Chinese embassies in other countries may have similar notices in the near future, so read and know the requirements in advance, prepare for the application.
To facilitate gradually resuming personnel exchanges between China and foreign countries, the Chinese Embassy and Consulates-General in the U.K. are ready to accept visa applications through the Chinese Visa Application Service Centres in London, Manchester and Edinburgh as of Aug 18th 2020 from applicants who intend to travel to China for any of the following purposes.
1. British citizen and applicant from any of the 35 other European countries who is holding a valid Foreigner’s Residence Permit of China for work, private matters or family reunion, and needs to go to China for the same visiting purpose as shown on the Residence Permit;
2. Applicant (including accompanying spouse and children under the age of 18) who does not hold a valid Foreigner’s Residence Permit of China for work, private matters or family reunion, but has an “Invitation Letter (PU/TE)” or “Verification Confirmation of Invitation” issued by the Foreign Affairs Office of the provincial government or the provincial department of commerce of the intended place of visit to visit China for economic, trade, scientific, technological, culture or sport purposes;
3. Applicant (including accompanying spouse and children under the age of 18) who does not hold a valid Foreigner’s Residence Permit of China for work, private matters or family reunion, but has obtained “Notification Letter of Foreigners Work Permit” as well as “Invitation Letter (PU/TE)” or “Verification Confirmation of Invitation” to work in China;
4. Applicant who intends to visit China for the following humanitarian reasons:
A. Applicant intending to visit an immediate family member in China (including parents, spouse, children, grandparents, grandchildren) who is in critical medical condition and in need of care, or arrange funeral matters of an immediate family member in China;
Photocopies of a medical certificate or death certificate, proof of relationships (including birth certificate, marriage certificate, Chinese household registration, certificate letters from the local police bureau in China, notarial certificate of kinship, etc.), and an invitation letter from relatives in China are required.
B. Applicant who is spouse or child under the age of 18 of a Chinese citizen or who holds a valid Chinese Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card, and intends to visit China for family reunion;
An invitation letter and photocopies of the Chinese Identity Card or the Chinese Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card, and proof of relationships are required.
C. Applicant (including accompanying spouse and children under the age of 18) intending to visit China to take care of or support his/her Chinese parents;
An invitation letter from the Chinese parent and photocopies of his/her Chinese Identity Card, and proof of relationships are required.
5. Applicant who qualifies for a crew (C) visa.
Applicants are required to fill in the online application form and make an appointment with the nearest Chinese Visa Application Centre before submitting applications in person on the date of appointment. Minor children under the age of 14 are not required to go to the Visa Centre for biometric information collection.
Visa applications for other visiting purposes which are not included above can not be accepted at the moment.
Please be advised that the above are temporary arrangements and subject to further change. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
35 other European countries
Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Norway, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Poland, Portugal, the Netherlands
Source: Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
You’ve seen the acronym advertising ESL Jobs, and you’ve done a bit of research. For the curious, ESL stands for English as a Second Language. The Brits know it as TEFL, Teaching English as a Foreign Language. But what will you get out of an ESL job? The simple answer is a lot, but here are the skills that you can develop or use in an ESL career.
1. Problem Solving
Imagine, you’ve planned a class, you know the students and everything is going to be great. During the class, no one’s getting it. The enthusiastic students are tired and everyone’s getting restless. As the teacher, everyone looks to you and you need to rescue the class. You develop an instinct in the class- you think fast and try new things. If that doesn’t work, you keep your cool and find something that works. This is a skill seen time and time again in the classroom, and the ability to stay cool under pressure and think quickly remain invaluable.
2. Communication Skills
Listed time and time again on job descriptions: the applicant must have excellent communication skills. But what does that even mean? The term “communication skills” could be open to interpretation and difficult to prove that you have. But as an ESL teacher, this is a core skill. Imagine setting a task, or giving instructions to classes from 5 to 25, and there’s a catch. English isn’t their first language. Sound difficult? It is at first, but in time the ESL teacher becomes a master at setting tasks, getting results with minimum speech, and body language.
3. Public Speaking
Public speaking is a common fear. The thought of standing up in front of a group of strangers can be a terrifying experience. New ESL teachers also find this a test of nerve. But over time, the ESL teacher overcomes this fear. Standing up in front of a group of eager eyes becomes second nature.
4. Time Management
ESL schedules can be hectic, especially during summer courses and peak months. Time management in class is a skill that teachers develop. ESL teachers learn to focus on what’s important to the learner, moving through the teaching material to meet their needs.
