Funding to train

Some funding for teacher training is available for eligible graduates who are starting their training in the 2024/2025 academic year on postgraduate routes including the non-salaried PGCE programme.

Funding amounts will vary depending on the subject you intend to teach and your degree classification or highest relevant academic qualification. If you do not have a degree in the subject you wish to teach, free courses are available in some subjects to increase your subject knowledge prior to teacher training.

There are several types of funding that may all be available to you, depending on your eligibility:

  • a bursary or scholarship
  • tuition fee and maintenance loans
  • extra financial support if you’re a parent, a carer or you have a disability.

Please note that alternative funding is in place to train as an Early Years teacher, which leads to achieving Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS).

Bursaries

A bursary is a tax-free sum of money awarded to high quality graduates who meet eligibility criteria and train to teach in certain subjects. You may be eligible for a bursary or a scholarship but you cannot receive both. If you receive one, you will not have to pay it back.

For 2024/2025, the Department for Education are offering bursaries of:

  • £28,000 in Chemistry, Computing, Maths and Physics
  • £25,000 in Biology, Design and Technology, Geography and Languages
  • £10,000 in Art and Design, English, Music and RE

Eligibility

Bursaries are awarded to candidates above who are:

  • with a 2:2 or above in their undergraduate degree, a Masters or a PhD
  • eligible to receive student support
  • taking a qualifying postgraduate or undergraduate ITT course in England
  • who comply with the terms and conditions of the bursary scheme
  • not in possession of, or eligible for QTS
  • not undertaking paid teaching work when in receipt of the bursary
  • not simultaneously undertaking any other ITT course, training scheme or programme that leads to QTS

How you will be paid

You don’t need to apply for a bursary. If you’re enrolled on a non-salaried postgraduate course and meet the eligibility criteria, you will begin receiving payments from your chosen teacher training provider when you begin your course.

How you’re paid will depend on the amount of financial support you receive. If you’re awarded a bursary, you’ll receive this in 10 equal monthly instalments from October to July.

You are advised to confirm payment schedules with your training provider.

Trainees cannot receive both a scholarship and a bursary.

Find out more about funding on the DfE website.

Postgraduate tuition fee and maintenance loans

If you’re looking to train on a non-salaried teacher training course, you could receive a tuition fee and maintenance loan to help you successfully complete your postgraduate teacher training year and start your new career.

This is available to all eligible postgraduate teacher trainees, with or without a bursary or scholarship.

Eligibility

Tuition fees and any other financial support you might receive will depend on your status as a home, EU/EEA or overseas student. Make sure you’re aware of the level of support you’re eligible for before you apply for teacher training.

Tuition fee and maintenance loans

You can apply for a tuition fee loan to pay for your training so you don’t need to pay anything upfront. You can also apply for a maintenance loan to help with living costs and you may be able to get a bursary or a scholarship.

Even if a bursary or scholarship is available for your course, you can get student finance to cover your fees and help with your living costs. You can apply for a tuition fee and/or a maintenance loan even if you already have a student loan.

You can apply for a tuition fee loan of up to £9,250 to cover the full cost of your course fees and a maintenance loan of up to £12,010 to help with your living costs.

You will only have to make repayments when you’re earning. Your repayments will not increase if you already have a student loan and take a loan out for teacher training.

Find out more on the Government student finance calculator to find out how much you can get.

If you already have a student loan:

You are only required to make repayments on your loan if you took it out:

  • After 1 September 2012 and you are earning over £26,575
  • Before 1 September 2012 and you are earning over £19,390
  • Your repayments will not increase if you take out another loan for teacher training.