There are many sources of funding available both during and after your training. Availability of initial teacher training (ITT) incentives for the following academic year is announced by the Welsh Assembly Government on an annual basis.
If you are training to teach in Wales, you may be eligible for:
- Postgraduate funding
- Employment-based funding
- Hardship awards and other grants
- Postgraduate training grants
If you are planning to take out a loan to help finance your training, you can calculate an estimate of your loan repayments by visiting the Directgov website and selecting 'Teacher' from the list of careers.
Postgraduate funding
Eligible postgraduate trainee teachers may be entitled to a tax-free bursary while they train. Depending on your individual circumstances and when you start your studies as a postgraduate student you might also be entitled to student finance – visit the Student Finance Wales website for full details of available funding and how you can apply.
Hardship awards and other grants
Hardship awards are available where unforeseen difficulties arise that may prevent you from remaining on a course. Local authorities can provide small hardship grants and there is also extra help available for students with special circumstances. Additional financial help is available, including childcare grants and an allowance for any extra costs directly associated with a disability. For more information on financial support, visit Student Finance Wales.
The Welsh Medium Improvement Scheme (WMIS)
Trainees taking secondary ITT courses and training through the medium of Welsh may be eligible for the WMIS. This is aimed at trainees who need extra support to raise confidence in their ability to teach effectively in Welsh.
Decisions on eligibility for the supplement are made by individual ITT providers involved in the scheme. You can get more information on which courses qualify for this supplement from the ITT providers.
Employment-based funding
Trainee teachers on the Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP) in Wales receive a salary from their school. This will be at least equal to the minimum point on the unqualified teacher pay scale, but your school may choose to pay you more.
All places for the 2010/11 programme in Wales have been allocated. An announcement on opportunities to train under the GTP for 2011/12 is anticipated to be made by the Welsh Assembly Government early in 2011.
All information on the GTP programme in Wales can be found on the Teacher Training and Education in Wales website.
Postgraduate training grants
Availability of ITT incentives for the following academic year is announced by the Welsh Government on an annual basis. Postgraduate support for 2012/13 is being focused on targeting priority subjects and the recruitment of high calibre candidates:
- Priority incentives will be available for new eligible students starting postgraduate ITT courses leading to qualified teacher status (QTS) in the 2012/13 academic year in mathematics, physics, chemistry, modern foreign languages (MFL) and Welsh.
- These incentives will be variable depending on degree qualifications. Eligible postgraduate students with a first class degree will receive the highest funding levels, with progressively lower amounts for those with a 2:1 or 2:2. Funding will not be available for those without at least a 2:2.
Outside of the priority subjects, only new eligible students with a first class degree starting postgraduate ITT courses in the 2012/13 academic year in a range of other designated subjects or in primary studies will receive incentive grants.
Incentive grants available in Wales for new eligible students on specified postgraduate (PGCE) ITT courses leading to QTS starting in the 2012/13 academic year are as follows:
| Honours degree qualification of student | Postgraduate secondary courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry, modern languages and Welsh | Postgraduate secondary courses in ICT, design & technology, English, biology, history, RE, art, PE, music, drama and geography Postgraduate primary courses |
|---|
| 1st (and 2:1 in physics) |
£15,000 |
£3,000 |
|---|
| 2:1 (not physics) |
£10,000 |
£0 |
|---|
| 2:2 |
£6,000 |
£0 |
|---|
Eligible students with either a 1st or 2:1 honours degree qualification on physics postgraduate ITT courses starting in the 2012/13 academic year would receive the £15,000 incentive grant.
ITT incentive grants will only be available in the subjects or study areas listed above. For secondary combined courses, the qualifying subject would be the main subject studied. No ITT incentive grants will be available for general science, business studies or outdoor studies courses. The grants do not apply to further education teacher training courses.
Eligible students who are ordinarily resident in Wales and starting full-time postgraduate ITT courses in the 2012/13 academic year can also receive a new tuition fee grant of up to £5,535.
The incentives package in Wales takes account of the fact that tuition fee finances in Wales are different to those in England and the value of individual incentives differ accordingly.
The overall level of support available for eligible students starting full-time postgraduate ITT courses in the 2012/13 academic year who are ordinarily resident in Wales – a combination of new tuition fee grant and incentive grants – provides comparable grant funding to their counterparts in England.
Visit the Student Finance Wales website for full details of the student funding arrangements in Wales.
Grants are only available to students meeting specified eligibility criteria (terms and conditions apply) on designated postgraduate ITT courses leading to QTS starting in the 2012/13 academic year. No availability for future years is implied.
Next steps
Call the Teaching Information Line (TIL) for more information about becoming a teacher:
Freephone: 0800 389 2500 (0800 085 0971 for Welsh Speakers)
Fax: 0117 915 6578