The Government Will Pay You Up to £29,000 to Train as a Teacher — Here’s Exactly How to Apply for Teacher Training Bursary

 

Most people who want to become teachers assume they need to scrape together their own funding and survive on student loans alone. What they do not realize is that the UK government runs one of the most generous teacher funding programmes in Europe — and for the right subjects, you can receive up to £29,000 tax-free while you train. No repayment. No conditions. Just money deposited monthly into your account.

This guide covers everything — how the money works, who qualifies, which subjects attract the biggest amounts, and exactly how to apply for teacher training bursary funding in 2026/2027. If you are considering a career in teaching, read this before you do anything else.

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What Is a Teacher Training Bursary?

A teacher training bursary is a tax-free financial payment made to eligible trainee teachers in England during their Initial Teacher Training (ITT) programme. The Department for Education (DfE) funds it to attract high-quality graduates into the teaching profession — particularly in subjects where there is a national shortage of qualified teachers.

Here is what makes it stand out from a student loan: you do not pay it back. Ever. It arrives monthly over the duration of your training course — typically 10 months — directly from your training provider. Understanding how to apply for teacher training bursary funding starts with understanding that you are not borrowing anything. This is a reward for choosing teaching.

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The Most Important Thing Most Students Miss

There is one critical fact that almost nobody mentions clearly: you do not need to separately apply for a teacher training bursary. When you apply for a fee-funded Initial Teacher Training course, your training provider checks your eligibility automatically. If you qualify, they confirm it in writing before your course begins, and the payments start without you filling in a separate bursary form.

This means how to apply for teacher training bursary funding is really about knowing how to apply for the right ITT course through the right route — and making sure you meet the eligibility criteria before you start.

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Who Is Eligible for a Teacher Training Bursary?

 

Not every trainee teacher qualifies. The DfE sets clear eligibility conditions for 2026/2027:

Degree requirement: You need at least a bachelor’s degree with a 2:2 (honours) classification or higher. A master’s degree or PhD also qualifies. Your degree does not need to be in the subject you plan to teach — but strong subject knowledge in that area helps.

Student finance eligibility: In most subjects, you must be eligible for student finance to receive a bursary. The exception applies to trainees studying languages or physics — they do not need to meet student finance criteria for the 2026/2027 academic year.

Training route: Only trainees on tuition-fee-based ITT courses qualify. School Direct (salaried) trainees, who earn a salary while training, are not eligible for bursaries or scholarships. You cannot receive both.

Course type: Your course must lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which is a legal requirement to teach in most English state schools.

Subject content: If your course covers two subjects combined — for example, English and history — at least 50% of the content must be in the bursary-eligible subject for you to qualify.

Citizenship: UK citizens and non-UK citizens with permanent permission to live in the UK who are eligible for student finance may qualify. EU nationals with pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme can access the same support as domestic students.

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 Teacher Training Bursary Amounts for 2026/2027

 

The amount you receive depends entirely on the subject you train to teach. For 2026/2027, the DfE offers the following bursary amounts for postgraduate trainees:

£29,000 — Chemistry, Computing, Mathematics, Physics

£20,000 — Design and Technology, Languages (including French, Spanish, and ancient languages)

£5,000 — Biology, Geography

No bursary — English, Art and Design, Music, Religious Education (bursaries in these subjects have been removed entirely for 2026/2027)

These figures apply to trainees with a 2:2 degree or higher. Scholarships — which are separate and slightly more competitive — reach up to £31,000 in Chemistry, Computing, and Physics, and £22,000 for French, German, and Spanish. You cannot receive both a bursary and a scholarship simultaneously.

For undergraduate trainees specifically: if you are studying a secondary Mathematics or Physics course that leads to QTS, you may be eligible for a £9,000 bursary in the final year of your course.

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 How to Apply for Teacher Training Bursary: Step-by-Step

 

Since bursary eligibility is assessed automatically when you apply for a course, how to apply for teacher training bursary funding breaks down into the following steps:

Step 1 — Choose Your Subject and Training Route

The subject you choose determines whether a bursary is available and how much you receive. If financial support is a priority, subjects like Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Computing currently attract the highest bursary amounts at £29,000.

Your training route also matters. Tuition-fee-based routes — including PGCE programmes at universities, School Direct (fee-funded), and SCITT (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training) — are all eligible. Salaried routes are not.

Step 2 — Check Your Eligibility Online

The Get Into Teaching website (getintoteaching.education.gov.uk) has a free, straightforward eligibility checker. It takes under five minutes to confirm whether your degree, subject, and circumstances qualify you for a bursary or scholarship before you commit to anything.

Step 3 — Apply Through Find Postgraduate Teacher Training (FATT)

All teacher training applications in England go through the UCAS Teacher Training or the government’s own Find and Apply service. Search for courses at: find.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk or directly via UCAS.

