Bursaries for trainee teachers in high priority subjects

Graduates applying to train as teachers in high priority subjects will receive increases to tax-free cash bursaries and scholarships from next year.

Bursaries worth £27,000 and scholarships worth £29,000 will help attract trainees into the highest-priority STEM (science, technology and mathematics) subjects of mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing.

£25,000 bursaries and £27,000 scholarships will be offered to prospective languages teachers – up £10,000 on this academic year.
Bursary and scholarship eligibility is being extended to all non-UK national trainees in physics and languages.

A new relocation premium for overseas nationals coming to England to teach or train in these subjects was confirmed earlier this year in the Schools White Paper, which will help with visa costs and other expenses.

Teachers in the first five years of their career teaching mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing in disadvantaged schools are also able to claim the Levelling Up Premium, worth up to £3,000 tax free.

Further bursaries available include those for aspiring geography teachers, who will receive £25,000, an increase of £10,000, while £20,000 bursaries for biology and design & technology represent increases of £10,000 and £5,000 respectively on the current academic year. A £15,000 tax-free bursary for English will also be reintroduced.

Louis Barson, Director of Science, Innovation and Skills at the Institute of Physics said: "Great physics teaching opens up career opportunities in a broad and growing range of career paths: from developing new cancer treatments to tackling climate change.

"We are pleased to be delivering the government’s scholarships programme for physics teachers, helping tackle the physics teacher shortage and focussing on areas with the greatest need for specialists, enhancing the life chances of local pupils.
Scholars will benefit from additional financial support, access to experienced professional coaching, high-quality resources and a mutually supportive community."