5. Sales Skills
Good sales people are knowledgeable, enthusiastic and passionate. They tailor the product to your needs and at the end of the sales pitch, you’re sold, you want the product! Who was your favourite teacher at school? They were knowledgeable, passionate and at the end of the class you wanted to learn more. The similarities are close. A good teacher helps the student use the language (the product). The teacher’s enthusiasm also makes the student more enthusiastic about the language. After class, these students want to learn more by themselves. This is when the real learning starts.
Passengers departing from the Chinese mainland will be able to transfer at Hong Kong International Airport from Saturday to October 15, while transfer and transit services for those traveling to destinations in the Chinese mainland will remain unavailable, said the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) Thursday.
Passengers must book transfer or transit flights operated by different airline groups on the same ticket. Passengers will be checked through with both boarding passes printed and baggage sent to their final destination. The layover time must be under 24 hours.
The AAHK has also implemented a host of enhanced health measures at the Hong Kong airport, considering the need to protect public health and closely monitor the changing pandemic situation.
All passengers and airport staff must wear masks while in the airport, in line with the latest requirement of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. Other health requirements including body temperature screening are obligatory.
An industry observer who preferred to be anonymous told the Global Times that the airport’s move provides one more channel for people to go abroad, especially for students who are scheduled to travel to other countries for study in the autumn.
The measure could help improve the airport’s performance to some extent but it will take much longer for the airport to turn decreases in the number of passengers into growth, Wang Yanan, an industry expert and chief editor of Aerospace Knowledge, told the Global Times Thursday.
“Social unrest in Hong Kong over more than a year makes international passengers tend to avoid transit flights in the city, so the airport is unlikely to see an increase in passengers until the city can give people confidence that it’s worth a brief stay,” Wang said, noting that the airport may see a rebound in passengers in 2021.
Due to the global pandemic and entry restrictions for non-Hong Kong residents, Hong Kong International Airport handled 8.3 million passengers in the first half of 2020, down 78.1 percent year-on-year.
Hong Kong has been gradually resuming transfer and transit services since June 15.
The enhanced measures at the Hong Kong airport introduced from June 1 remain effective and will be applied to travelers from all origins and to all destinations, said the airport authority.
In view of the rapid spread of COVID-19 across the world, China has decided to temporarily suspend the entry into China by foreign nationals holding visas or residence permits still valid to the time of the announcement effective from 28 March 2020. Meanwhile, foreign nationals traveling to China for necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or out of emergent humanitarian needs may still apply for visas.
As the prevention and control of COVID-19 become regular, in order to facilitate exchanges, China now decides that, foreign nationals from the countries listed below who hold valid residence permits, including work permit, permit for family reunion and personal matters, may apply for visas for free at any Chinese embassy or consulate in these countries. After entering China, they are kindly requested to comply with the epidemic prevention regulations of the local governments.
Per the Cyberspace Administration of China，there are two major causing factors of the campaign.
Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, online teaching platforms have become the main channels for minors to learn from home;
Some of the website platforms show their lack of a sense of responsibility. They’re sheerly driven by interests and have no concerns of the fact that some minors are exposed to harmful and negative information via their platforms.
All-Round Regulations
As per the announcement, the rectification campaign is for all types of online teaching platforms involving minors, which will include the following aspects.
The content of online courses will be subject strict review so as to ensure its correction in guidance;
Comment section with an interactive function shall be set up the platforms, where a system of “review before approval” shall be established accordingly;
Strengthen the ecological management around the web-based course pages to filter harmful contents;
No pop-up windows or clickbait leading to inappropriate content for minors;
No commercial information irrelevant to learning;
It’s prohibited to use online public welfare courses for commercial interests.
Per the responsible person of the administrative department, the authorities have zero-tolerance towards illegal acts harming the rights and interests of minors via online courses. The local cyberspace administration bureau and education departments will further strike against illegal platforms and institutions in accordance with the Chinese law.
Up to now, 31 online teaching platforms, 3 learning and teaching applications, and 13 programs have been dealt with in a serious manner according to law.
The summer of 2011, I was honoured and privileged to be invited to live and work in China. Prior to this, I had never even left my home continent of Europe and, barring a brief stint in Slovakia, had not had the opportunity to be employed outside of my home country of England. Therefore, it was certainly a big adaptation process that I had to undertake in order to be able to make this transition.
Get Started
First of all, before I even left the UK, I had to go and obtain my visa, something that I did not have to do for working in Europe. Not only that, I needed to visit the doctors to receive some vaccinations, again an indicator that the environment was going to be different than what I was used to. Furthermore, I acquired a Mandarin-English basic dictionary, in order to be able to try to begin to understand some of the basic language elements that I would encounter during my time there.
