Information for September 2025 entry

The Department for Education (DfE) training bursary is a tax-free financial incentive to attract high quality graduates into the teaching profession.   The DfE also work with a number of professional bodies to provide a limited number of scholarships for trainees on Chemistry, Physics, Maths and Modern Foreign Languages courses.

Eligible Qualifications

Trainees studying on eligible courses will be assessed based on their  highest academic qualification. This is usually:

• a first-class, upper second-class or lower second-class UK undergraduate honours degree
• a UK master’s degree
• a UK doctoral degree, not including honorary doctorates

Trainees with a third class degree, an ordinary degree, aegrotat ordinary degree, postgraduate certificate (PGCert) or diploma (PGDip) only are not eligible for a bursary.

Overseas degree qualification equivalency

The university will make a professional assessment of trainees who hold overseas degrees to determine the equivalency of their qualifications and eligibility for the bursary.

Eligibility for training bursaries and scholarship

To be eligible, you must:

• be eligible to receive student support (not applicable to MFL and physics bursaries)
• hold a UK first degree or equivalent
• comply with the terms and conditions of the bursary scheme
• not be in possession of, or eligible for, QTS
• not be undertaking paid teaching work which contributes to their training when in receipt of the bursary
• not be simultaneously undertaking any other ITT course, training scheme or programme that leads to QTS 

Subjects attracting bursary and scholarships for 2025 

Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics:  Bursary £29,000 or Scholarship £31,000

Modern Foreign Languages:  Bursary £26,000 or Scholarship £28,000

Biology, Design and Technology, Geography:  Bursary £26,000

Art and Design:  Bursary £10,000

English:  Bursary £5,000

The University does not receive information on applicants that have been awarded a scholarship from the professional bodies.  If you have been awarded a scholarship from the Royal Society of Chemistry, the British Council, the Institute of Mathematics or the Institute of Physics please send a copy of the award confirmation to the admissions team.

Payment dates

Bursaries and Scholarships will be paid in 10 equal monthly instalments from mid-October.

The instalment payment dates for students starting the course in 2025 are as follows:

• Fri 17th Oct 2025
• Fri 21st Nov 2025
• Fri 19th Dec 2025
• Fri 23rd Jan 2026
• Fri 20th Feb 2026
• Fri 20th Mar 2026
• Fri 24th Apr 2026
• Fri 22nd May 2026
• Fri 19th June 2026
• Fri 17th July 2026
  
  

 Trainee Responsibilities

Trainees in receipt of a bursary or scholarships are responsible for:

• Entering their bank account details on the RISIS portal at the start of the course and keeping the information up to date;

• Informing the university as soon as possible if they intend to withdraw from the course.

 Questions?

Please contact the admissions team if you have any questions or require further information.