Department for Education - Teacher training

What you get

If you are training to become a teacher in England, the UK Department for Education offers various forms of financial support.

• Training bursary: A tax-free grant of several thousand pounds for certain degree programmes. This does not need to be repaid, and no separate application is required.
• Tuition fee loan: Up to 9,790 GBP per year (approx. 11,300 EUR) for full-time employment or up to 7,335 GBP per year (approx. 8,500 EUR) for part-time employment for 2026/27.
• Maintenance loan for living costs: Up to 9,118 GBP per year (around 10,500 EUR) if you live with your parents, up to 10,830 GBP (around 12,500 EUR) if you live outside London, and up to 14,135 GBP (around 16,300 EUR) in London.

You only start repaying the loans once your income exceeds a set threshold.

If you are a university graduate undertaking a course in early years education, the Department for Education will pay your tuition fees, up to a maximum of 7,000 GBP (approximately 8,100 EUR), directly to your training provider. In addition, you may be eligible for a grant: 5,000 GBP (approx. 5,800 EUR) for a ‘First Class’ degree, 4,000 GBP (approx. 4,600 EUR) for a degree with a grade of 2:1 and 2,000 GBP (approx. 2,300 EUR) for a degree with a grade of 2:2. For funded training programmes, you will instead receive the salary of a trainee teacher, but you will not receive either a grant or a student loan.

Who can apply

• What you study: You are undertaking teacher training in England (teacher training as part of a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, a PGCE or a qualification in early years education).
• Degree for a bursary: To be eligible for a scholarship for postgraduate study, you must hold at least a 2:2 bachelor’s degree with distinction, a master’s degree or a doctoral degree.
• Subject: Scholarships are only awarded for certain subjects. Higher amounts are paid for subjects in high demand, such as physics, chemistry and mathematics. No scholarship is available for degree programmes where a salary is paid.
• Loans: To be eligible for a loan to cover your tuition fees, you must not yet hold ‘Qualified Teacher Status’ (QTS, the teaching qualification for England).
• Nationality and residence: You are a British citizen or hold a permanent residence permit for the UK. Non-British citizens can generally only apply for fee-paying degree programmes and are rarely eligible for loans or grants.
• Where you train: Your degree programme takes place in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own funding bodies.
• Extra support: If you have a disability or a chronic illness, if you are a parent or carer, or if you are a veteran of the armed forces, there are further support services available to you.

How to apply

You can apply online for loans to cover tuition fees and living costs at gov.uk/student-finance. You can do this even before you have received a firm offer of a place on the course. You do not need to apply for grants separately: your educational institution will check whether you meet the eligibility criteria and confirm this in writing before you start your course.

How realistic are your chances?

Loans and support towards early years education fees are not means-tested. If you meet the residence and study requirements, you will receive these benefits. Scholarships are also awarded automatically, but only in eligible subjects and subject to achieving the required final mark; so your prospects depend mainly on which subject you teach. Permanent posts are the exception: places are limited and highly sought-after, so apply early if you wish to pursue this route.