Isn't life always like that - you find something you really want, and then you have to come up with ways to pay for it? For many, funding for teacher training is just such a case, and the answer is rather convoluted. Funding availability depends on the training route you take and your educational background. It also relies on whether you sign on to a fee-paying course or a salaried position, such as a teacher training apprenticeship.
1️⃣ Disbursing offices usually reserve bursaries and scholarships for priority subjects.
2️⃣ Loans are available for most fee-paying postgraduate courses.
3️⃣ You may opt to earn as you undergo teacher training via an apprenticeship.
4️⃣ Applicants may find extra support for childcare, dependants, or disability needs.
You should also consider the subject and student level/age range you wish to train for, as some are funded and others aren't. To complicate matters further, funding amounts change with each academic year. Funding applicants must measure current funding amounts against official sources before applying for funding. This article discusses these issues and more.
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Types of Teacher Training Funding
Our first logical step is to lay out existing funding for teacher training. The rest of this article will then explore each one, who might be eligible and for which programmes, and how much you might receive.
| 💶 Type of funding | 😣 Must it be repaid? | 😍 Who typically receives it | 💰 How it's disbursed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bursaries | No | Eligible trainees in priority subjects | In instalments via provider |
| Scholarships | No | High-achieving applicants in selected subjects | In instalments via provider |
| Tuition fee loans | Yes | Eligible fee-paying trainees | Paid to the training provider |
| Maintenance loans | Yes | Eligible trainees needing living cost support | Paid to the trainee |
| Salaried routes | Not relevant | Trainees employed by a school | Monthly salary |
What to Know about Bursaries and Scholarships
Both these funding initiatives might sound like free money thanks to their 'no pay-back' feature. However, they come with conditions.
Bursaries Monetary Awards
- to cover students' tuition costs
- availability often depends on course type and trainee qualifications.
Scholarship Monetary Awards
- typically based on merit or potential
- may include extras, including entry into professional societies.
Most often, these funds are reserved for critical subjects training, such as physics, maths, sciences, information technology, and subjects with critical teacher shortages. They are also mutually exclusive: if a student receives a bursary for their course, they cannot also receive a scholarship. The UCAS scholarships page details all the conditions that apply to such grants.
Though you may not receive a bursary AND a scholarship, you may receive a bursary/scholarship and apply for loans. Note that conditions will apply to loan approval, such as your bursary amount.
Loans for Funding Teacher Training
As teacher training programmes are full-time propositions, it's virtually impossible to also work for a living. Unless you land a salaried position or receive a bursary/scholarship, you'll need some way to fund your schooling and your life as you learn. Two types of loans exist to meet those needs.
Tuition fee loans
- Specifically for paying school fees
- Tops for PGCE and other uni-led fee-paying options
Maintenance loans
- Help with living costs
- Amount depends on personal circumstances, household income, and location
For both loan types, payback starts once you meet the income threshold. Specifically, you must earn above £25,000/year before making your first instalment1. While 'maintenance' and 'tuition' are two separate loan categories, you'll make one monthly payment once you pass that threshold. Also, note that tuition fee loan monies will go to the school, not to you. However, maintenance loan monies will land in your bank account.
Extra Funding for Special Circumstances
Unfortunately, life isn't a neat little package where one can sort oneself into one or another pigeonhole. The funding initiatives above are generally great, but they're not quite enough help for people who have adult dependants, small children, or who learn while other-abled. For people in these circumstances, a range of financial support is available2.
These funding sources are all separate from bursaries, scholarships, and loans, but those resources will impact your grant/allowance amounts. And, as they are all allowances or grants, you will not need to repay them. So, you may consider SCITT training programmes or earning your PGCE even if you have dependants without worrying about how you'll pay for their care while you train.
Who Is Eligible for Teacher Training Funding?
At the baseline, all the standard eligibility criteria remain. One should be a UK resident, though programmes exist for international training candidates. All candidates should have sufficient educational credits and participate in a qualified teacher training programme. From here, the matter of eligibility gets a bit murkier3.
How can you decide your eligibility for funding based on these facts that apparently cover every avenue into teaching in the UK? This action chart can help you find your place on the teacher training funding spectrum and plan your next steps.
| 💰 Funding condition | 😀 Your position | 👍 Action plan |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate teacher training | I'm an undergraduate. | Investigate funding options through UCAS. |
| Funding depends on QTS result. | My programme does not lead to QTS. My programme leads to QTS. | Examine how the rules differ for each condition. Investigate alternative funding options if you're not eligible. |
| Different considerations for PGCE and salary positions. | I've landed a salaried position. I'm in a PGCE programme. | Salaried positions typically are not eligible; investigate loans. PGCE positions are eligible, with caveats. |
| Primary teacher training considerations | I'm training as a primary teacher. I'm training as a secondary teacher. | Consider loans to guarantee timely funding. Keep the loan option open if you're not considering an in-need subject. |
| Not every programme qualifies | I need funding. I don't need funding. | Continue searching for a qualified programme. Apply to the programme that suits your needs and goals the best. |
Keep in mind that funding for special circumstances, as spelt out above, exists regardless of your eligibility for training funding. However, note that you will have to demonstrate your need, so make sure your documentation can justify your funding request.
