BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT - Computer science teacher training scholarships

BCS Computing teacher training scholarship

You will receive a tax-free scholarship of £31,000 (about 35,700 EUR) for your one-year teacher training programme in England. You will be paid whilst training to become a secondary school IT teacher. Funding is provided by the UK Department for Education, and the programme is run by the BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT. In addition to financial support, you will receive coaching, free webinars and professional development workshops, teaching materials and BCS membership. Through ‘Computing at School’, you will also become part of an online community of scholarship holders.

Who can apply

• What you train for: In September, you will begin a teacher training programme for secondary education, leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in Information Technology or Computer Science for pupils up to the age of 16. The course is fee-paying and unpaid, meaning that you will pay tuition fees and will not receive a salary during your training.
• Degree: You must hold at least a Bachelor’s degree from 2:1 (Upper Second-Class Honours), a Master’s degree or a PhD. A degree in 2:2 or a non-computer-science-related degree will only be considered if, after all applicants with a degree in 2:1 have been assessed, there are still places available.
• Where you train: Your apprenticeship is based at a workplace in England. If you live in Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland, you can still apply as long as you have secured a place in England.
• Student finance: You are eligible for funding under the terms and conditions of Student Finance England. Students from abroad cannot apply.

How to apply

The application process consists of two stages. First, you must complete an online form with detailed written answers. If you pass the preliminary selection, you will record a video presentation on a set topic, which is due 10 days after the topic has been confirmed. You must apply for your teacher training course separately, as BCS does not run these courses itself.

How realistic are your chances?

The selection criteria for the scholarship are strict: you need a degree in computer science (2:1) or higher, as well as a confirmed training place in England, which means the pool of applicants remains small. If you clearly meet these requirements, your chances are good, as a 2:1 is preferred, and weaker qualifications are only considered once the strongest candidates have already been placed. A well-crafted written application and a video presentation are important, so please prepare both carefully.