When filling in your application, your degree classification, subject specialism, and eligibility for student finance are all captured automatically. This is the data your provider uses to assess bursary eligibility — so accuracy matters.

Step 4 — Accept Your Offer

Once a training provider offers you a place and you accept it, they assess your bursary eligibility based on the information submitted. They are required to confirm your bursary status in writing before your course starts.

Step 5 — Confirm Student Finance (Where Required)

In most subjects, you also need to apply for student finance through Student Finance England, even if you do not intend to use the tuition fee or maintenance loan. Registering for student finance is what establishes your eligibility status in the system — without it, your bursary cannot be processed in eligible subjects.

Step 6 — Receive Payments Monthly

Your bursary is paid over a minimum of 10 months, from October through to July, in equal monthly instalments directly from your training provider. You do not pay income tax on it, and National Insurance does not apply either.

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Bursary vs. Scholarship — What Is the Difference?

 

A lot of people confuse the two when researching how to apply for teacher training bursary programmes. Here is the clear distinction:

A bursary is automatic — meet the criteria, follow the application steps above, and you receive it without a separate application.

A scholarship is competitive. It is awarded by independent professional bodies — such as the British Council, the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society of Chemistry, or the Chartered Institute for IT — and requires a separate application, usually including an interview or assessment. Scholarships offer slightly more money than bursaries in certain subjects, plus additional benefits like professional membership, mentoring, and subject-specific networking.

If you apply for a scholarship and are unsuccessful, you automatically fall back to the bursary rate for your subject — so there is no risk in applying for both.

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 The Veteran Teaching Bursary

For those who have left full-time employment with the British Army, Royal Air Force, or Royal Navy, a separate £40,000 undergraduate veteran teaching bursary exists for trainees who want to teach secondary school subjects. This is one of the highest teacher training incentive amounts available and is structured to support the transition from military to civilian education careers. Payments are split across the final two years of the undergraduate course at £20,000 per year.

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What Happens If Your Subject Does Not Have a Bursary?

 

Not every teaching subject comes with a government bursary in 2026/2027. Trainees in English, History, Art and Design, Music, Physical Education, and Religious Education currently receive no bursary.

This does not mean you cannot fund your training. Options include tuition fee loans and maintenance loans through Student Finance England, salaried training routes where you earn while you train, and employer-funded training through some school partnerships. A Teacher Training Adviser — available free of charge through Get Into Teaching — can help you map out the most financially viable route for your chosen subject.

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Tips to Maximize Your Teacher Training Funding

 

Apply early. Some bursary-eligible courses fill quickly, particularly in high-demand subjects like Maths and Physics. Earlier applications mean more course choices.

Do not skip the student finance application. Even if you do not need the loan, registering is what unlocks your bursary eligibility in most subjects. Skipping this step means missing out on thousands of pounds.

Explore scholarships alongside bursaries. In Chemistry, Computing, and Physics, scholarship amounts (£31,000) exceed bursary amounts (£29,000). Apply to the relevant professional body early — assessment windows open months before training begins.

Talk to a free adviser. The Get Into Teaching service provides free, personalized guidance on funding, course options, and eligibility. This is genuine expert support at no cost.

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 Frequently Asked Questions

 

Q: Do I need to pay the teacher training bursary back?
No. It is a tax-free grant, not a loan. You keep it regardless of whether you complete your training or take up a teaching post afterwards.

Q: Can I receive both a bursary and a student loan?
Yes. The bursary does not affect your eligibility for a tuition fee or maintenance loan. Both can run simultaneously.

Q: What if I defer my training to next year?
Bursary amounts are set annually. The amounts confirmed for 2026/2027 apply only to courses starting between September 2026 and July 2027. Amounts for future years are confirmed separately.

Q: Can I receive a bursary on a part-time course?
Yes, but payments are spread over a longer period since part-time courses span more than one academic year.

Q: Does my degree subject need to match what I want to teach?

Not necessarily. Your degree classification matters more than the subject. However, your subject knowledge in the teaching area will be assessed during the application process.

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 Final Thoughts

 

Understanding how to apply for teacher training bursary funding is genuinely one of the most practical things a future teacher can do before starting their journey. The process is straightforward — choose the right course, meet the eligibility requirements, apply through the official channels, and let your provider handle the rest.

With up to £29,000 on the table in subjects like Maths, Physics, Chemistry, and Computing — tax-free and non-repayable — the financial case for training to teach has never been stronger. The government needs great teachers. This bursary is how they say so.

Start at getintoteaching.education.gov.uk, check your eligibility, and take the first step today.

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Disclaimer: Bursary amounts, eligibility rules, and subject availability are reviewed annually by the Department for Education. Always verify current figures at getintoteaching.education.gov.uk before making any decisions.