Eventually, I was ready for the big move, so I flew out from Birmingham, via Munich, and landed at Beijing International Airport, feeling a little jet lagged and out of sorts, but ready to head to Beijing South train station for the next leg of my transit. Immediately, I was struck by the number of differences between European and Chinese ways of life – including, but by no means limited to, the language, types of transport, clothing and how busy the metro stations and public transport services were. All at once, I felt simultaneously an intense rush of energy and a daunting sense of the immensity of the challenge of getting used to all these differences in a short space of time.
Arriving
Thus, it was that I took the high speed train down to the city of Jinan, in Shandong province, arriving at platform 24 at around 10 in the evening. Now, words cannot fully describe the new sensations I felt at this point, because even though I knew Beijing would have a big city feel, I did not expect Jinan to also feel and look so metropolitan. In fact, during my job interview, my interviewer rather humbly assured me that Jinan was merely a ‘village’ – a fact that he clarified upon meeting me at the station by noting that Jinan was indeed small when compared to Beijing or Shanghai. Indeed, during the subsequent car ride to my apartment, he went on to inform that this ‘village’ had a population of over 6 million people, which as one can imagine was rather a shock!
Finally, I was shown my apartment and just before midnight, after a thirty-six hour long voyage, I was able to get in and rest, before starting my new job the following day. Interestingly, the work day in China seems to start much earlier than in Europe, so it was that by 7am that I was in the building and being introduced to my new work colleagues. As I was to be teaching in a university hospital, there were a great number of people to meet, and it took most of the morning to finally start to put some names to faces and try to remember who everybody was. By this time, at around 10 in the morning, we were ready for lunch, and I was taken to a small corner restaurant that I would frequently be taken back to during my stay.
Honestly, it amazed me how often I was invited to go out and partake in a meal or social event with my colleagues, and still does to a large extent. Considering that I was the only ‘foreigner’ that I had ever met in Jinan, I was made to feel welcomed and treated as a true friend, and that sense of hospitality remains with me to this day. On that note, a month or so after I started living there, I realised that I had never used my microwave in my apartment even once, so I decided to carry the device over to the office so that everybody there could use it, as they didn’t have one themselves before.
Mingling
During my time there, I noticed a lot of big differences in the culture between Europe and China, many of which I thoroughly enjoyed and truly appreciated. One such example was the custom of preparing tea in the Chinese fashion, an opportunity that I had to witness first hand at the house of one of my colleagues. In all honesty, it is like an art form, watching the care and attention that is placed into such a ritual, and one that will be fondly remembered.
Another positive experience I had was when I was invited to visit the nearby city of Jiling with another of my colleagues, as his parents and sister lived in that town. It was truly a fascinating moment to see a family interact with one another with such love and adoration, and they even taught me how to play the famous game of Mahjong. In fact, we enjoyed it so much that we played all evening, and I was even able to win a game!
An Unique Experience
In linguistic terms, I must admit that I found the tonal precision required to communicate effectively in Mandarin was much more difficult than I had anticipated, and so I was only able to truly acquire a limited range of basic vocabulary during my three months there.
Luckily, the vast majority of my colleagues had more than enough capability in English to be able to support and assist me with any needs that I had in my time there. Truly, the hospitality and warmth I was afforded on a daily basis was humbling, and I remain forever grateful to have been invited to take part in such an experience.
A series of new policies and measures have now been formally adopted and come into force. Let’s see how they will affect your everyday life in China and check the updates of important news!
– 01 –
Foreigners meeting conditions can apply for IIT subsidies
Guangzhou has rolled out preferential individual income tax (IIT) policies in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. From July 1 to August 15, eligible applicants can submit an application online. According to the application guideline, overseas high-end talents and critically lacking talents who work within the administrative area of Guangzhou shall be given financial subsidies if their IIT paid in Guangzhou exceeds the tax amount computed at 15% of their taxable income.
The subsidies are granted on a lump-sum basis every year. It will be open for application and granted after the settlement and payment of IIT in the following year. The period of IIT settlement in 2019 is between March 1 to June 30, 2020. And the applications for financial subsidies in 2019 are accepted from July 1 to August 15 this year. Let’s check the following article to know more about the conditions and required materials for applicants.
– 02 –
Shanghai lifts quarantine rules for overseas arrivals, allowing 7-day home quarantine
Shanghai allows people arriving from overseas to undergo a week-long home quarantine after finishing a 7-day concentrated quarantine in designated places starting July 27.
