Funding: initial teacher training (ITT), academic year 2018 to 19
Funding guidance for schools and ITT providers for 2018 to 2019, including bursaries, scholarships and School Direct (salaried) grants.
Overview
The Department for Education (DfE) 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 2018 to 2019 academic year we’ll manage recruitment at a national level. The allocations methodology for the academic year 2018 to 2019 will be published by DfE in due course.
This guidance refers to ITT funding for the academic year 2018 to 2019. For the academic year 2017 to 2018 please see Funding: initial teacher training (ITT), academic year 2017 to 2018.
Tuition fee routes
The following scholarships and bursaries are available to trainee teachers.
Bursaries and scholarships are available to trainees on a fee-based teacher training course in England that leads to the award of qualified teacher status.
Availability is dependent on the highest relevant academic award and the ITT subject. To receive a bursary or scholarship trainees must be entitled to support under the Student Finance England criteria.
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.
Scholarships
| Subject | Amount |
|---|---|
| Physics, computing, chemistry, geography, languages | £28,000 |
| Secondary mathematics | £22,000 |
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 bursary.
Bursaries
| Eligibility 2018 to 2019 | Trainee with 1st/PhD | 2:1/Master’s | 2:2 | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physics, biology, chemistry, classics, computing, geography, languages | £26,000 | £26,000 | £26,000 | £0 |
| Secondary mathematics | £20,000 | £20,000 | £20,000 | £0 |
| English | £15,000 | £15,000 | £15,000 | £0 |
| Design and technology | £12,000 | £9,000 | £0 | £0 |
| History, music, religious education | £9,000 | £4,000 | £0 | £0 |
| Primary mathematics | £6,000 | £6,000 | £6,000 | £0 |
Secondary mathematics early-career payments
Secondary mathematics trainees will receive 2 additional early-career payments of £5,000 each (£7,500 if teaching in specified areas of England) in their third and fifth year of teaching, if they have taught in a state-funded school in England since completing their teacher training course. These amounts are after tax, so teachers will receive the full amount as stated.
For more information, please read the mathematics early-career payments guidance.
Primary mathematics
Primary mathematics trainees, with at least a B at A level in mathematics (or equivalent), will be eligible for a bursary of £6,000.
Undergraduate bursary
A training bursary for final year undergraduates of £9,000 is available for trainees on courses in secondary mathematics and physics that lead to qualified teacher status (QTS). The bursary is available to undergraduate trainees who enrol on a QTS course starting in the 2018 to 2019 academic year, and is payable in the final year of their course.
The same £9,000 training bursary is available to trainees on an opt-in secondary undergraduate mathematics, physics, computing or languages course that leads to QTS. The bursary is available to undergraduate trainees who enrol on a QTS course in the 2018 to 2019 academic year, and is payable in the final year of their course.
For both of these courses, trainees who are on a 4-year undergraduate course that leads to the award of QTS and that also leads to the award of a Master’s degree receive a £9,000 bursary in both the third and fourth years of their course.
For further information on postgraduate and undergraduate bursaries, please read the Initial teacher training bursary guide: academic year 2018 to 2019.
Troops to Teachers undergraduate bursary
A training bursary worth £40,000 is available for undergraduate veterans who have left full time employment from the British Army, Royal Air Force or Royal Navy no more than 5 years before the start of their course.
The bursary will be provided in equal monthly instalments in each of the final two years of the course, with £20,000 payable in each year. You are advised to confirm the actual payment schedule with your ITT provider.
The bursary is available to undergraduate trainees who enrol on an eligible ITT course that leads to QTS in secondary biology, physics, chemistry, computing, mathematics or languages, beginning in the 2018 to 2019 academic year.
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.
High priority subjects: secondary mathematics, physics, chemistry, classics, computing, languages
| Funding per place (by region) | Amount |
|---|---|
| National | £19,000 |
| Inner London | £23,900 |
| Outer London | £22,600 |
| London fringe | £20,200 |
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 |
| Outer London | £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 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 |
Qualifications in addition to QTS, such as a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE), are not funded.
School Direct (salaried) trainees on the salaried route are not eligible for bursaries or scholarships.
All recipients of School Direct (salaried) grant funding must agree to the grant funding agreement: terms and conditions.
For further information regarding School Direct (salaried) funding, please read the School Direct (salaried) funding manual academic year 2018 to 2019.
Grant funding agreements
If you’re a new ITT provider or lead school for School Direct in the academic year 2018 to 2019 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 DfE. It stipulates how you should treat the grant funding.
Your accounting officer should complete the form and sign Annex A of the grant funding agreement and return the full document to gfa.nctl@education.gov.uk. We’ll need to receive and accept this document before any funding for the academic year 2018 to 2019 is released.
The grant funding agreement templates are:
The grant funding agreements for training bursaries and School Direct (salaried) will be published in due course.
Postgraduate teaching apprenticeships
Lead schools in School Direct partnerships employing postgraduate apprenticeship trainees can receive grant funding. This grant funding is in addition to funding available from the Education and Skills Funding Agency. For more information read the Postgraduate teaching apprenticeships: guidance for providers and schools.
For further information about postgraduate teaching apprenticeship funding, please read the postgraduate teaching apprenticeship: funding manual academic year 2018 to 2019.
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.
To support recruitment to ITT, SKE funding will be available in secondary mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, computing, design and technology, English, geography, languages and primary mathematics. Funding can now be requested for SKE programmes.
For more information read the SKE funding manual.
Early Years ITT
The Department for Education (DfE) allocates and funds early years ITT places each academic year. Early years ITT leads to the award of early years teacher status (EYTS).
We provide training bursaries and training grants to attract high-quality graduates to become early years teachers. This funding can only be used in delivering training programmes to support trainees in meeting the early years teachers’ standards. The training grant includes the costs of assessment against these standards.
For more information, please read the early years initial teacher training: funding guidance.
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 initial teacher training bursary guide: academic year 2018 to 2019.
Financial requirements for providers
ITT providers who receive DfE funding must submit independently audited accounts each year.
The financial statements must confirm that funds provided by DfE 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 DfE has set. All ITT providers are ultimately responsible to DfE 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 DfE requirements
- submit a copy of their accounts to DfE
- provide DfE with information on the number of students registered at the institution and on other courses funded either wholly or in part by DfE
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 10 October 2017Last updated 18 May 2018 + show all updates
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Updated link for the Early years initial teacher training funding guide for academic years 2018 to 19.
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Updated to include information on the Troops to Teachers undergraduate bursary.
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First published.