Funding: initial teacher training (ITT), academic year 2020 to 2021
Funding guidance for schools and ITT providers for 2020 to 2021 including bursaries, scholarships and salaried route grants.
Overview
The Department for Education is responsible for:
- managing grant funding associated with initial teacher training (ITT)
- monitoring the public cost of student loans accessed by trainees
For the 2020 to 2021 academic year we’ll manage recruitment in line with the Initial teacher training allocations methodology: 2020 to 2021.
This guidance refers to ITT funding for the academic year 2020 to 2021. For the academic year 2019 to 2020, read Funding: initial teacher training (ITT), academic year 2019 to 2020.
Tuition fee routes
Bursaries and scholarships are available to trainees on tuition fee-based teacher training courses in England that lead to the award of qualified teacher status (QTS).
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 as either a home or EU student.
Applicants with a degree from outside the UK can contact Get into Teaching for guidance on equivalent qualifications. They can also consult their chosen training provider as the provider determines eligibility for a bursary.
Postgraduate bursaries and scholarships
| Scholarship | Bursary (Trainee with 1st, 2:1, 2:2, PhD or Master’s) | |
|---|---|---|
| Chemistry, computing, languages, mathematics and physics | £28,000 | £26,000 |
| Biology and classics | No scholarship available | £26,000 |
| Geography | £17,000 | £15,000 |
| Design and technology | No scholarship available | £15,000 |
| English | No scholarship available | £12,000 |
| Art and design, business studies, history, music and religious education | No scholarship available | £9,000 |
| Primary with mathematics | No scholarship available | £6,000 |
Graduates with a 2:1 and above 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 also receive a bursary. Trainees who are not awarded a scholarship may be eligible for a bursary, if they meet the eligibility criteria.
Early-career payments: chemistry, languages, mathematics and physics
Chemistry, languages, mathematics and physics trainees will receive 3 additional early-career payments of £2,000 each (or £3,000 each if teaching in specified areas of England) in their second, third and fourth 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 early-career payments guidance.
Primary with mathematics
Primary with mathematics trainees with at least a B at A level in mathematics (or equivalent qualification or subject knowledge) 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 2020 to 2021 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 2020 to 2021 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: funding manual.
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 2020 to 2021 academic year.
The initial teacher training bursary guide for academic year 2020 to 2021 will be published in due course.
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 school partnership where the training is taking place. We provide grants to School Direct lead schools to contribute to these costs. Amounts vary on a regional basis.
The definitions for inner London, outer London and London fringe are in Annex B of the School Direct (salaried): funding manual.
High priority subjects: chemistry, classics, computing, languages, physics, secondary mathematics
| Funding per place (by region) | Amount |
|---|---|
| National | £19,000 |
| Inner London | £23,900 |
| Outer London | £22,600 |
| London fringe | £20,200 |
Other priority subjects: biology, design and technology, English, 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 with mathematics
This funding only applies to trainees with at least a B at mathematics A Level (or equivalent qualification or subject knowledge) on primary with mathematics courses.
| Funding per place (by region) | Amount |
|---|---|
| National | £14,000 |
| Inner London | £17,600 |
| Outer London | £16,600 |
| London fringe | £14,900 |
School Direct (salaried) trainees are not eligible for bursaries or scholarships.
All lead schools and schools with approval to recruit to funded School Direct (salaried) grant funding must sign and return the grant funding agreement: terms and conditions.
For further information regarding School Direct (salaried) funding, please read the School Direct (salaried): funding manual.
Postgraduate teaching apprenticeships
Schools in a School Direct partnership employing an apprentice teacher can receive grant funding through the lead school. This grant funding is a contribution to apprentice salaries and is in addition to funding available from the Education and Skills Funding Agency which may only be used for training and assessment costs.
High priority subjects: chemistry, classics, computing, languages, physics, secondary mathematics
| Funding per place (by region) | Amount |
|---|---|
| National | £14,500 |
| Inner London | £19,400 |
| Outer London | £18,100 |
| London fringe | £15,700 |
Other priority subjects: biology, design and technology, English, geography, history, music and religious education
| Funding per place (by region) | Amount |
|---|---|
| National | £9,500 |
| Inner London | £13,100 |
| Outer London | £12,100 |
| London fringe | £10,400 |
Primary (non-specialist)
| Funding per place (by region) | Amount |
|---|---|
| National | £4,500 |
| Inner London | £6,900 |
| Outer London | £6,300 |
| London fringe | £5,100 |
Primary with mathematics
This funding only applies to trainees with at least a B at mathematics A Level (or equivalent qualification or subject knowledge) on primary with mathematics courses.
| Funding per place (by region) | Amount |
|---|---|
| National | £9,500 |
| Inner London | £13,100 |
| Outer London | £12,100 |
| London fringe | £10,400 |
The postgraduate teaching apprenticeship funding manual for academic year 2020 to 2021 will be published in due course.
For further information about postgraduate teaching apprenticeship funding, please read the postgraduate teaching apprenticeships: funding manual and guidance for employers.
Subject knowledge enhancement (SKE)
We are committed to the use of SKE to support ITT recruitment in priority and EBacc subjects. We expect ITT providers and lead schools offering these subjects to also consider offering SKE to eligible applicants.
SKE courses are fully funded and delivered by universities, schools and private organisations across England. Read Subject knowledge enhancement: an introduction for more information.
Early Years ITT
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.
The early years initial teacher training: 2019 to 2020 funding guidance provides more information.
Grant funding agreements
If you are a new ITT provider or lead school for School Direct in the academic year 2020 to 2021 and have not previously received grant funding, such as Training Bursary, School Direct (salaried), Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship and Early Years funding you will need to complete and return 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.
If this applies to you, email [email protected]. We will advise providers if a new grant funding agreement is required and send it out in October. We will need to receive and accept the grant funding agreement before any funding for the academic year 2020 to 2021 is released.
Information on the grant funding agreement for subject knowledge enhancement is also available.
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 and the associated funding manual.
Previous incentive schemes: Golden Hello
The Golden Hello scheme closed to all trainees on 30 September 2019.
Contact us
Funding team
Email[email protected]
Funding and audit grant return queries except early years
Subject knowledge enhancement
Email[email protected]
Published 5 October 2019 Contents
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