Institute of Physics (IOP) - Physics teacher training scholarships

What you get

You will receive about 36,000 EUR (£31,000), which is paid tax-free during the one-year teacher training course. Your training provider will pay this amount in at least 10 monthly instalments. This is a government grant funded by the UK Department for Education and awarded by the Institute of Physics (IOP) to individuals training to become physics teachers in England.

As well as the money you’ll receive:

• Subject-specific support (guidance from an experienced physics teacher) during your teacher training and in your first few years as a teacher.
• Online and face-to-face workshops to improve your teaching skills.
• One year’s IOP membership, including the magazine *Physics World* and free access to academic journals.
• A network of colleagues who teach physics.

You cannot receive this scholarship at the same time as a training grant.

Who can apply

• What you train for: You enrol in England on a teacher training programme in physics or physics and mathematics leading to ‘Qualified Teacher Status’ (QTS), either at a university or with a school-based teacher training provider (SCITT). The course must be a fee-paying programme, not a paid one.
• Degree: You must hold a degree in physics or a closely related subject with a grade of 2:1 or a First Class Honours degree, a Master’s degree or a PhD. A degree with a grade of 2:2 may also be considered if you can demonstrate sufficient relevant professional experience and knowledge of physics.
• Foreign degrees: If you obtained your qualification outside the UK, you will need a UK ENIC certificate comparing that qualification with a UK qualification.
• Student finance: You must meet the eligibility criteria for student finance in the United Kingdom.
• Career stage: You can apply at any time, whether you’re in your final year of study, have just graduated, are a postgraduate student, or are looking to change career.
• Nationality: Primarily for people resident in the United Kingdom. Non-British citizens may also be eligible if they are entitled to UK student finance.

How realistic are your chances?

As part of this programme, the IOP awards 175 scholarships. Only those who are training to become physics teachers in England and have an excellent degree in physics are eligible to apply. If you clearly meet these criteria, your chances are good, as there is a well-known shortage of physics teachers in England and the programme is specifically designed to address this shortage. Please note: The application round for the 2026/27 degree programmes is currently closed to new applications.