Travelers are required to take a COVID-19 nucleic acid test on the 5th day of their quarantine at a designated location and they must have a fixed residence in the city if they decide to finish the last 7 days of quarantine at home. If they return a negative nucleic acid test result, the authority will allow them to finish their quarantine at home, without coming into contact with other persons in the transfer process. Before their quarantine ends, the traveler and other members in the same household must take nucleic acid tests. The quarantine will be lifted after the 7 days if all tests are returned negative. In addition, Shanghai will continue to allow the elderly, minors, pregnant women and others whose conditions do not allow concentrated quarantines to apply for home quarantines, as long as they test negative in nucleic acid test and fit home quarantine requirements.
– 03 – HK extends quarantine measures until Sept 7
The Hong Kong government announced in a statement last week that it has further extended its 14-day mandatory quarantine for all arrivals from the mainland, Macao and Taiwan to 7 September.
Besides, facemasks have been mandatory on public transport and at all indoor public spaces in HK, malls and building lobbies included.
– 04 – Shenzhen & Zhuhai have suspended the quarantine exemptions for travelers from HK
Both Zhuhai and Shenzhen have suspended the recognition policy previously in place that saw mandatory quarantine requirements waived for inbound travelers from Hong Kong if they had already completed 14 days of medical observation in the SAR. Under the new policy, Zhuhai requires inbound travelers from Hong Kong to have another 14-day quarantine on the Chinese mainland, even if they have finished the 14-day quarantine in Hong Kong. Earlier in this month, Zhuhai and Shenzhen have adjusted the entry restrictions for several times for the pandemic situation. You can click the following link for more details.
– 05 – Arrivals from Macao can stay in the entire province without quarantine
Starting from 6 a.m. on July 29th, people entering Guangdong province from Guangdong-Macao ports will no longer undergo 14-days of centralized quarantine, and those passengers are allowed to stay anywhere in the entire province. Previously, the policy allows the passengers to visit nine cities of the province including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Huizhou, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing. Now the scope has been expanded to “facilitate the gradual restoration of the normal movement of people between Guangdong and Macao”.
However, passengers who have traveled to or from foreign countries or other overseas areas within 14 days before coming to Guangdong are excluded. They should go to a qualified testing institution for nucleic acid testing in advance. The testing institution must be recognized and approved by Guangdong and Macao governments. The test result must be negative.
– 06 – More airlines to resume int’l flights to China! Check the updates on the flight schedule
More international airlines are resuming flights to China. China’s civil aviation regulator said July 17 that Japan Airlines, Lao Airlines, and Hainan Airlines are allowed to increase their number of international flights because of their effective COVID-19 control measures. In addition, Virgin Atlantic will reopen its London-Shanghai route (Flight VS251 and VS251) on August 4. Canada will follow on August 7, flying between Vancouver and Shanghai route (Flight AC25 and AC26) once a week. British Airways will be back in the Chinese skies on August 9, flying twice a week from London’s Heathrow Airport to Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Thursdays and Sundays.
Last week, we’ve posted the flight schedules of some airlines including Egypt Air, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Emirates and Scoots. Let’s check our previous article for more details!
– 07 – Taxpayers with minor illegal acts for the first time can be exempted from punishment
Last year, the State Taxation Administration issued the Notice on the Measures Supporting and Facilitating Integrated Regional Development in the Yangtze River Delta, launching 16 tax-facilitated services to boost the growth of the delta region. The Notice introduces a list of “first violations without penalty” applicable to the region. According to the rule, taxpayers shall be exempted from punishment when they are found guilty of some minor illegal acts for the first time. Tax authorities in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui have announced that the measures will be effective on August 1.
– 08 – Drivers using phone while driving in Xiamen will be fined 200 yuan
Xiamen has adjusted a series of traffic regulations effective from August 1. In order to combat distracted driving, Xiamen announced that those who use cellphones or other electric devices while driving in Xiamen will be fined 200 yuan. What’s more, if the vehicle noise exceeds the national standards, the driver will be fined 1,000 yuan.
As for those who use balance bikes or electric scooters on the road, they will be given a warning or a fine of 200 yuan by the local department.
Shanghai has lifted travel restrictions for foreigners as reported. Now it is easier for foreign family members to get an invitation letter and apply for a visa to enter China.
China has announced the Temporary Suspension of Entry by Foreign Nationals for months and most foreigners cannot enter China now since it’s hard to successfully get a new visa.
In recent days, the government has introduced a series of measures such as setting up “fast-track” channels to ease the entry restrictions on foreign employees for the resumption of work and production.
