Obtaining A Bursary For Teacher Training
Training to become a teacher can involve tuition fees, living costs, travel, classroom placements and time away from full-time work. For some trainee teachers, a bursary can make the training year more manageable.
In England, teacher training bursaries are available for certain subjects where the government wants to attract more trainees. They are usually linked to postgraduate initial teacher training courses that lead to qualified teacher status, known as QTS. There are also some undergraduate bursary routes in specific circumstances.
A teacher training bursary is not the same as a student loan, a salary or a scholarship. It is a tax-free financial incentive for eligible trainees in certain subjects. It does not usually need to be repaid if the trainee follows the rules of the scheme.
This guide explains obtaining a bursary for teacher training, who may qualify, how the process works and what applicants should check before relying on bursary funding.
What Is A Teacher Training Bursary?
A teacher training bursary is a payment made to eligible trainee teachers while they complete a qualifying teacher training course. It is intended to encourage people to train in subjects where teachers are needed.
The bursary amount depends on the subject being taught, not simply on the trainee’s degree subject. For example, someone with a biology degree who trains to teach physics may be considered under the physics bursary rules if the course itself is a qualifying physics teacher training course.
This is one reason why it helps to understand what a bursary means more generally. In many education settings, a bursary is linked to financial need. Teacher training bursaries are different because they are usually linked to subject recruitment priorities and eligibility rules rather than household income alone.
Which Teacher Training Subjects Have Bursaries?
For the 2026 to 2027 academic year in England, bursaries are available for selected subjects. The higher bursary subjects include chemistry, computing, mathematics and physics. Other eligible subjects include design and technology, languages, biology and geography.
The amounts vary. Some subjects receive larger bursaries because they are considered harder to recruit for. Other subjects receive smaller bursaries, and many subjects do not attract a bursary at all.
Applicants should check the current teacher training funding page before applying, because bursary subjects and amounts can change between academic years. A subject that qualifies one year may not qualify in the same way the next year.
It is also important to check whether the course is a qualifying teacher training route. A subject being listed does not automatically mean every course with that subject name will qualify.
Do You Have To Apply Separately For A Teacher Training Bursary?
For postgraduate teacher training bursaries in England, eligible trainees usually do not need to make a separate bursary application. The training provider checks eligibility as part of the course process.
If the trainee is eligible, the provider should confirm the bursary in writing before the course starts. The bursary is then paid by the provider, usually in instalments across the training year.
This is different from many scholarships, where applicants often need to apply directly to a scholarship body, meet deadlines and go through a separate assessment. The difference between bursaries and scholarships matters, so applicants may want to compare bursary versus scholarship differences before choosing which funding route to focus on.
Basic Eligibility For A Teacher Training Bursary
Eligibility depends on several factors. For postgraduate bursaries, applicants usually need to be on a qualifying initial teacher training course in England that leads to QTS. They also need to meet academic qualification requirements.
For the 2026 to 2027 academic year, bursary eligibility generally requires at least a lower second-class honours degree, a master’s degree or a PhD. Overseas qualifications may need to be assessed for equivalence.
Student finance eligibility can also matter. In most cases, trainees need to be eligible for UK student support. However, some exceptions can apply in specific subjects and circumstances, so applicants should check current guidance carefully rather than making assumptions.
A trainee will not usually be eligible if they already have QTS or are eligible for QTS. Bursaries are aimed at people training to become qualified teachers, not people who are already qualified.
Bursaries Are Not Available For Every Training Route
Teacher training routes can be fee-based or salaried. Bursaries are generally linked to fee-based routes, not salaried teacher training.
A fee-based course usually means the trainee pays tuition fees and may be able to apply for student finance. A salaried route means the trainee is employed and paid while training. Salaried routes may have different funding arrangements for providers and schools, but the trainee does not normally receive a bursary or scholarship as well.
This distinction is important. Two people training in the same subject may have different funding arrangements depending on whether they are on a fee-based course, School Direct salaried route, postgraduate teaching apprenticeship or another route.
Applicants should check the funding rules for the exact route they are applying for, not just the subject.
How Teacher Training Bursaries Are Paid
Bursaries are usually paid by the teacher training provider over the course of the programme. For many full-time postgraduate trainees, payments are spread over at least ten months.
The provider confirms the payment schedule. This can help trainees plan, but it is still important to remember that payment dates may not match rent dates, travel costs or placement expenses.
Teacher training bursaries are tax-free and do not usually require National Insurance payments. They are also not normally repaid if the trainee completes the course and follows the bursary rules.
If a trainee withdraws, defers or stops engaging with the course, payments may be suspended or reviewed. The provider is responsible for managing payments and keeping the necessary records.
Can You Receive A Bursary And A Scholarship?
No. A trainee cannot receive both a teacher training bursary and a teacher training scholarship for the same training.
Scholarships are available in some subjects and are usually awarded by professional bodies. They may offer a higher payment than the bursary, along with subject-specific support, professional membership, mentoring, resources or networking.
For 2026 to 2027, scholarships are available in selected subjects such as chemistry, computing, physics and certain languages. Applicants usually need to apply directly to the scholarship provider and meet that provider’s assessment requirements.
