Eligibility
Your tuition fees and any other bursary or financial support depend on your status as a home, European Union (EU) or overseas student. Find out more information about EU or overseas status. All grants and bursaries are subject to conditions and you are not guaranteed funding, but you may be eligible for financial support.
Tuition fee loan
If you are on a postgraduate ITT course, you will have to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees vary depending on the course and the higher education institution (HEI) or SCITT provider. You should contact the HEI or SCITT provider of the course or programme you are interested in directly.
For full details of available courses and providers, you can search for a postgraduate course. In most cases, you need to apply for SCITT courses through the Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR), although some SCITT providers require direct applications. See a list of SCITT providers
Home and EU students may be eligible for a tuition fee loan to cover the cost of tuition fees charged. This is available through Student Finance England. More information on the tuition fee loan can be found on Directgov
You can calculate an estimate of your loan repayments by visiting the Directgov website and selecting 'Teacher' from the list of careers.
Training bursaries
Bursaries are available for trainees on eligible postgraduate courses in England who are not employed as a teacher. Bursary amounts will vary depending on teaching subject and degree class or highest relevant academic qualification.
Teaching is a prime career choice for high-quality graduates. To encourage the best people to enter the profession, in 2013/14 trainees will need at least a 2:2 to be eligible for a training bursary.
The 2013/14 bursary scheme recognises exceptional achievement outside of degree results and allows flexibility in some cases. In exceptional circumstances trainees may receive a higher bursary than their degree class would otherwise allow. This allows the scheme to take account of, for example, trainees with a 2:2 and a PhD or proven exceptional subject knowledge gained from another career. Find out more about this scheme in the bursary document about the consideration of exceptional achievements (PDF, 162KB). The table below summarises the standard training bursaries available in 2013/14:
Financial incentives for those who train in 2013/14
| Training bursary 2013/14 |
ITT subject/phase |
| Physics, chemistry, maths1 |
Modern languages |
Primary maths specialist2 |
Other priority secondary3 and primary |
| Trainee with first |
£20,000 |
£20,000 |
£11,000 |
£9,000 |
| 2:1 |
£15,000 |
£15,000 |
£6,000 |
£4,000 |
| 2:2 |
£12,000 |
£12,000 |
£0 |
£0 |
| Free school meals (FSM) premium |
25% premium paid on the above bursaries/scholarships to School Direct trainees whose training is based in a school where more than 35% of pupils are eligible for free school meals |
1 Trainee teachers in physics, chemistry and maths with a 2:1 or first are able to apply for scholarships with the relevant subject association group. The scholarships are worth £20,000 and trainees will be subject to a competitive process. Trainees who hold the scholarship will not also be eligible for the standard Department for Education (DfE) bursary. Trainees who are not awarded a scholarship will continue to be eligible for the standard bursaries in 2013/14.
2 The Secretary of State announced on 14 June that trainees with a B or better at maths A-level on the new maths primary specialist courses would receive an extra £2,000 bursary, up to a maximum of £11,000.
3 Other priority secondary subjects include English, geography, history, computer science, Latin, Greek, music, biology and physical education. Trainee teachers in computer science with a 2:1 or first are able to apply for scholarships with the relevant subject association group. The scholarships are worth £20,000 and trainees will be subject to a competitive process. Trainees who hold the scholarship will not also be eligible for the standard DfE bursary. Trainees who are not awarded a scholarship will continue to be eligible for the standard bursaries in 2013/14.
Please note that the TDA commissioned a grade comparison exercise, carried out by UK NARIC, of all international awards that are considered comparable to British Bachelor (honours) degree standard. Applicants with a degree from outside the UK should refer to the equivalency table (PDF, 1MB) to see if their degree is likely to attract a bursary, or should consult their chosen training provider.
Bursary payments are processed automatically for eligible candidates by their chosen teacher training provider. You will receive more information on the arrangements and how this is distributed prior to the start of your course.
For bursary awards up to £13,750:
- Trainees will receive the bursary in equal monthly instalments for the duration of their course, as they have done in previous academic years.
- Trainees are advised to confirm the actual monthly amounts that will be paid with their ITT provider.
For bursary awards of £15,000 or over:
- Trainees will continue to receive equal monthly instalments for the duration of their course, but this will be enhanced by larger payments in February and July, or in the final month of the trainee's course.
- The trainee would need to be on the course at 1 January to receive the first enhanced payment in February, and would need to have completed the course to receive the second payment at the end of their programme.
