Funding: initial teacher training (ITT), academic year 2016 to 17
Funding guidance for schools and ITT providers for 2016 to 2017, including bursaries, scholarships and School Direct salaried grants.
Overview
The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) is responsible for:
- managing bursary and grant funding associated with initial teacher training (ITT)
- monitoring the public cost of student loans accessed by trainees.
For the 2016 to 2017 academic year we’ll manage recruitment at a national level. Eligible schools and ITT providers will be able to recruit as many trainees as they want (subject to a limited number of controls) – until there are sufficient trainees nationally.
This guidance refers to ITT funding for the academic year 2016 to 2017. For the academic year 2015 to 2016 please see Funding: initial teacher training (ITT), academic year 2015 to 2016.
Tuition fee routes
The following scholarships and bursaries are available to trainee teachers.
Scholarships
| Subject | Amount |
|---|---|
| Physics | £30,000 |
| Secondary mathematics, computing, chemistry | £25,000 |
Graduates with a 2:1 and above, who are passionate about their subject and have the potential to be inspirational teachers can apply for a scholarship with the appropriate professional body. As well as the financial award, scholars will receive a package of additional benefits provided by the professional bodies.
Trainees with a 2:2 may be awarded a scholarship in exceptional circumstances, if they have significant relevant experience.
Trainees awarded a scholarship cannot receive a bursary. Trainees who aren’t awarded a scholarship are eligible for a standard bursary.
Bursaries
| Eligibility 2016 to 2017 (1) | Trainee with 1st/PhD | 2:1/Master’s | 2:2 | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physics (2) | £30,000 | £25,000 | £25,000 | £9,000 |
| Secondary mathematics (2) | £25,000 | £25,000 | £25,000 | £9,000 |
| Chemistry, computing | £25,000 | £20,000 | £20,000 | £0 |
| Languages (3) | £25,000 | £25,000 | £20,000 | £0 |
| Biology | £20,000 | £15,000 | £15,000 | £0 |
| Geography | £15,000 | £15,000 | £15,000 | £0 |
| Design and technology | £12,000 | £9,000 | £0 | £0 |
| English, history, RE, music | £9,000 | £4,000 | £0 | £0 |
| Primary mathematics (4) | £6,000 | £6,000 | £6,000 | £3,000 |
| Primary | £3,000 | £3,000 | £0 | £0 |
Notes
- Applicants with a degree from outside the UK should refer to the equivalency table to see if their degree is likely to attract a bursary, or should consult their chosen training provider.
- Trainees in secondary mathematics and physics with a relevant degree below 2:2 and a grade B or above at A level in the relevant subject (or equivalent subject knowledge) will be eligible for a bursary of £9,000.
- Languages include modern foreign languages, community languages and ancient languages (Latin and Ancient Greek). Classics courses where the majority of the course is an ancient language are also eligible for a language bursary. Other classics courses are eligible for a history bursary.
- Trainee teachers on primary mathematics courses, with a degree and at least a B at A level in mathematics (or equivalent) will be eligible for a bursary of £6,000 (or £3,000 if the trainee has a degree below 2:2).
Undergraduate bursary
A £9,000 bursary is available for trainees on undergraduate secondary mathematics and physics courses who opt-in for training which leads to qualified teacher status (QTS). The bursary is available to undergraduate trainees who start the QTS part of the course in the academic year 2016 to 2017. This is payable in the final year of their course.
For further information please read the training bursary guide: academic year 2016 to 2017.
School Direct salaried route
On the School Direct (salaried) training route the full costs of training and the trainee’s salary need to be met by the partnership. We provide grants to School Direct lead schools to contribute to these costs. Amounts vary on a regional basis.
Find out which areas are covered by the definitions for inner London, outer London and London fringe.
High priority subjects: physics and mathematics
| Funding per place (by region) | Amount |
|---|---|
| National | £25,000 |
| Inner London | £29,900 |
| Outer London | £28,600 |
| London fringe | £26,200 |
The rates detailed in the table above include £6,000 grant-uplift to support the increased salary for mathematics and physics. To receive this higher rate, schools need to offer a salary of at least £21,000 nationally, £22,000 in London fringe, £24,000 in outer London or £25,000 in inner London. If a school doesn’t wish to offer a salary of at least these levels, they’ll receive the same grant rates as for chemistry, computing, and languages. Further information will be available shortly in the School Direct (salaried) funding manual.