If a scholarship application is unsuccessful, the trainee may still be eligible for a bursary if they meet the bursary rules. This means scholarships and bursaries should be compared carefully, especially where both exist for the same subject.
Teacher Training Bursaries And Student Loans
A bursary is separate from a student loan. Many trainees on fee-based postgraduate teacher training courses may also be able to apply for a tuition fee loan and maintenance loan, depending on eligibility.
The tuition fee loan helps cover course fees and is paid to the training provider. A maintenance loan helps with living costs and is paid to the student. These loans have repayment rules.
A bursary, by contrast, is a tax-free payment and is not normally repaid. However, receiving a bursary does not automatically remove the need to think about fees, rent, travel or other costs.
Trainees may need to look at the full funding picture before starting a course. That can include bursaries, scholarships, student finance, savings, part-time work, childcare support or other household support where relevant.
Support For Parents, Carers And Disabled Trainees
Some trainee teachers may need extra support because they are parents, carers, disabled, neurodivergent or managing a long-term health condition.
This support is separate from subject bursaries. Depending on the circumstances, trainees may need to check Disabled Students’ Allowance, childcare support, Adult Dependants’ Grant, Parents’ Learning Allowance or other student finance-related help.
A trainee with a mental health condition, physical disability or learning difficulty should not assume that a subject bursary is the only possible support route. There may be practical and study-related help available alongside teacher training finance.
This is another example of why education funding support often involves several different schemes rather than one single payment.
Undergraduate Teacher Training Bursaries
Most discussion of teacher training bursaries focuses on postgraduate routes. However, there are also limited undergraduate bursaries in certain subjects.
For 2026 to 2027, undergraduate bursary support is available for some courses leading to QTS in subjects such as secondary mathematics and physics, and some opt-in undergraduate courses in mathematics, physics, computing or languages.
There is also a specific undergraduate veteran teaching bursary for eligible former members of the British Army, Royal Air Force or Royal Navy who meet the rules and train in eligible subjects.
These routes are more specialised, so applicants should check the exact course, subject and eligibility criteria before assuming that undergraduate study will attract bursary support.
What About International Trainees?
Funding for non-UK citizens can be more complex. Eligibility may depend on immigration status, student finance eligibility, course type and subject.
Some non-UK citizens with permission to live permanently in the UK and eligibility for student finance may be able to access bursaries or scholarships. Other applicants may not qualify in the same way.
International applicants should also consider tuition fee status, visa costs, maintenance requirements and whether the course provider can accept them. A bursary, where available, may not cover all costs connected with moving to or studying in England.
This sits alongside wider questions about scholarships for international students in the UK, although teacher training bursaries have their own rules and should not be confused with general university scholarships.
How To Check Whether You May Qualify
A practical way to check eligibility is to start with the course and subject.
Applicants can ask:
- does the course lead to QTS?
- is it a fee-based or salaried route?
- is the subject eligible for a bursary this year?
- does the applicant meet the academic qualification rules?
- is the applicant eligible for student finance, where required?
- has the provider confirmed bursary eligibility in writing?
- are there scholarship options in the same subject?
- how and when will payments be made?
The training provider should be able to explain how it checks bursary eligibility. Applicants should keep written confirmation and ask questions before relying on expected payments.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
One common mistake is assuming every teacher training course has a bursary. Many subjects do not.
Another mistake is assuming the bursary depends on the degree subject. The training subject is usually the key point. A person’s degree still matters for academic eligibility and subject suitability, but the bursary is linked to the subject they are training to teach.
A third mistake is confusing bursaries with scholarships. Bursaries are normally automatic if the trainee is eligible, while scholarships usually require a separate application.
Applicants should also avoid using out-of-date funding lists. Teacher training bursary amounts can change from year to year, so the correct academic year matters.
Bursaries And Long-Term Career Planning
A bursary can help with training costs, but it should not be the only factor in choosing a teaching subject or route. Teaching is a long-term professional path, and trainees need to consider subject knowledge, school placements, workload, career aims and whether the route suits their circumstances.
For some people, a bursary may make a fee-based course more practical. For others, a salaried route may feel more suitable even though it does not include a bursary. The right route depends on personal circumstances, eligibility and training options.
Postgraduate applicants may also want to compare teacher training funding with other education routes. For example, someone considering research or academic study may also want to find a scholarship for a UK PhD, which is a very different type of funding from teacher training support.
Conclusion
Obtaining a bursary for teacher training is usually less about making a separate application and more about choosing an eligible course, meeting the rules and having the training provider confirm eligibility.
In England, teacher training bursaries are available for selected subjects and routes. They are tax-free, paid by the training provider and usually do not need to be repaid if the trainee follows the scheme rules. However, they are not available for every subject, every applicant or every training route.
The most important checks are the subject, route, academic qualification, student finance eligibility and current funding year. Applicants should also compare scholarships, student loans and extra support if they have caring responsibilities, children, a disability or a health condition.
Clear information can make education funding easier to understand. Commerce Grants welcomes contributors who can provide finance and grants guest posts for readers comparing bursaries, scholarships, grants and public support.
