Network RailNo
- Transport for LondonNot published
- Civil Service Fast StreamNo
- GCHQNo
- MI5No
- MI6No
- Financial Conduct AuthoritySome tracks
- OfgemNo
- HM TreasuryNot published
- HM Revenue and CustomsNo
- Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeNo
- Environment AgencyNo
- Met OfficeNot published
- Competition and Markets AuthorityNot published
- Local Government AssociationNo
- Birmingham City CouncilNot published
- Manchester City CouncilNo
- Glasgow City CouncilNo
- University of OxfordNot published
- King's College LondonNo
- Imperial College LondonNot published
- University of BirminghamNo
- FrontlineNo
- Unlocked GraduatesNo
- Police NowNo
- Wellcome TrustSome tracks
- National Audit OfficeNo
- Government Actuary's DepartmentNot published
- Channel 4Not published
- Channel 4Not published
- NHS EnglandNot published
- NHS Education for ScotlandSome tracks
- Health Education and Improvement WalesNo
- King's College Hospital NHS Foundation TrustNo
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS TrustNot published
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation TrustNot published
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation TrustNot published
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustNo
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustNot published
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation TrustNot published
- Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustNot published
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation TrustNot published
- Greater London AuthorityNot published
- Information Commissioner's OfficeNo
- Information Commissioner's OfficeNo
- National TrustNo
- Liverpool City CouncilNo
- Sheffield City CouncilNot published
- Manchester University NHS Foundation TrustSome tracks
- Manchester University NHS Foundation TrustSome tracks
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustNot published
- University of BristolNot published
- Nottingham City CouncilNot published
- Sanctuary GroupNot published
- Sanctuary GroupNot published
- Home GroupNot published
- Canal & River TrustNot published
- Transport for WalesNo
- Ordnance SurveyNot published
- British LibraryNot published
- The Hyde GroupNot published
- Scottish WaterNot published
- Scottish WaterNot published
- Scottish WaterNot published
- London Borough of HackneyNo
- London Borough of HackneyNot published
- Cornwall CouncilNot published
- Surrey County CouncilNot published
- The Guinness PartnershipNot published
- The Guinness PartnershipNot published
- AbriNot published
Before you apply
Scan your CV against UK applicant tracking systems for free, then tailor it to the schemes that can actually sponsor you.
Other public sector schemes we track
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.