Career development
Education
Higher English, longer routes
All careers
Teaching Assistant (L2/L3)
The most realistic education job without a degree, if your English is strong.
- Time
- Weeks to several months
- Cost
- £200–600
- English
- Fluent
Childminder (Ofsted-registered)
Home-based self-employment with a low English bar. No childcare diploma needed.
- Time
- 3–4 months
- Cost
- £100–400
- English
- Basic everyday
QTS with PGCE (Qualified Teacher Status)
The licence to teach in England's state schools, usually earned with a one-year PGCE course.
- Time
- About 1 year
- Cost
- £0–9535
- English
- Native-level
CILEX (Chartered Institute of Legal Executives)
A work-and-study route into law, no law degree needed, leading to CILEX Lawyer status.
- Time
- Several years part time
- Cost
- £3700–12500
- English
- Fluent
Early Years Educator (Level 3)
The standard qualification to work with under-5s in a nursery, usually free through an apprenticeship.
- Time
- 15–18 months
- Cost
- Free
- English
- Conversational
CELTA / TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language)
A certificate to teach English abroad or online, but not in UK state schools and it needs near-native English.
- Time
- 4 weeks (CELTA)
- Cost
- £150–1900
- English
- Native-level
SQE (Solicitors Qualifying Examination)
The 2021 route to become a solicitor: two central exams plus two years of legal work experience.
- Time
- 2–3 years+
- Cost
- £4908–17000
- English
- Fluent