A big part of choosing your teacher training programme is considering the funding options that come with each route. This guide explores the various ways of funding your teacher training with United Teaching.
Salaried teacher training - earn while you learn
- Earn an unqualified teacher’s salary
- Your tuition fees are covered
- Highly competitive
Trainees on our salaried routes earn while they learn. They are paid an unqualified teacher’s salary from day one.
However, our salaried vacancies are very competitive and depend on available places in your preferred subject. As the route is highly competitive, you should make sure you have strong academic qualifications and relevant experience, to put you in the best position when you apply.
You will earn a minimum salary of £20,598. If you train to teach in London, you could earn up to £25,831. The exact salary you earn will depend on your chosen subject and the location of the school you train in.
Check the national teacher pay scales to see the minimum salary you will earn by region.
Self-fund your teacher training
- Unpaid training
- Tuition fees: £9,000
- Bursaries and scholarships available
Trainees on our self-funded route don’t receive a salary, but there is plenty of funding support to help you cover the costs of your course.
Student maintenance loans and bank loans are available to help you self-fund your studies to cover your tuition fees and bursaries and scholarships are available in select subjects.
Use the student finance calculator to get an estimate of how much funding you may be eligible for.
Receive a teacher training bursary
- Tax-free
- No application required
- Does not need to be paid back
A bursary is a tax-free sum of money awarded to trainees in certain subjects. It gives you financial support to cover the costs of your training.
You do not need to apply for a bursary; you will automatically be assessed against the criteria. To be eligible, you must have a Degree 2:2 or higher, a Master’s, or a PhD. You’ll also need to meet the bursary scheme’s individual terms and conditions.
Here are the subjects which offer bursaries:
| Subject |
Bursary amount |
| Physics |
£28,000 |
| Chemistry |
£28,000 |
| Maths |
£28,000 |
| Modern Foreign Languages (French/Spanish) |
£25,000 |
| Geography |
£25,000 |
| Design Technology |
£25,000 |
| Biology |
£25,000 |
| English |
£10,000 |
| Art and Design |
£10,000 |
| Religious Education |
£10,000 |
Apply for a teacher training scholarship
- Tax-free
- Up to £30,000 available
- Additional benefits
Just like bursaries, scholarships aren’t loans and do not need to be paid back. A scholarship gives you financial support and helps you to cover your tuition fees (£9,000).
They also come with extra perks such as access to events and resources, networking opportunities, and often a free membership to the professional body.
“The scholarship provided additional CPD sessions which were fantastic. I also had access to their resources and a free two-year membership.”
Elizabeth, United Teaching graduate and former Chemistry scholar
To be eligible, you’ll need a Degree 2:1 or higher, a Master’s, or a PhD. You will also need to meet any specific criteria set by the awarding institution.
The subjects offering scholarships are:
| Subject |
Scholarship amount |
| Physics |
£30,000 |
| Chemistry |
£30,000 |
| Maths |
£30,000 |
| Modern Foreign Languages (French/Spanish) |
£27,000 |
These scholarships are awarded by the Institute of Mathematics, the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and British Council. Each institution has its own application process and application deadline(s), and you should apply to them directly.
A couple of clarifications
- You can’t receive both a bursary and a scholarship
- You can’t receive a bursary or scholarship if you are training to teach on our salaried or Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship route
Whichever route you take, you will receive the same level of high-quality teacher training. As an Ofsted Outstanding provider, we develop outstanding teachers – regardless of their training route.
Our team are here to support you in your teacher training journey. If you’re not sure which route might be right for you, contact us and we’ll be happy to help.