If you’re thinking about changing careers and stepping into teaching, one of the first questions you might have is, “Can I actually afford to do this?”
This is one of the most common questions I hear from the career changers I support, and the answer is often more encouraging than people expect.
Lets talk teacher training bursaries….
Switching careers is a big decision, especially when you’re balancing finances, family, or a career you’ve built over your entire working life.
There is financial support available for trainee teachers, making the journey to qualified teacher status far more manageable.
Right now, the Department for Education offers tax-free teacher training bursaries of up to £29,000 and even scholarships up to £31,000, in these shortage secondary subjects:
- Maths
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Computing
- All languages
If you have qualifications or professional experience in any of these areas, you’re already bringing something incredibly valuable to the classroom.
Am I eligible for a bursary and how do they actually work?
Here’s the good news, you don’t apply for a bursary separately to your teacher training courses.
We can talk through the details, but if you're eligible for student finance and you have one of the following, then you're eligible for a bursary:
- A bachelor's degree 2:2 of higher
- A master's degree
- A PHD
If you're looking to teach physics or languages, you will be eligible for a bursary even without student finance.
Once you’ve been accepted onto your teacher training course and you’re eligible for a bursary, your training provider organises it for you and payments are then made throughout your training year.
What are the differences between teaching bursaries and teaching scholarships?
If you’ve got a strong academic background or relevant industry experience, you may qualify for a scholarship instead of a bursary.
The teaching scholarships come with extra benefits in the form of mentoring, networking, and professional development from the subject associations.
I find that that these can be a huge help to trainees starting courses. They do require an application, but we’re here to help and support with these.
Your subject doesn’t come with a bursary… what does this mean for you?
If your subject isn’t funded, you can look at salaried or apprenticeship courses. These are often popular so preparing and applying early is key.
Chatting to prospective Now Teachers, I regularly advise to plan ahead. If you’re hoping for a salary through the training course itself, you’ll often need school experience first.
Now is the perfect time to get into a classroom
If you want a realistic chance at a salaried training route, schools will want to see that you understand the role and have classroom experience.
Becoming a Teaching Assistant is one of the best ways to do this. It gives you hands-on experience, helps you build relationships with schools, and shows training providers you’re committed.
Plus, it makes the transition into teaching so much smoother.
Your experience is valued
Career changers bring something unique: real-world knowledge, maturity, professional insight, and a different perspective. Schools know that, and bursaries are just one way the system supports people like you into the profession.
Want to know what financial support your eligible for?
Register with us and a career change specialist can walk you through your options. Being a member of the Now Teach network allows you the unique opportunity to ask your questions to our community of career changers.
Want to ask me a few questions first? No problem — just email me at Rachael@nowteach.org.uk and I’d be happy to help