Entry requirements

A UK 1st or 2nd Class Honours Degree or recognised equivalent
An International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.5 or higher (or equivalent English proficiency)
One year teaching experience in a Religious Education Class under ITREB.
Entry into a 5-year teaching commitment.
Member of the Ismaili community.

Applications are due 21 October, 2024

Academic requirements

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 page.

Language requirements

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 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-face¹ 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 2025 to mid-April 2025 and, if selected, will be eligible to receive a conditional offer and invited to retake IELTS in April 2025 (see further details below).

Alternatively, applicants can submit scores from a range of other English language tests as detailed on the UCL website. 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-face² PASHE would need to retake an accepted SELT as a condition of entry.

Find out more information on UCL’s English language requirements page.

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 overall 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 IOE before they are formally enrolled onto the STEP programme.

Note that if PASHE is taught online only, non-UKVI IELTS is acceptable and UKVI IELTS is not required.
Note that if PASHE is taught online only, an English language test from the above list is acceptable and a SELT is not required.

Religious education requirements

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 and Afghanistan jurisdictions.

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.

What our students say?

Muscan Momin

USA, STEP 2025

My STEP experience has been like sailing on a ship whose destination is confirmed, but the journey toward the destination is full of low and high tides. As soon as you arrive in London, a whole array of tasks awaits you, from Induction Week to settling in a new country. From your first IIS module to your first UCL module. From teaching in Mainstream schools in London to teaching in BAIs. Although this experience is full of challenges, exhaustion, curiosity, learning, laughter, and tears, it is a privilege and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Along with dependable experts of the ship, such as the renowned scholars, teachers, professors, and faculty, as well as other passengers of the boat, such as my colleagues from the C-16 cohort, the GPISH and ISMC program, this journey has become deeply fulfilling regarding intellectual, cultural, and artistic exchange. When I disembark this ship, I will not only have the necessary tools to facilitate the education of adolescents about our faith back home but also teach them to embrace diversity and to become lifelong learners.