Now here comes more good news! It is reported that Shanghai begins to ease the policy concerning PU Invitation Letter for foreign family members, which is one of the key documents for the S1/M visa application.
In other words, it is much easier for your family to get a new visa to enter China now!
According to some media reports about the updates of entry to China, if a foreign employee is in China while his or her family members are not, the members can apply for an Invitation Letter (PU) issued by the Foreign Affairs Office and then apply for a visa.
△ A sample of the PU letter
Previously, the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office only accepted the invitation letter application for foreigners engaged in ‘necessary activities’ in China. “Family members” refers to spouses, parents, sons or daughters under the age of 18, parents-in-law, etc. Application Procedures
Ask your employer to contact the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Service Center for the issue of Invitation Letter (PU) application.
Prepare the required documents for the application and submit them.
Send the letter to the applicant after the authority issues it.
The applicant apply for a new visa at Chinese embassy or consulate with the Invitation Letter and other required documents.
For more details, please contact the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Service Center.
Web: http://www.sfasc.com.cn/
Tel: 021-22161565
Emai: rzsd@sfasc.com.cn
In addition, passengers on flights to China are now required to provide negative nucleic acid test results before boarding. If your family is going to come to China, don’t forget to complete the test within 5 days before boarding. Please check our previous posts for more details!
So far, the policy is effective in Shanghai only. But this is a good sign showing that the country gradually lifts the entry restrictions. Hope to see you soon!
The Postgraduate Certificate in Education, commonly known as the PGCE, is one of the most popular academic qualifications for teaching
Offered in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, PGCEs are designed to enhance and increase academic training, preparing students for life as a teacher. Usually taking one academic year to complete full time, and two years part time, securing a place on certain PGCE courses can be incredibly competitive.
You only need a training course to offer Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) to teach as a qualified teacher in England. However, a PGCE will increase your academic knowledge and provide you with the flexibility to teach internationally. The Scottish equivalent to a PGCE is the Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE).
What is a PGCE?
A PGCE combines substantial school placements with studying the theory behind teaching and learning. Most courses run from early September to July and take nine months to complete if studied full time. Some longer part-time and distance learning options are available.
PGCE courses can either be university or school-led and the majority of programmes lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), making you eligible to teach in a variety of countries. Scottish PGDE courses, and Welsh and Northern Irish PGCEs, are similar in structure to university-based programmes.
There is a shortage of teachers in some subjects – making securing a place on these particular PGCE courses relatively easy, while other programmes are more competitive. You should research this with the provider you’re interested in and be prepared to look in other areas of the UK for places.
If your undergraduate degree doesn’t link closely to the subject you intend to teach you may be offered a subject knowledge enhancement course as part of your application. This is taken before the PGCE so you’d be studying for a little longer.
Do I need a PGCE to teach in the UK and China?
In short, no – you only need QTS. The PGCE is an additional qualification offered by some providers, which you can gain alongside QTS.
However, it’s advisable to gain a PGCE if you want to teach in Scotland and other countries such as the USA, as the PGCE is an internationally-recognised qualification. It’s possible to gain a qualification such as a PGCert with PGCE, if you have QTS and want to gain Masters credits and a university qualification. Find out more about the routes into teaching.
Be aware that not all courses award QTS – the further education PGCE, for example. Speak to your training provider if you are unsure about whether your programme awards QTS.
Types of PGCEs
In England a PGCE may be led by a:
higher education institution (HEI)
school/charity/multi-academy trust (MAT)
consortium of schools in partnership with the HEI, as in School Direct, School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) or Teach First.
Different types of PGCE include:
Primary – prepares you to teach children up to age 11. Programmes focus on the core curriculum, although some may allow you to specialise in a certain subject. This is the most popular PGCE and demand for places is high.
Secondary – focuses on a particular subject and prepares you to teach children between the ages of 11 and 16.
Further/Adult education – if you want to teach in colleges or conduct adult education classes, completing one of these PGCEs means you can apply for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status rather than QTS.
All types include placements for a minimum of 24 weeks in at least two key stages and schools.
What does a PGCE involve?
It can be a very intense nine months, at times balancing lesson planning, teaching, marking and your own assignment deadlines.
Often starting with an academic focus, PGCE courses usually cover teaching and learning theory, managing classroom behaviour and current educational issues. After the first few weeks you’ll spend up to two thirds of your time on placement in schools, teaching in two different key stages. Your placements will help you to explore theory in practice. You’ll be immersed into school life gradually, with an emphasis on research-informed and evidence-based teaching.
