Guidance

Initial teacher training (ITT) bursary: funding manual

A training bursary guide for schools and ITT providers.

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 18 December 2018
• Last updated: 12 May 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 12 May 2026

     Updated the details on eligibility for UK student support in the manual for 2026 to 2027. This reflects changes to the eligibility requirements for languages and physics students.

  2. 10 December 2025

     Added the funding manual for 2026 to 2027. This includes new financial incentives for this academic year.

  3. 28 August 2025

     Updated title and link from: "A fairer approach to awarding QTS to overseas teachers" to "Overseas trained teachers: apply for qualified teacher status in England".

  4. 28 November 2024

     Added 'Initial teacher training bursaries funding manual: 2025 to 2026 academic year'.

  5. 3 April 2024

     Removed 'International relocation payments' section from 'Initial teacher training bursaries funding manual: 2024 to 2025 academic year' as trainees are no longer eligible. Updated 'Initial teacher training bursaries funding manual: 2023 to 2024 academic year' to clarify that to be eligible for the international relocation payment, trainees must have taken up a place on a teacher training course in England for the academic year 2023 to 2024, starting before 1 July 2024.

  6. 22 November 2023

     Added 'Initial teacher training bursaries funding manual: 2024 to 2025 academic year'.

  7. 21 August 2023

     Updated 'Initial teacher training bursaries funding manual: 2023 to 2024 academic year' to include information about the visa application process for overseas trainees and confirmation that the bursary award can be used as proof of funds.

  8. 19 May 2023

     Added the India Young Professionals Scheme visa to the list of visas eligible for the international relocation payment in ‘Initial teacher training bursaries funding manual: 2023 to 2024 academic year’.

  9. 6 March 2023

     Added a section on international relocation payments to the funding manual for 2023 to 2024.

  10. 19 December 2022

      Added 'Initial teacher training bursaries funding manual: 2023 to 2024 academic year'.

  11. 10 February 2022

      Updated the list of eligible subjects in 'Initial teacher training bursaries funding manual: 2022 to 2023 academic year' to include engineering and food technology as part of design and technology.

  12. 30 November 2021

      Added 'Initial teacher training bursaries funding manual: 2022 to 2023 academic year'.

  13. 3 November 2020

      Added an updated link to the funding guidance and added 'Initial teacher training bursaries funding manual: 2021 to 2022 academic year'.

  14. 6 August 2020

      Updated the 2020 to 2021 manual to set out that trainees must also demonstrate they meet the degree standard before 30 November 2020.

  15. 19 March 2020

      Added information on the maths and physics chairs programme to the 2020 to 2021 funding manual.

  16. 22 October 2019

      Added the 'Initial teacher training bursaries funding manual: 2020 to 2021 academic year'.

  17. 6 June 2019

      Updated 2019 to 2020 funding manual scholarship and bursary eligibility information.

  18. 4 April 2019

      Updated the 2019 to 2020 funding manual 'Possession of, or eligibility for, QTS' section: teachers with qualified teaching status are not eligible to receive a training bursary. Deleted the sentence about accessing other ITT as this is not accurate.

  19. 18 December 2018

      First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Initial teacher training bursary funding manual: 2026 to 2027 academic year

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Initial teacher training bursaries funding manual: 2025 to 2026 academic year

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Initial teacher training bursaries funding manual: 2024 to 2025 academic year

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Initial teacher training bursaries funding manual: 2023 to 2024 academic year

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Details

These funding guides provide information to schools and ITT providers on:

• bursary and scholarship rates
• subject, qualification and candidate eligibility
• how payments are made
• assurance procedures

The Department for Education funds training bursaries and scholarships for trainees on eligible ITT courses in England.

Bursary amounts will vary depending on:

• teaching subject
• degree class
• highest relevant academic qualification

Scholarships are awarded by the relevant professional body for the subject.

ITT funding rates and guidance for schools and ITT providers are available.

Previous versions of the manual are available in the National Archives.