Bursaries and scholarships
There are three types of funding available for teacher training - depending on your circumstances, you could receive all three:
- Tax-free bursary or scholarship
- Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan
- Additional financial support if you’re a parent or have a disability
An overview of the generous bursaries and scholarships available can be found in the table below. You'll need a first, 2:1, 2:2, PhD or Master's to be eligible for a bursary or scholarship. Further information on funding options two and three can be found on the funding my training page. If you're an non-UK EU national, you could also receive this support. Alternatively, you could earn a salary while you train.
The financial offer for maths
| Maths 2 | £20,000 bursary | £10,000 | £30,000 | ||
| £22,000 scholarship 3 | £32,000 | ||||
| Eligibility 2019/2020 1 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Trainee with 1st, 2:1, 2:2, PhD or Master's | Early-career payments 2 | Total 2 | |||
| Subject | Maths 2 |
| Scholarships 3 | £22,000 |
| Early career payments 2 | £10,000 |
| Total 2 | £32,000 |
| Bursary | £20,000 |
| Early career payments 2 | £10,000 |
| Total 2 | £30,000 |
The scholarships and bursaries for other subjects
| Eligibility 2019/2020 1 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scholarships 3 | Bursaries | ||||
| Trainee with 1st, 2:1, 2:2, PhD or Master's | |||||
| Physics | £28,000 | £26,000 | |||
| Chemistry | £28,000 | £26,000 | |||
| Languages 4 | £28,000 5 | £26,000 | |||
| Computing | £28,000 | £26,000 | |||
| Geography | £28,000 | £26,000 | |||
| Biology | - | £26,000 | |||
| Classics 6 | - | £26,000 | |||
| English | - | £15,000 | |||
| D&T, History | - | £12,000 | |||
| Music, RE | - | £9,000 | |||
| Primary with maths 7 | - | £6,000 | |||
| Subject | Physics |
| Scholarships 3 | £28,000 |
| Bursaries | |
| Trainee with 1st, 2:1, 2:2, Master's or PhD | £26,000 |
| Subject | Chemistry |
| Scholarships 3 | £28,000 |
| Bursaries | |
| Trainee with 1st, 2:1, 2:2, Master's or PhD | £26,000 |
| Subject | Languages 4 |
| Scholarships 3 | £28,000 5 |
| Bursaries | |
| Trainee with 1st, 2:1, 2:2, Master's or PhD | £26,000 |
| Subject | Computing |
| Scholarships 3 | £28,000 |
| Bursaries | |
| Trainee with 1st, 2:1, 2:2, Master's or PhD | £26,000 |
| Subject | Geography |
| Scholarships 3 | £28,000 |
| Bursaries | |
| Trainee with 1st, 2:1, 2:2, Master's or PhD | £26,000 |
| Subject | Classics 6 |
| Bursaries | |
| Trainee with 1st, 2:1, 2:2, Master's or PhD | £26,000 |
| Subject | Biology |
| Bursaries | |
| Trainee with 1st, 2:1, 2:2, Master's or PhD | £26,000 |
| Subject | English |
| Bursaries | |
| Trainee with 1st, 2:1, 2:2, Master's or PhD | £15,000 |
| Subject | D&T, History |
| Bursaries | |
| Trainee with 1st, 2:1, 2:2, Master's or PhD | £12,000 |
| Subject | Music, RE |
| Bursaries | |
| Trainee with 1st, 2:1, 2:2, Master's or PhD | £9,000 |
| Subject | Primary with maths 7 |
| Bursaries | |
| Trainee with 1st, 2:1, 2:2, Master's or PhD | £6,000 |
- Bursaries and scholarships are available to trainees on a fee-based teacher training course in England that leads to the award of qualified teacher status. Availability is dependent on your highest relevant academic award and the subject in which you are training to teach. To receive a bursary or scholarship you must be entitled to support under the Student Finance England criteria. Residents of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will need to be entitled for support as set out by your country’s student finance body (Student Finance Wales, Student Awards Agency Scotland or Student Finance NI). Both elements will be assessed by your teacher training provider. If you have a degree from outside the UK, you should refer to the overseas degree equivalency table to see the bursary your degree may attract. You can also contact your training provider for clarification on your degree’s equivalency and your eligibility for a bursary and student finance.
- You could receive £30k or £32k in total - £20k as a tax-free bursary or £22k scholarship with additional payments of £10k after tax once in teaching. You'll need to have completed a non-salaried teacher training course and received a bursary or scholarship in the academic years 2018/19 or 2019/2020. You’ll receive two additional early-career payments of £5k each in your third and fifth year of teaching - enhancements to these payments are available if you teach in specified areas in England. You must have taught in a state-funded school in England since completing your teacher training course. View the full terms and conditions.
- Trainees in physics, maths, languages, chemistry, geography and computing with a 2:1 or above are able to apply for a teacher training scholarship with the appropriate professional body. You can still apply if you have a 2:2, but you’ll need to provide evidence of significant relevant experience. Scholarships are awarded in place of a bursary.
- Bursaries are available for trainees in French, German and Spanish. They are also available for other modern, community or ancient languages. The full list of eligible languages can be found on GOV.UK.
- Languages scholarships are only available if you train to teach French, German or Spanish.
- Bursaries are available to trainees on a classics course where the course is in an ancient language (Latin or Ancient Greek).
- Bursaries are available to trainees on primary with maths courses with at least grade B maths A level or equivalent.
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Scholarships
In partnership with highly regarded professional subject associations, scholarships are awarded to the most gifted trainees looking to inspire young minds in chemistry, computing, geography, languages, maths, and physics.
Find out more about scholarships
Funding by subject
Get an in-depth look at the funding available for your chosen subject, including School Direct (salaried).
Find out more about funding for your preferred subject
How bursaries and scholarships are paid
How you receive payments will depend on the amount of funding you receive. Your training provider will generally inform you of how your payments will be processed, but this short guide should also help as an overview.
Find out more about how payments are processed
Tuition fee and maintenance loans
Further financial support in the form of maintenance and tuition fee loans is available for all subjects, regardless of your qualifications.
Find out more about tuition fee and maintenance loans for postgraduate teacher training