High priority subjects: chemistry, computing, languages
| Funding per place (by region) | Amount |
|---|---|
| National | £19,000 |
| Inner London | £23,900 |
| Outer London | £22,600 |
| London fringe | £20,200 |
Languages include modern foreign languages, community languages and ancient languages (Latin and Ancient Greek). Classics courses where the majority of the course is an ancient language are also eligible for this funding. Other classics courses are eligible for a history bursary.
Other priority subjects: English, biology, design and technology, geography, history, music and religious education
| Funding per place (by region) | Amount |
|---|---|
| National | £14,000 |
| Inner London | £17,600 |
| Outer London | £16,600 |
| London fringe | £14,900 |
Primary (non-specialist)
| Funding per place (by region) | Amount |
|---|---|
| National | £9,000 |
| Inner London | £11,400 |
| Outer London | £10,800 |
| London fringe | £9,600 |
Primary mathematics specialist and primary mathematics specialism
This funding only applies to trainees with at least a B at mathematics A Level or equivalent and who’re on primary mathematics specialist/specialism courses.
| Funding per place (by region) | Amount |
|---|---|
| National | £14,000 |
| Inner London | £17,600 |
| Outer London | £16,600 |
| London fringe | £14,900 |
For further information regarding School Direct funding, please read the School Direct: funding manual - academic year 2016 to 2017.
Qualifications in addition to QTS such as a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) are not funded.
School Direct trainees on the salaried route are not eligible for bursaries or scholarships.
All recipients of School Direct grant funding must agree to the grant funding agreement: terms and conditions and must complete all highlighted sections in the grant funding agreement for School Direct (salaried) 2016 to 2017. This will be available in due course. Your accounting officer should complete the form and sign Annex A of the grant offer letter and return it to gfa.nctl@education.gov.uk. We’ll need to receive and accept this document before any funding for the academic year 2016 to 2017 is released.
Grant funding agreements
If you’re a new ITT provider or lead school for School Direct in the academic year 2016 to 17 and haven’t previously received training bursary or School Direct (salaried) grant funding, you’ll need to complete the relevant grant funding agreement. This is an agreement between the ITT provider or lead school, and NCTL. It stipulates how you should treat the grant funding.
Subject knowledge enhancement (SKE)
We’re committed to the use of SKE to support ITT recruitment in priority subjects. We expect ITT providers and lead schools offering these subjects to consider offering SKE. If you intend to recruit trainees to subjects in which SKE funding is available, you should identify where you’ll source your SKE provision from as part of your plans to recruit next year. We’ll be contacting lead schools and providers in the autumn to ask for details on the arrangements that are in place.
To support recruitment to ITT, 2016 to 2017 SKE funding will be available in physics, mathematics, chemistry, computing, languages, design and technology, biology and geography.
Funding can now be requested for SKE programmes. For more information read the SKE funding manual.
Allocated funds
Providers are allocated funds which include the postgraduate ITT training bursaries and SKE financial support. They’re responsible for passing on bursary funding to trainees.
More information and guidance on the bursaries can be found in the training bursary guide: academic year 2016 to 2017.
Providers and lead schools can use the ITT funding extranet to view:
- their current training allocations
- their payment profile
- a detailed breakdown of the funding they receive.
Financial requirements for providers
ITT providers who receive NCTL funding must submit independently audited accounts each year.
The financial statements must confirm that funds provided by NCTL were used only in accordance with the provision of the Education Act 1994 (as amended by the Education Act 2005 Act), the financial memorandum and all other terms and conditions that NCTL has set. All ITT providers are ultimately responsible to NCTL for the proper stewardship of the funds paid to them.
Specific requirements set out in the financial memorandum are that providers shall:
- keep proper accounting records and prepare accounts that are consistent with NCTL requirements
- submit a copy of their accounts to NCTL
- provide NCTL with information on the number of students registered at the institution and on other courses funded either wholly or in part by NCTL
Previous incentive schemes: Golden Hello
This scheme is now closed to all trainees starting their ITT in, or after, the academic year 2011 to 2012. Trainees who started their ITT course before 1 August 2011 can still receive the incentive. Local authorities and academies with eligible trainees can claim reimbursement for the Golden Hello Scheme.
Contact us
Funding team
For funding and audit grant return queries including early years
Subject knowledge enhancement
Updates to this page
Published 9 October 2015Last updated 16 June 2016 + show all updates
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New grant offer letter for School Direct (salaried) 2016 to 2017.
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Updated Grant Funding Agreement for Training Bursaries document
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First published.