Does an ordinary UK BA qualify you to teach English in China?

What China's visa rules actually specify

China's Z work visa requirements, as commonly published by provincial foreign expert bureaus, generally ask for a bachelor's degree in any subject, without specifying classification. An Ordinary or Pass degree from a UK university is still a bachelor's degree and generally meets this bar — the visa system isn't grading your degree the way a UK graduate scheme might.

This is different from some competitive employers (particularly premium international schools) who may express a soft preference for a 2:1 or above, similar to graduate job markets elsewhere. That's an employer preference, not a visa rule, so it varies by school.

Where degree classification might actually matter

If you're targeting the very top tier of international schools in Shanghai or Beijing, which compete for candidates much like Western graduate employers do, classification can factor into hiring decisions alongside experience and interview performance. For the much larger private language-centre market, it generally does not.

A more common issue than classification is confusion about which UK qualifications count as a full bachelor's degree — an HND or foundation degree, for instance, is not the same and may not meet the Z visa bar on its own.

The authentication process is the same regardless of grade

Whatever your classification, the document process is identical: notarise your degree certificate with a UK notary, get it authenticated by the FCDO, then legalised at the Chinese embassy or consulate. Budget real time for this chain — it's the part of the process that actually causes delays, not your degree grade.