What financial help can you get?

Tuition fees

The tuition fees providers charge will vary depending on your nationality and the country where you normally live.

  • Tuition fees for eligible students from Scotland are paid by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland. Funding for the PGDE is treated in the same way as full-time undergraduate programmes.
  • Likewise, tuition fees for eligible students from Wales are paid by Student Finance Wales.

How to get funding for teaching courses

The student loan (repayable) is means tested. There are different levels of support available if you are applying as a dependent or independent student, and you don’t need to have a confirmed offer of a place at a training provider to start the process.

  • In Scotland, if you’re eligible, SAAS will pay your tuition fees straight to your chosen training provider.
  • Undergraduate and postgraduate trainees in Wales are entitled to student finance to help cover training programme fees and living costs. Check the Student Finance Wales website to find out what you might be eligible for.
  • The Graduate Training Programme (GTP) is an employment-based route into teaching which offers a way to qualify as a teacher while you work. Visit Educators Wales to find out more.

Bursaries and loans for teaching courses

You could be eligible for a bursary and/or loan to cover your living costs. Bursaries (non-repayable) are means tested, using either your own household, or your parents’ income income if you are still living at home.

  • At present, there are Scottish bursaries available for those who have been employed for at least three of the last five years and have a degree in either maths, computing, technical education, physics, or chemistry. Find out more about bursaries.
  • Postgraduate funding is available for training to teach a range of subjects in Wales. The level of funding and eligibility will vary depending on the subject you choose to teach, and your degree classification. Graduates with certain degrees may be eligible for incentives of up to £20,000, if they want to train to be a teacher in Wales.
  • Welsh Medium Grants are designed to help trainees who are studying postgraduate secondary courses, to qualify to teach through the medium of Welsh, and who require additional linguistic support. In addition to support and mentoring, eligible trainees, commencing September 2018, will receive a grant of £2,000 for all qualifying subjects. 
  • The Iaith Athrawon Incentive of £5,000 complements the arrangements for existing support under the Welsh Medium Improvement Scheme, with up to £2,500 payable on successful completion of QTS, and a further £2,500 payable on successful completion of induction in a Welsh-medium or bilingual secondary school, or on successful completion of induction teaching Welsh in any secondary setting.