More details will be available in the training bursary and mainstream operational guidance shortly.
The potential range of options now available to trainees for ITT makes it important that you are fully informed of the financial support you may be able to access to complete your training. When considering your training options, you may wish to ask your training provider about what bursaries, grants and support are available to you for the choice you are making. Information and advice can also be sought from the Student Loans Company or by contacting the Teaching Line on 0800 389 2500.
School Direct bursary top-up
Trainees on School Direct places may be eligible for an additional payment worth 25 per cent of their standard bursary. To qualify for this payment, trainees will need to be based in a school where more than 35 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
The School Direct bursary top-up is only available in combination with a standard bursary, and will be paid on top of the standard bursary amount the trainee is eligible for. Schools are not required to offer free school meals to participate in School Direct.
Physics teacher training scholarships
The Institute of Physics (IOP) has 100 teacher training scholarships worth £20,000 available to physics trainees starting their teacher training in the 2013/14 academic year. A 25 per cent premium will be paid to School Direct trainees whose training is based in a school where more than 35 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
The scholarship will be instead of the standard bursary, but trainees who are not awarded the scholarship will continue to be eligible for the standard bursaries.
To be an IOP Scholar you will need to have outstanding knowledge of school-level physics and the potential to become an inspirational physics teacher. Each scholarship also includes a package of benefits including membership and early career mentoring. There are a number of application rounds for the year. To find out the next deadline and to view the full eligibility criteria, go to the IOP website
Chemistry teacher training scholarships
The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) has 130 teacher training scholarships worth £20,000 available to chemistry trainees starting their teacher training in the 2013/14 academic year. A 25 per cent premium will be paid to School Direct trainees whose training is based in a school where more than 35 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
The scholarship will be instead of the standard bursary, but trainees who are not awarded the scholarship will continue to be eligible for the standard bursaries.
The RSC is looking for individuals who are passionate about chemistry, have the potential to be an exceptional chemistry teacher and can therefore inspire the next generation of chemists. In addition to the funding, RSC Scholars will have access to a wide variety of RSC support including membership and networking opportunities. Visit the RSC website to view the full eligibility criteria and to apply.
Computer science teacher training scholarships
BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, has 50 teacher training scholarships worth £20,000 available to computer science trainees starting their teacher training in the 2013/14 academic year. A 25 per cent premium will be paid to School Direct trainees whose training is based in a school where more than 35 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
The scholarship will be instead of the standard bursary, but trainees who are not awarded the scholarship will continue to be eligible for the standard bursaries.
BCS is looking for outstanding individuals who are passionate about computer science and have the potential to become inspirational teachers. Applicants should have a thorough knowledge of school level computer science. Scholars will have access to BCS membership and early career mentoring opportunities with schools, universities and major employers. Visit the BCS website to view the full eligibility criteria and to apply.
Mathematics teacher training scholarships
The Institute of Mathematics and its Application (IMA), in collaboration with the London Mathematical Society (LMS) and the Royal Statistical Society (RSS), has 150 teacher training scholarships worth £20,000 available to mathematics trainees starting their teacher training in the 2013/14 academic year. A 25 per cent premium will be paid to School Direct trainees whose training is based in a school where more than 35 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
The scholarship will be instead of the standard bursary, but trainees who are not awarded the scholarship will continue to be eligible for the standard bursaries.
To be a mathematics scholar you will need to have exceptional subject knowledge, enthusiasm for the study of mathematics, and outstanding potential to teach. Successful scholars will be offered additional support from the IMA, LMS, and RSS to enable them to make a significant contribution to the development of mathematics teaching in the schools where they train and work. The package will include membership offers, access to teaching resources and academic journals, and early career support. Visit the IMA website for further information.
Student loan for maintenance
Home students in England may also be eligible for a student maintenance loan to help towards accommodation and other living costs. This is available through Student Finance England. More information on the student loan for maintenance can be found on Directgov
Maintenance grant
Home students in England may also be eligible for a non-repayable maintenance grant. This grant will be means tested and you can apply through Student Finance England. More details about these grants and the funding arrangements for trainees from the EU can be found at Directgov
Next steps
Call the Teaching Line for more information about becoming a teacher:
Freephone: 0800 389 2500
Fax: 0117 915 6578
Visit the National Academic Recognition Centre (NARIC) website to find out whether your qualifications are of an equivalent level to UK GCSEs, A levels and an undergraduate degree.