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Taxes and Teacher Training Funding
Across the UK, studies show that people's sentiment towards taxation generally bounces between frustration and hope4. So, the question of whether funding for teacher training might incur a tax penalty ranks high on the list of ones to answer.
Bursaries and scholarships bring you no tax burden.
Employment-based training salaries are taxable.
Student loans typically incur interest rather than taxes. Remember that these loans demand repayment only once the borrower's earnings exceed the repayment threshold. Once you start earning, your wages will be taxed, just like wages of any other type of worker.
This advice is far too general for anyone to base financial decisions on.
Before making any financial move, always talk with people knowledgeable about financing options; an adviser you can share details about your unique situation with.
Which Teacher Training Funding Route Is Best for You
People from all walks of life aspire to teach, no matter what stage of life they're in. For instance, they might already have several years in a career and want to make a change. Or they're mature students with children to care for. Here, we break down funding options based on particular life situations.
Best Funding for Recent University Graduates
As future teachers flood out of university graduate programmes, they too must weigh their options. Fee-paying postgraduate programmes may work well for them. However, they must ensure that the programme they sign up for offers a PGCE as well as their QTS certification.
These teacher trainees may blend student finance with eligible bursaries. If they present as strong candidates with subject-specific knowledge, a scholarship might serve their needs better.
Top Funding Options for Shortage-Subject Applicants
If you're a teacher trainee specialising in the sciences, maths, or technology, you have the highest likelihood of receiving funding. In fact, you may consider changing subjects to position yourself to greater advantage for funding. If you go that route, consider subject enhancement courses so you'll be well-prepared.
You should ask yourself whether bursaries or scholarships are better for your needs and goals, and apply for the one that suits you best. Remember, these two are mutually exclusive; you can have one but not the other.
Ideal Funding Pathways for Career Changers
Degreed career changers and those with relevant work experience typically represent stronger training candidates. As these applicants often have responsibilities they've been paying for, a salaried training position might work best for them. Should the training salary fall short of the income they need, these candidates may consider loans.
Is a trainee teacher salary more advantageous than a bursary/scholarship?
Tailored Funding for Applicants with Caring Responsibilities
If this is you, be sure to avail yourself of the funding opportunities that apply to your unique circumstances. Other crucial points to discuss include:
- the extent of childcare support offered
- timetable flexibility, in case of emergency or scheduling mismatch
- coverage for placement travel.
You may refer to the segment above when talking with your financial adviser about your training funding options. Of course, the points presented here are not exhaustive; you may have further conditions to discuss with your financial adviser.
Common Funding Mistakes to Avoid
Much as informational sources try, none can be comprehensive, including this page. It's not for lack of trying; it's just that this topic is so extensive that it's impossible to cover every contingency. Besides, none can know your personal circumstances. In that spirit, we end with a list of common mistakes that could cost you funding opportunities.
👩🎓 Your education level - undergraduate, graduate, etc.
😊 Training programmes that meet your goals, needs, and situation.
💷 The type of funding you qualify for.
💰 Funding opportunities tailored to your situation.
🏫 School placement availability and funding limits in your area.
Missing scholarship deadlines and mistaking bursaries for loans are the two most common mistakes to make. These are also significant.
References
- Student Finance England. “Student Finance England (SFE) - Undergraduate and PGCE Funding for 2024/25 - Knowledge Base - University of Gloucestershire.” Knowledge Base, 11 Mar. 2024, www.glos.ac.uk/information/knowledge-base/sfe-undergraduate-pgce-funding/. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.
- Kleanthous, Becky. “PGCE Funding UK | Bursaries, Scholarships and Funding | Uni Compare.” Uni_Compare, UniCompare, 2026, universitycompare.com/advice/postgraduate/pgce-funding. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.
- Futures Teaching Alliance. “Teacher Training Funding | Bursaries & Scholarships | FTA.” Thefuturestrust.Org.Uk, 2025, www.thefuturestrust.org.uk/futures-teaching-alliance/discover-funding-financial-support. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.
- Carnegie UK. “Public Perceptions of the UK Tax System - Carnegie UK.” Carnegie UK, 2 Oct. 2025, carnegieuk.org/publication/public-perceptions-of-the-uk-tax-system/. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.
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