You can apply for loans, scholarships and training bursaries to help pay for your fees and living costs while you're studying to become a teacher.
On this page, you will find all of the information you need in relation to teacher funding. You can also view a recording of our most recent virtual Teacher Training Student Funding Overview and Q&A below.
- Tuition fee loan
- Living costs
- Training bursaries of up to £28,000
- PGCE Seconday scholarships
- International Relocation Payment
- PGCE Early Years grants and bursaries
- PGCE Further Education Training Bursaries
Tuition fee loan
Full-time and part-time Home fee students on PGCE Secondary, Further Education and Primary can apply for a tuition fee loan to pay their fees from Student Finance England. Please note if you do not apply for a fee loan, you will need to make arrangements by the start of the course to pay the fees yourself. Please note PGCE courses are eligible for the undergraduate loan NOT the postgraduate loan.
Tuition fees information can be found on the UCL Tuition Fees page.
Living costs
Full-time Home fee students can apply for a maintenance loan from Student Finance England to cover living costs.
For 2022/3, the maximum student loan for living costs for studying in London is:
• Up to £12,667: living away from parental home
• Up to £8,171: living at parental home
Other government funding is available for those with children, adult dependants and disabled students. For more information go to Student Finance website.
Training bursaries of up to £28,000
Home fee trainees starting a PGCE programme from September 2024 may be eligible to receive a training bursary for living costs. For Secondary and EYITT, the amount depends on your PGCE subject and your degree classification or highest relevant academic qualification.
If you are doing PGCE Languages or Physics (Physics with Maths) or EYITT you do not need to be eligible for UK student finance. For all other secondary PGCE subjects you must be eligible for the provision of UK student finance (tuition fee / maintenance loans) from the Student Loans Company. You can check your eligibility for student loans here.
For Secondary and EYITT you do not need to make an application for a bursary or course grant. You will be automatically assessed for an award after you make your UCL PGCE course application and have been given an offer. We will contact you about the evidence required in the summer before your course begins.
For Further Education we will put in a claim to the Department for Education and let you know if you have been awarded a bursary or not.
PGCE Secondary bursaries for 2023/4
The bursary rates for current student can be found here. DfE ITT Funding Manual 2023/24
PGCE Secondary bursaries for 2024/5
The Department for Education (DfE) allocate bursary funding to UCL, who in turn disburse it to eligible students. For more information please visit the Department for Education website. The bursary is a tax-free, non-repayable bursary.
The bursary rates for 2024/5:
Subject | 1st / PhD / 2:1 / Masters / 2:2 |
---|---|
Physics/Physics with Mathematics | £28,000 |
Chemistry | £28,000 |
Computing | £28,000 |
Mathematics | £28,000 |
Languages | £25,000 |
Geography | £25,000 |
Biology | £25,000 |
English / English with Drama | £10,000 |
Art and Design | £10,000 |
Music | £10,000 |
Religious Education | £10,000 |
Lead Partner Direct
Lead Partner Direct students can access the funding above, subject to the same eligibility criteria as PGCE Secondary students.
Bursary FAQS (for PGCE Secondary, Lead Partner Direct and Further Education)
If you have any questions about the bursary, please refer to our Training Bursary FAQs.
PGCE Secondary scholarships 2024/25
You can apply for a scholarship if you are doing the following PGCE Secondary subjects. Please see links in table below for more details and how to apply.
Subject | Amount | Apply here |
---|---|---|
Chemistry | £30,000 | Royal Society of Chemistry |
Computing | £30,000 | Chartered Institute of IT |
Mathematics (Secondary PGCE) | £30,000 | Institute of Mathematics |
Physics / Physics with Mathematics | £30,000 | Institute of Physics |
Languages (French, German and Spanish only) | £27,000 | British Council |
Trainees will usually need a 2:1, but can still apply with a 2:2 and significant experience. As well as the financial award, scholars will receive a package of additional benefits provided by the professional bodies. You will need to apply directly to the awarding institution. For more information see Scholarships.
Trainees awarded a scholarship cannot receive a bursary. Trainees who are not awarded a scholarship may be eligible for a standard bursary. Scholarships are disbursed by UCL.
International Relocation Payment 2024/25
For current students, please vist the department for Education's website
The international relocation payment (IRP) is a single payment of £10,000 which will be available to eligible non-UK trainees of Languages (excluding Mandarin) and Physics/Physics with Maths.
The payment is designed to cover:
- the costs of visas
- the immigration health surcharge
- other relocation expenses
The IRP will offer financial support to trainees from all over the world who wish to come to train and work in English schools. It will be paid around the end of the trainee’s first term. It will not need to be repaid. If you are a non-UK offer holder for Languages (excluding Mandarin) or Physics/Physics with Maths we will notify the Department for Education who will then assess your eligibility for the IRP. You must also meet the degree eligibility criteria. Further information can be found here.
International Relocation Payment
PGCE Early Years grants and bursaries 2023/24
Financial support of up to £14,000 may be available depending on which training route you take. Students with the right to study or work in the UK are eligible. For more information please visit the Department for Education website.
PGCE Further Education Bursaries 2023/24
The Department for Education (DfE) allocate bursary funding to UCL, who in turn disburse it to eligible students. For more information and eligibility criteria please visit the Department for Education website. The bursary is a tax-free, non-repayable bursary.
The bursary rates for 2023/24:
Eligible Subjects offered at UCL | |
---|---|
Mathematics | £29,000 |
Science, including biology, chemistry, and/or physics | £29,000 |
Computing | £29,000 |
Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) | £15,000 |
English (capped at 100 places) | £15,000 |