What is a direct submission

You can confirm your Professional Update (PU) using the direct submission process. Direct submission allows teachers and college lecturers to submit their PU via an online form to GTC Scotland.

Direct submission eligibility requirements

You can make a direct submission if:

• you work outside Scotland
• you are not working but want to stay on the Register of Teachers
• we have not approved your employer’s professional learning process (we call this Professional Update validation)

You should not make a direct submission if:

• you are absent from work with illness or on parental leave. You should contact your line manager and ask for a deferral. Read about the deferral process
• you are a supply teacher. Local authorities should support supply teachers through Professional Update (If you need advice on who to contact at your local authority, get in touch with us)

How to submit a direct submission

You can submit a direct submission using the form available on MyGTCS.

It is your responsibility to ensure that a direct submission sufficiently demonstrates your continued teacher professionalism in line with the Professional Standards.

Confirming if your direct submission has been successful

We assess a proportion of randomly chosen direct submissions for quality assurance purposes.

You will hear from us within 10 working days if your direct submission has been chosen.  

You will receive a copy of your direct submission by email. If we do not contact you to inform you that your submission is being assessed, you can consider your Professional Update confirmed for the current five-year cycle. Your PU status in MyGTCS will update to ‘Confirmed’.