You will also work towards meeting the professional standards, which determine recommendation for QTS. Assessment is ongoing and progressive, developing the academic standards required for the Masters-level PGCE and QTS. At the same time you will work through personalised development plans to ensure that you’re able to target individual strengths and improvements.
In this way, your academic performance and teacher development are closely linked. You will reflect, get feedback from others and be assessed against the teacher standards as you progress through the PGCE.
What will I learn?
You will study modules such as the:
Professional teacher – Looking at key issues in teaching and learning, tailored to the context in which you’re working. Sessions will often be a lecture and seminar, or workshops.
Subject specialist – Building on your knowledge of the subject range, this would be led by a specialist tutor with expertise in your subject/s, both in university and in your placement, and supported by a mentor. You may study and evaluate key theories and policies, analyse and model best practice, and develop the skills required for teaching the subject. This will be further developed in your placement with your school mentor.
Reflective teacher – Looking at what you’re teaching in the classroom, thinking about why you do it, and reflecting on what works. This would include tutorials, group work and peer support to develop your experience in practice.
Research informed teacher – Learning from and participating in research linked to your specialism and teaching.
What’s the difference between school-led and university-led PGCEs?
As a university-led PGCE/PGDE trainee you will have more opportunity for studying and reflecting on your progress, as well as spending valuable time with other trainee teachers. You will need to pay fees but bursaries are available. You’ll be able to move from a placement if it’s really not suited to you.
If you’d like to be placed in a school from day one, school-led training may be the route for you. Trainees are often paid as trainee teaches and may have to pay fees. School-led trainees can be chosen by the school, participating as a team member from the beginning. Discover how you can build your experience by volunteering in schools.
Both routes may include a Masters-level qualification, such as a PGCE and QTS leading to the Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT)/induction year.
What are the entry requirements?Some course providers may have specific eligibility criteria, but in general you must have:
An undergraduate degree or equivalent. For primary teaching a degree in a national curriculum subject is useful. For secondary you must have a degree or at least 50% of the degree in the subject you’re applying to teach.
GCSE grade C/4 or above in English and maths (a B in Wales).
GCSE grade C/4 or above in a science subject to teach pupils aged 3-11 (primary).
A pass mark for the professional skills test in numeracy and literacy prior to entry.
An IELTS with an average score of 6.0 if English is not your first language and you don’t have a GCSE grade C in English.
some recent experience of working with children in a mainstream UK school in the phase for which you’re applying
medical fitness
a declaration of convictions through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
There are some variations and exceptions to these entry criteria so you should check with the admissions department of each individual institution you’re applying to.
Applicants with a degree in a subject not included in the national curriculum, such as marketing or education are able to apply for early years, primary and post-compulsory teaching.
If you have A-levels in a shortage secondary subject, such as maths, and your degree included a large mathematical element, you may be able to do a subject knowledge enhancement course and go on to train as a maths teacher.
Some courses are very competitive so you need to get plenty of work experience and apply early. If you aren’t sure whether you meet the criteria, or if you gained your degree overseas, you should contact the admissions department of the institution you’re considering or attend an open day.
How much does it cost?
The standard tuition fee in 2019/20 for UK and European Union (EU) students is £9,250 and approximately between £11,000 and £16,000 for international students, although overseas fees vary widely. Universities may offer special reductions for alumni, so check with individual providers.
You will also need to consider living costs. You’re likely to have additional costs for travelling to school placements. Some providers may offer support towards travel expenses – contact them to find out more.
The majority of trainees find that they have limited time for part-time work, especially while on placement. International students are advised to check their visa restrictions on working.
There are three main ways to fund teacher training and depending on your circumstances you could receive them all. Tax-free bursaries and scholarships are available – the amount of which differs depending on the subject studied, postgraduate tuition fee and maintenance loans are available to help pay tuition fees for unsalaried teacher training routes, and additional financial support is available if you have children or a disability. See funding teacher training for more information.
Will a PGCE/PGDE guarantee me a teaching job?
The Teacher Induction Scheme in Scotland offers a guaranteed one-year training post to every eligible student graduating with a teaching qualification from one of Scotland’s universities. This is not the case across all of the UK.
A PGCE is a well-recognised and valued qualification and normally includes QTS (although not all courses do), but this doesn’t mean that you will automatically be employed when you graduate.
Traditionally, graduates quickly find their first teaching job, the placements completed as part of their course and any additional school experience stands them in good stead. If your School Direct/school placements go well and the school has a vacancy when you graduate, you may well be offered a job.
