Funding Your Training
Training with the Red Rose Alliance means you’ll gain a PGCE with the University of Cumbria alongside Qualified Teacher Status. Tuition fees for 2025/26 are £9,535, and most trainees choose to cover this through a tuition fee loan and, if eligible, a maintenance loan to help with living costs — both available via Student Finance.
On top of this, generous tax-free bursaries and scholarships are available for priority subjects such as maths, physics, chemistry, computing and languages. You don’t need to apply separately — eligibility is checked when you apply. To explore the latest bursary amounts and scholarships, visit Get Into Teaching – Funding and Support.
https://www.cumbria.ac.uk/study/student-finance/pgce/
Postgraduate Bursaries and Scholarships
Bursaries and scholarships are available to trainees on tuition-fee-based teacher training courses in England that lead to the award of qualified teacher status.
Receiving a bursary or scholarship depends on the trainee’s:
- highest relevant academic award
- ITT subject
In languages and physics, trainees starting courses in the 2026 to 2027 academic year will not need to be eligible for student finance to be eligible for a bursary or scholarship. In all other subjects, trainees are only eligible for a bursary or scholarship if they are entitled to support under the student finance criteria.
Non-UK trainees should read Train to teach in England as a non-UK citizen. Applicants with a degree from outside the UK should use Teach in England if you trained outside the UK.
For 2026 to 2027, bursaries being offered are:
- £29,000 in chemistry, computing, mathematics and physics
- £20,000 in design and technology and languages (including ancient languages)
- £5,000 in biology and geography
Applicants may be eligible for a bursary if they have a 1st, 2:1, 2:2 or master’s degree or a PhD.
Scholarships being offered are:
- £31,000 for chemistry, computing and physics
- £22,000 for French, German and Spanish (no other languages)
Scholarships are usually available to applicants with a 1st, 2:1 or master’s degree or a PhD, though, in exceptional circumstances, they may be awarded to a graduate with a 2:2 and significant relevant experience.
Scholarships also come with a package of additional benefits from the relevant scholarship body:
- a tax-free scholarship
- membership to the professional body
- subject-specialist events and webinars held by professional bodies
- online and face-to-face workshops across the country
- subject-specialist mentors and coaching
- a community of scholars (ex-scholars, teachers, subject leaders)
- access to classroom resources
- continuing professional development (CPD) and networking events during the ITT year and as alumni
Scholarships are applied for separately to ITT and only awarded to high-calibre students who pass a robust application and interview process in one of the specialist subject areas. Scholarships are awarded instead of a bursary.
Scholarship applicants should apply to the relevant scholarship body. Details are available on the Get into teaching page.
Further guidance on postgraduate bursaries and scholarships is available in the initial teacher training (ITT) bursary: funding manual.