Applications for all PGCE courses should be made through the DfE Apply System. Entry requirements can be found on each course page.
There are two kinds of PGCE you can study with us:
- School Direct - where you are based at a school
- Standard PGCE - where you are based at university and go to school on placement.
The application cycle will open in October each year and will be available for a minimum of two weeks. To guarantee consideration, you must submit your application within the first two weeks.
Applications will no longer be considered when courses become full but may re-open if vacancies arise.
Find a course
Apply through DfE Apply
How to Apply for a PGCE
What information should I include on my application?
All the information you need to provide will be requested by DfE within your 'Apply for Teacher Training' online application. You can expect to provide:
Email address – almost all the correspondence will be via email. Please use a personal email address rather than a work/university address. It will also help if you ensure our email address, as well as the Department for Education email address, is saved as a 'safe recipient' in your email profile.
References – your application requires a minimum of 2 references. You can request as many references as you like, requesting more might increase the chances of getting 2 quickly. These can be requested and submitted through the DfE Apply system online.
Qualifications – you should provide details of all your qualifications, including GCSEs and A Levels. The DfE Apply system will provide guidance on how much information you need to provide.
Personal statement – your personal statement should be clear, concise and with a good standard of English language. Use paragraphs and check your spelling/grammar. You should explain why you want to teach in your chosen age group, demonstrating your enthusiasm and commitment to your subject and also your understanding of the role of a school teacher.
Your personal statement is important. We are looking for evidence of your commitment to teaching, your potential to meet the academic demands of the course and your professional suitability to the role of a school teacher. The 'Apply for Teacher Training' Personal Statement is made up of two parts; first outlining why you want to teach and secondly focussing on your suitability to teach a subject area or age group.
Adjustments - The DfE 'Apply for Teacher Training' application will provide the opportunity for you to request any adjustments that you require. We strongly advise you to communicate any access needs you have, so that we can support you in your application period and during the course. We are committed to providing equal opportunities to all applicants, and this step allows us to tailor your application process.
What is the application process and what are the interview arrangements?
Applications will be sent to the university daily from October onwards.
For university-based applicants, your application will be sent to the tutor for an initial decision; you can monitor the outcome of your application online via DfE Apply. If you are selected for interview, your application will be scheduled for an interview in line with other applicants. Interviews are scheduled according to the date of application. We will get in touch with details of the day and any tasks you need to prepare.
For School Direct applicants, your application will be reviewed for entry criteria and sent on to your chosen school. If you are selected for interview the school will contact you directly with details of the day and any tasks to prepare for.
Supplying additional information
You will generally be considered once for your choice of course during the DfE Teacher Training cycle. There are times when you can apply to us again, but that will require additional information for consideration. For example, if you are unsuccessful in your original choice and make a subsequent choice for an alternative course, you will need to supply a revised personal statement. You can do so by completing our additional information form and emailing this to us.
This form is for use in the following circumstances:
- where your application was originally for a Primary PGCE and you are now applying for a Secondary PGCE or a different Primary course (not the same course at a different campus) or
- where you have applied for a Primary PGCE but were unsuccessful because you had not completed your school experience, but have now completed this and want to reapply for the same course.
Applicants making a repeat application to a Primary course will be considered in the following circumstances:
- there are vacancies and you were previously unsuccessful only because of lack of essential experience (and for no other reason)
- because the course had closed when you originally applied and has now reopened.
Your repeat application will be treated as a fresh application.
3 simple steps to apply for your PGCE
Step 1: Search for a PGCE course and vacancies on DfE Find postgraduate teacher training, here.
You can search specifically for University of Cumbria by checking the ‘by school, university or other training provider’ box and then entering University of Cumbria into the search bar (as seen below).
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Step 2: All PGCE courses at University of Cumbria with vacancies will then appear. Click on the course you want for further details and entry requirements, plus a link to our webpage.
Step 3: You now need to fill in all sections of the form, including your personal statement and referees. Once you have completed the form, DfE sends the form to your referees and it’s then a waiting game for the form to come back to DfE from both referees. We recommend you give your referees a nudge.
Once you have submitted your application and DfE have received your references, we will review your application. No need to worry, we will be in touch about any next steps
Find further advice on the DfE website:
Train to Teach Website
Course Enquiry Centre
If you have any questions about studying at the University of Cumbria, please contact our Course Enquiry Centre.
Whether you are looking to study here in the future or are a current student looking to progress to the next level we're here to answer all your questions.
enquirycentre@cumbria.ac.uk
0808 178 7373