Pupil numbers are rising and this increases the demand for teachers. If you’ve completed a PGCE in a shortage subject, such as physics, maths, chemistry, computing, languages, biology, geography or design and technology, your knowledge and skills are particularly sough after.
How do I find a PGCE?
You should attend open days and meet course tutors to make sure you get answers to all your questions. Consider asking:
How much does the course cost?
Does the course include a PGCE, as for many overseas teaching roles you will need a university or college teaching qualification (BEd or PGCE)?
Does the qualification lead to QTS?
How much school experience do you get?
Are there grants/loans/bursaries available?
What is the school’s Ofsted rating?
What is the employment record after graduation?
What is the institution’s reputation and department ranking?
How much access do students have to tutors?
How many lectures and tutorials are there per week? How many days a week do you need to be on campus?
When do applications open?
PGCE applications in England and Wales are normally made through UCAS Teacher Training (UTT). Scottish PGDE applications are made through the UCAS undergraduate system in the autumn for courses starting in the September the following year.
Applications can be made throughout the academic year. However, providers are able to close the applications after a minimum of two weeks if they have enough quality applicants. They may open again later in the year but it is strongly recommended to apply early for the more popular courses.
In Northern Ireland, applications for PGCEs are made directly to the institution.
If you are considering an internship in China, you will need to think what kind of visa you need to have for the internship. Here we listed 4 types of visas for undergraduates and graduates from local Chinese university or abroad universities to do internship in China.
TYPE 1 – For Fresh Graduates From Local University(Shanghai).
On 17th July 2016, According to the new policy from Shanghai Labor Bureau, for the new working visa application, the students are request to provide original 2+ years working reference letter instead of the copy. On 1st May 2016, to attract more foreign talents to work in Shanghai, Shanghai Labor Bureau provides a preferential policy for fresh graduated foreign student, even he/she didn’t have 2 years working experience (the minimum requirement for China working visa before), if they reach following conditions, they can still apply for the working permit and visa here in shanghai directly .
1. Master degree or higher degree (Obtain from the university in Shanghai)
2. Employed by a company registered in Shanghai Free Trade Zone (FTZ) or Zhang Jiang high technology park.
3. Skill certificate suitable for his job But if you have completed your degree and want to start you own company in China, You can legally apply for a 2 years valid S visa to be an entrepreneur and start to work or intern. The premise is you will need your degree certificate as well as a business plan or company registration verification.
Steps and documents needed
· Original passport and visa
· Temporary residence registration, original and copy version.
· Submit the form of VISA / STAY PERMIT / RESIDENCE PERMIT APPLICATION FORM.
· 1 piece of 2*2 photo
· The health check provided by the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau.
· Personal application or the company application.
· Business plan, Original& Copy (No need for those who come as investor)
· Company business license, Organization Code certification, Enterprise Approval Certification, original and copy.
TYPE 2- Students Who are Holding X1 Visa.
This option is valid both for part-time job or internship with payment or internship without payment. But it’s not valid for students with X2 visa. For those students who are studying in China with a X1 Visa, they will be allowed to get paid or unpaid internships in China. You will get a X visa with “Off – campus internship” on your visa page.
Steps and documents needed:
· Submit an internship application to your university.
· Get approval and go to the Entry and Exit Office the city’s main Public Security Bureau to update the residence permit with details of the internship host companies.
· Once done, the student should then go to the Entry and Exit Office the city’s main Public Security Bureau to update his residence permit with details on the place he will be working or interning at and the period of time that he will be employed for. If you don’t have any university that can supports you with the off campus internship permit, feel free to contact us, we can help you to enroll in the program for X1 visa as well as the work permit.
TYPE 3 – Students Holding Degree from University Abroad
Before there was no visa for the international students who no degree from China to do internship in China, but now the government supports the companies in Shanghai and abroad university with more communication and interaction. The policy allows this kind of students to do internship in the companies registered in Shanghai. Those students can come with any visa to China and change it into the S visa with the permit of ”Internship ”at Port visa agency.
Steps and documents needed
· Original Passport and China visa
· Original and copy of temporary residence permit from the police station.
· Submit the form of VISA / STAY PERMIT / RESIDENCE PERMIT APPLICATION FORM.
· 1 piece of 2*2 photo · Documents for your internship (Invitation letter, Internship confirmation. Company business license copy.)
