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. Please note the majority of funding is for students that are eligible for student loans, with the exception of PGCE Secondary bursaries in Modern Languages, Physics (Physics with Maths) and PGCE Early Years. Please read the eligibility criteria below carefully .
- Tuition fee loan
- Living costs
- PGCE Secondary training bursaries of up to £29,000
- PGCE Secondary scholarships of up to £31,000
- PGCE Further Education training bursaries
- PGCE Early Years grants and training bursaries
- Training bursary FAQs
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 2024/5, the maximum student loan for living costs for studying in London is:
• Up to £13,348: living away from parental home
• Up to £8,610: 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.
PGCE Secondary training bursaries of up to £29,000
Home fee trainees starting a PGCE secondary programme from September 2025 may be eligible to receive a training bursary for living costs. 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) 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 PGCE you do not need to make an application for a bursary. You will be automatically assessed for an award after you make your UCL PGCE Secondary course application and have been given an offer. We will contact you about the evidence required in the summer before your course begins.
PGCE Secondary training bursaries for 2025/26
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 2025/6:
Subject | 1st / PhD / 2:1 / Masters / 2:2 |
---|---|
Physics/Physics with Mathematics | £29,000 |
Chemistry | £29,000 |
Computing | £29,000 |
Mathematics | £29,000 |
Languages | £26,000 |
Geography | £26,000 |
Biology | £26,000 |
English / English with Drama | £5,000 |
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.
PGCE Secondary scholarships 2025/26
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 | £31,000 | Royal Society of Chemistry |
Computing | £31,000 | Chartered Institute of IT |
Mathematics (Secondary PGCE) | £31,000 | Institute of Mathematics |
Physics / Physics with Mathematics | £31,000 | Institute of Physics |
Languages (French, German and Spanish only) | £28,000 | 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.
PGCE Further Education training bursaries 2025/26
Please note, the bursaries below are for students who are eligible to receive student support (or home fee students) only. The Department for Education (DfE) allocate bursary funding to UCL, who in turn disburse it to eligible students. We will contact you about your bursary when you have an offer of a place at UCL to gather more information to make the bursary claim on your behalf . 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 2025/6:
Eligible Subjects offered at UCL | |
---|---|
Mathematics | £31,000 |
Science, including biology, chemistry, and/or physics | £31,000 |
Computing | £31,000 |
Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) | £15,000 |
English (capped at 100 places) | £10,000 |
PGCE Early Years grants and training bursaries 2025/6
Financial support of up to £14,000 may be available depending on which training route you take and your degree classification. Students with the right to study or work in the UK are eligible. For more information please visit the Department for Education website.You do not need to make an application for a bursary/grant. You will be automatically assessed for an award after you make your UCL PGCE Secondary course application and have been given an offer. We will contact you about the evidence required in the summer before your course begins
Training bursary FAQS
If you have any questions about the bursaries, please refer to our Training Bursary FAQs.