Do New Graduates Need the License Before a Teaching Job?

Yes. Saudi Arabia does not let a degree alone put someone in front of a classroom, in a government school or a private one. A new graduate who wants their first teaching post has to hold a Professional License for Teachers, issued by the Education and Training Evaluation Commission, before that post can begin, the same as a serving teacher renewing their license.

What qualifies a new graduate to register for the license exam in the first place?

You need a bachelor’s degree in the teaching specialization you intend to license for, matched to the subject and school stage requirements ETEC and the Ministry of Education set for that specialization. That qualification is what lets you register for the GTT and the STT; the degree gets you into the exam, not out of it.

Does a new graduate sit a different, easier version of the exam?

No. New graduates sit the same General Pedagogical Test and Specialized Subject Test that a serving teacher renewing or upgrading their license sits. What actually separates the GTT from the STT covers what each test measures, since it is the same pair regardless of whether you are a new graduate or a returning teacher.

Is there a minimum score a new graduate needs, or does any pass work?

Passing at all requires 50 percent on both tests, which qualifies you for a Practitioner license, the entry tier every new teacher needs. How the three license tiers work covers the higher Advanced and Expert thresholds, in case you are aiming past the entry-level license before applying.

What happens after I pass, before I actually apply for a job?

Results reach you by text message and then appear in your account on the professional licensing system, where the license itself is issued once both tests are cleared, for a further fee. That license, not just a passing score, is what a Saudi school, government or private, will ask to see before hiring you into a classroom. How much the whole process costs breaks the registration, test and issuance fees down separately.

When should a new graduate register, relative to job hunting?

Since the license has to exist before hiring, not just be in progress, registering and sitting both tests well ahead of when you plan to apply is the safer order. Check the schedule for the current cycle and set a countdown against your actual sitting date so preparation does not run up against your job-search timeline. The exam’s own page, Professional License Exam for Teachers, has the qualification requirements and official registration links.

Frequently asked questions

Can a new graduate start teaching in Saudi Arabia without the license? No, the license is required before starting to teach, in both government and private schools.

Does a bachelor’s degree in education replace the need to sit the GTT and STT? No, the degree is the qualification that lets you register for the tests; it does not exempt you from sitting them.

Do new graduates get a different pass threshold than renewing teachers? No, the same 50, 70 and 80 percent thresholds for Practitioner, Advanced and Expert licenses apply regardless of whether you are a new graduate or a renewing teacher.

How soon after passing can I actually be hired? Once both tests are cleared and the license is issued through the professional licensing system, the license itself is what a school will check before hiring.