TYPE 4 – French Under “Sino-French 1,000 Interns Exchange Program”
China and France have launched an exchange scheme under which 1,000 young people in China can apply for internships in enterprises in France. Under an agreement reached by the two countries in November, Chinese enterprises will also accept 1,000 French interns for up to six months, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. For those students under this program, they can apply for work permit or “Internship”. The employer needs to apply for the “Alien Employment License” marked “Internship” and provide you the internship invitation letter and internship confirmation letter. You can apply for Z visa and after coming to China , you need to change it into work&residence permit marked “Internship”？. This program is under government, it’s little bit complicated.
Here are the notes
1. A trilateral agreement must be signed between the enterprise in China, the applicant and the university they are currently studying at – or the Service of Cooperation and Cultural Action – French Institute of China for those who have already graduated.
2. No salary will be offered to the French intern under the internship program, but a subsidy covering the basic cost of living is required.
3. Minimum duration of the internship is three months, with a maximum of six months. To participate in the program, French applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria: · Have completed two years of university education in France, or obtained the French or Chinese Tertiary Education Diploma (or equivalent qualification) of less than one year · Have a confirmed offer from a Chinese enterprise
4. Hold a passport or international travel document with at least 12 months’ validity
5. Be aged between 18 and 30
6. Meet the health requirements
7. Have no criminal record Visa for doing internship in China If you are considering an internship in China, you will need to think what kind of visa you need to have for the internship. Here we listed 4 types of visas for undergraduates and graduates from local Chinese university or abroad universities to do internship in China.
On July 17, 2020, regarding the validity of the 60-day visa extension for foreigners in China, the OT-Team consulted with seven local Entry-Exit Administration Bureaus. The locations were Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Suzhou, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Yiwu, and below are their official responses.
Two Major Questions
Q1: As of now, is the policy of the 60-day automatically extension of the residence permit for foreigners without any formalities in China still valid?
A1: Yes, since January 20, 2020, China has been in the stage of prevention and control of COVID-19 epidemic. Therefore, the residence permit of foreigners in China still could be automatically extended for two months without any formalities. However, it is unknown whether there will be any change in August.
To make things clear, per the work staff of Guangzhou Entry-Exit Administration Bureau, foreigners who under the following two circumstances are unable to get their residence permits automatically extended for two months.
Foreigners entering China after March 28, 2020.
Foreigners who have applied for a visa certificate in mainland China after February 27, 2020.
Q2: Can a foreigner with a work-residence permit automatically renew his/her visa residence permit for 60 days?
A2: The answer to this question varies from place to place.
According to the staff of the Yiwu Entry-Exit Administration Bureau, as of now, foreigners with a work-residence permit, aren’t able to automatically extend their residence permit for 2 months.
Per the work staff of the Shenzhen Entry-Exit Administration Bureau, the situation will be based on the foreigner’s individual circumstance. However, what is confirmed is that before the expiration date of the work and residence permit, foreigners who fail to buy a suitable passenger ticket to leave China can go to the local entry-exit administration bureau for a 30-day temporary stay. The 30-day stay will only grant foreigners an extra amount of time to find a solution to their situation and leave China.
As per the work staff of the Entry-Exit Administration Bureau in Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Suzhou, and Hangzhou, the policy is indeed applicable, but it will affect the subsequent renewal of the visa. Once the automatic extension is made, the original work residence permit will expire, which may be considered as an illegal stay. Therefore, they strongly suggest that foreigners holding a work visa should prepare the relevant materials in advance for a face-to-face interview at the local entry and exit bureau.
Shanghai announced on Thursday it will allow some overseas arrivals to complete 7 days of their 14-day quarantine period at home starting on July 27; however, the first 7 days of their quarantine must be completed at designated locations.
Travelers are required to take a COVID-19 nucleic acid test on the 5th day of their quarantine at a designated location and they must have a fixed residence in the city if they decide to finish the last 7 days of quarantine at home.
If they return a negative nucleic acid test result, the authority will allow them to finish their quarantine at home, without coming into contact with other persons in the transfer process. Before their quarantine ends, the traveler and other members in the same household must take nucleic acid tests. The quarantine will be lifted after the 7 days if all tests are returned negative.
However, the returnees must accept the rules on home isolation; that is, there must be only one person in the household, or the other members in the same household must remain in isolation with the returnee during their quarantine period.
Those who are unwilling or unable to meet these conditions must accept the 14-day quarantine at a designated location.
Travelers whose final destination is the neighboring Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui provinces will also be allowed to follow the same “7+7” procedure. Those who are heading to other cities, however, will be required to complete their 14-day quarantine in Shanghai.
If travelers are unable to quarantine at a designated location; for example, elderly persons, minors, pregnant women and disabled individuals, they can apply for home-based isolation if they can submit negative nucleic test results and meet the relevant home-based isolation rules.
