Golden hellos
Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) in England could receive a starting bonus of up to £5,000.
You could be eligible to receive a golden hello payment of between £2,500 and £5,000 if you complete a postgraduate initial teacher training (ITT) course and take up a permanent position in a maintained school or non-maintained special school in England.
What is a golden hello?
Golden hellos are taxable, one-off payments made at the start of your second year of teaching, after you successfully complete your induction period and subject to eligibility criteria.
| Subject you train in and go on to teach |
Golden hello amount |
| Mathematics |
£5,000 |
| Science |
£5,000 |
| Applied science |
£5,000 |
| Information and communications technology (ICT) |
£2,500 |
| Applied ICT |
£2,500 |
| Design and technology |
£2,500 |
| Modern languages |
£2,500 |
| Music |
£2,500 |
| Religious education |
£2,500 |
| Any other subjects |
£0 |
From 1 August 2008, trainees starting secondary postgraduate English, dance and drama ITT courses will not be eligible to receive a golden hello.
In Wales, similar payments known as teaching grants are available. Find out about teaching grants and other
ITT funding available in Wales
.
Am I eligible for a golden hello?
Golden hellos apply to approved postgraduate routes only and do not apply for those qualifying through the Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP) or Registered Teacher Programme (RTP).
Download the Golden Hello Eligibility Criteria (PDF, 281 KB)
How and when do I apply for the golden hello?
The standard deadline for teachers to apply for the golden hello is 12 months after completing their induction year. Eligible teachers should be given an application form by their initial teacher training provider. Find out more about applying for the golden hello.
If you are an administrator responsible for the golden hello scheme within an ITT provider or local authority, please read our additional
information on the golden hello scheme
.