Secondary Teacher Education Programme

• A UK 1st or 2nd Class Honours Degree or recognised equivalent. Applicants will need to satisfy both the IIS and UCL’s academic requirements of a minimum of a UK Lower Second Class Bachelors (Honours) degree or overseas qualification of equivalent standard. Applicants can contact UK ENIC as well as check UCL’s country specific requirements here: www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/international/country-search
• To meet the English language requirement, it is preferable that applicants take a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as the UKVI version of IELTS Academic where possible, as UCL IOE require a SELT for entry onto the Preparation for Academic Studies in Higher Education (PASHE) programme when it is taught face-to-face rather than online. Those who do not have a UKVI IELTS and are required to do face-to-face PASHE would need to retake the UKVI version of IELTS (or another accepted SELT) as a condition of entry. Note that there may be other SELTs that UCL accepts and this list will be released by UCL at a later date.
  
  The minimum requirements for English language proficiency are as follows: an overall band score of 7.0, or UCL equivalent, with a minimum score of 6.5 in each component in an IELTS Academic test certificate. Applicants with an overall score of 6.5 (with a minimum 6.0 in each component), or the standard equivalent in the alternative English language tests listed on the UCL website, will be considered on the understanding that they will attend and engage in IELTS Retakes classes from January 2024 to mid-April 2024 and, if selected, will be eligible to receive a conditional offer and invited to retake IELTS in April 2024 (see further details below).
• Alternatively, applicants can submit scores from a range of other English language tests as detailed on the UCL website: www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/english-language-requirements. Note that these must be at UCL’s Level 2 standard; applicants achieving only UCL’s Level 1 standard would only be eligible for a conditional offer. All tests must be taken no more than two years prior to the start date of the programme. Note that, as above, those who take one of the non-SELT tests given on the UCL website and are required to do face-to-face PASHE would need to retake an accepted SELT as a condition of entry.
  
  Find out more about UCL’s English language requirements: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/english-language-requirements 
  
  
• Those with IELTS scores that would confer ‘conditional’ offer status, will be expected to retake IELTS Academic in April 2024 (support provided by the Academic Skills Support Team at the IIS) to upgrade their offers to direct entry (unconditional) by obtaining an over all band 7 with no less than 6.5 in all subscores. Attendance and engagement at IELTS Retakes classes is mandatory for those who do not yet have IELTS or equivalent at band 7 overall with no less than 6.5 in all subscores. Failure to attend 90% of IELTS Retakes classes may result in any potential offer being withdrawn, or in the candidate having to pay for the PASHE course themselves, if selected. Applicants who attend and engage in IELTS Retakes classes, but do not achieve band 7 overall with no less than 6.5 in all subscores at the retest will be required to attend and successfully complete the PASHE programme at UCL IOE before they are formally enrolled onto the STEP programme.
• Minimum of one year’s experience teaching in a Religious Education Centre that falls under the ITREB jurisdiction of any one of the following countries: Afghanistan, Australia and New Zealand, Bangladesh, Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo, Far East, France, India, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Pakistan, Portugal, Syria, , Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, Uganda, United Kingdom, or the United States of America.
• To enter a contract-bound commitment of a minimum of 5 years to work as a teacher within the ITREB network, with opportunities for career progression within the wider Aga Khan network of institutions.
• The Secondary Teacher Education Programme (STEP) has been developed to support and promote the need for professionally trained secondary level teachers who can teach the IIS Secondary Curriculum within the Ismaili religious education system; therefore, candidates are recruited from the Ismaili community only.

Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from candidates from the ITREB Tajikistan jurisdiction.

Shortlisted applicants will be required to undertake a six-week teaching placement at their local religious education centre (REC), which will be facilitated by the local ITREB. Applicants will also be required to undertake a timed essay, as well as participate in an interview which will
be conducted by the IIS and ITREB.

Student Route Visa Requirements

In accordance with UK visa rules, the IIS exempts candidates from the English language requirements if they are nationals of, or have completed undergraduate studies taught in, the following countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada (only if you are a national), Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Please note if you are exempt from taking IELTS Academic due to the fact you have completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree taught in an English majority speaking country but are not a national of that that country, you also will need to meet the UCL requirement below.

UCL rules state in order to be exempt from the IELTS Academic test or other Academic English Skills test, you must have completed your undergraduate or postgraduate studies no later than the summer two years prior to the proposed date of enrolment (i.e. Summer 2023 for a 2024 enrolment) otherwise you will be required to take an Academic English Skills test. For further guidance please refer to the UCL website. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/english-language-requirements