Institute of Mathematics and its Applications - Mathematics teacher training scholarships

Maths Teacher Training Scholarship

Whilst you are training to become a secondary school maths teacher in England, you will receive tax-free payment of about EUR 36,000 (GBP 31,000). Your training provider will pay you this amount over a period of at least 10 months, spread across the entire duration of your training. You will never have to repay this amount, and you will not have to pay tax or social security contributions on it. In addition to the money, you will receive a two-year free membership of mathematical professional bodies, mentoring (regular support from an experienced teacher), continuing professional development (CPD) events, teaching materials and a network of fellow trainee teachers. The grant is funded by the UK Department for Education and administered by the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA). It replaces the automatic maths training grant, so you will receive either one or the other, but not both.

Who can apply

• What you train for: You have been offered a place on a course to train as a secondary school maths teacher in England, which leads to ‘Qualified Teacher Status’ (QTS), or are expecting to receive one, such as the ‘Secondary Mathematics’ PGCE programme at UWE Bristol. Fee-paying programmes and programmes leading to the 16 (QTLS) are not eligible.
• Degree: You hold a first degree or a 2:1 bachelor’s degree, or a master’s or doctoral degree, or are due to obtain one. A 2:2 degree is also acceptable if you have substantial relevant professional experience.
• Subject: Your degree programme includes a significant amount of mathematical content, for example in the subjects of mathematics, physics or engineering. If this is not the case, you will need to complete a course to consolidate your mathematical knowledge (SKE) in order to refresh your maths skills before the start of your degree programme.
• Funding status: You are entitled to student finance in England. This also applies to non-British nationals who hold a residence permit for permanent residence in the United Kingdom and who meet the eligibility criteria for student finance.
• Motivation: You would like to teach mathematics at state-funded secondary schools in England once you have completed your training.

How to apply

Applications are made via teachingmathsscholars.org, regardless of whether you are applying for teacher training. First, you will need to complete an online form, including a personal statement. Most unsuccessful applications are rejected at this stage, so you should put a great deal of effort into this part. You will receive a response within 10 working days. If you pass the pre-selection stage, you will sit a 45-minute online test on the subject of maths teaching (60 minutes if you require an SKE course). A school report will be requested at a later stage.

How realistic are your chances?

This scholarship is highly targeted. You must be preparing for a career as a maths teacher in secondary schools in England and meet specific requirements regarding your degree and subject specialism, meaning that the pool of applicants is limited to a particular group. The scholarship is not automatically awarded to all eligible candidates; the decision depends on the personal statement and the assessment. If you clearly meet the criteria and write a convincing, focused personal statement, your chances are good.