Funding for teacher training

You may be eligible to receive financial support in the form of a bursary or scholarship to help fund your training. Your eligibility and how much you will receive depend on a range of factors, including:

• Your class of degree: you’ll need a first, 2.1, 2.2, masters or PhD to be eligible for a bursary. For a scholarship you’ll need at least a first, 2.1, masters or PhD. In exceptional circumstances, a 2.2 may be considered if you have significant relevant experience.
• The subject you wish to study.

Regardless of whether or not you get a bursary or scholarship, you may be eligible to apply for a loan to cover tuition fees (for unsalaried teacher training routes) and a maintenance loan to help with living expenses.

What teacher training bursaries and scholarships are available?

Non-repayable, tax-free bursaries and scholarships are available for trainee teachers on some unsalaried full-time and part-time training programmes. The amount you receive depends on the subject you plan to teach and your degree class.

Bursaries and scholarships are only available to those who are eligible for student finance.

The bursaries and scholarships for teacher training courses in 2024/2025 are as follows:

• Graduates training to teach chemistry, computing, maths or physics could apply for scholarships of £30,000 or access bursaries of £28,000 .
• Graduates training to teach languages (French, German and Spanish only) could apply for scholarships of £27,000 or access a bursary of £25,000 . All other language - including ancient languages - could access a bursary of £25,000.
• Graduates training to teach biology , design and technology or geography could access a bursary of £25,000 .
• Graduates training to teach art and design, English, music or religious education could access a bursary of £10,000 .

If you’re studying a combined degree of two subjects (for example, French and law) at least half of your course content must be made up of the subject that the bursary applies to.

The scholarships are awarded by the relevant professional body and you apply directly to them.

For any other subjects, you could receive funding through loans and grants as detailed below. You cannot receive both a teaching bursary and a scholarship.

Loans and grants to cover tuition fees and maintenance

Tuition fees have to be paid for postgraduate initial teacher training (ITT) courses and the amount of these will vary depending on the course and institution. Students from the UK and EU countries on full-time and part-time courses may be eligible for a loan to cover tuition fees.

UK students may also be able to apply for a student maintenance loan to help with accommodation and living costs. You only start making repayments to the loan once your income is over the threshold amount for your particular repayment plan.

Other support is available for certain groups of students; for example, students with disabilities and students with dependent children. If you're in financial hardship, you may also be eligible for help from your university. The student services department will be able to advise you about the support available.

Funding for early years initial teacher training

For those starting the main graduate entry training in 2024/25 the following funding is available:

• A grant of £7,000 to cover course fees for all graduates.
• A bursary of up to £5,000 for those with a first or doctoral degree; £4,000 for those with a 2.1 or masters degree; and £2,000 for those with a 2.2.

Funding for training to work in FE

Tuition fee loans from Student Finance England are available to both full-time and part-time trainees (if the trainee meets the required criteria) on PGCE or similar programmes accredited by a higher education institution. Full-time students may also apply for maintenance loans. Loan support may be available for level 5 programmes accredited by other awarding organisations – contact your chosen provider for further information.

This section covers funding in England. For information on funding in other parts of the UK see our advice on training to teach in Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland.

Written by Gill Kilvington, University of Hull, October 2023