Financial Support and Incentives for Initial Teacher Training

Tuition Fees

• In Wales for 2008-09, there is an annual deferred flexible fee of up to £3,145.
   
• You may apply for a loan of up to £3,145 to cover the exact amount that the university or college charges you for your course and the money will be paid directly to the university or college to cover the cost of fees.
   
• If you normally live in Wales or are from a non-UK EU country and study in a higher education institution (HEI) in Wales, you will normally be entitled to a tuition fee grant of up to £1,890 which does not have to be repaid. This is available regardless of family income and is paid directly to your place of study.
   
• If you normally live in Wales or are from a non-UK EU country and study in a HEI in Wales, you are entitled to the tuition fee grant and you may borrow up to the additional cost of fees (£1,255). This is paid directly to your place of study.
   
• Tuition fees will not have to be paid up-front; any tuition fee loan you take out is simply added onto your student loan. These are repaid on a sliding scale in line with income and are earning at least £15,000 a year.
   
• If you normally live in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland and study in a higher education institution in Wales, you can apply for a student loan up to the fee charged by the institution. This is available regardless of family income and is paid directly to the university.

Undergraduates

• A student loan for maintenance (living expenses) is available and will depend upon household income and may also depend on any grants awarded. Your loan is usually paid in 3 instalments at the start of each term, directly into your bank account. The maximum loan available for 2008-09 is £4,625. Contact your Local Authority to apply for your student loan.
   
• If you normally live in Wales, or are from a non-UK EU country with a genuine link to the UK, you may apply for the Assembly Learning Grant of up to £2,835 to help meet general living costs. How much you receive depends on your household income and will be calculated by your Local Authority. This is paid in 3 instalments, one at the start of each term, just like your student loan. More information is available from www.studentfinancewales.co.uk
   
• Some students may be eligible for a special support grant, for example, if you are in receipt of certain disability related benefits. Contact your Local Authority for further details.
   
• If you normally live in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland you can also apply for a grant of up to £2,835 to help meet general living costs. More information is available from:
  www.saas.gov.uk
  www.studentfinanceni.co.uk
  www.studentfinancedirect.co.uk
   
• Maintenance and tuition fee loans are repaid in line with income after you are earning at least £15,000 a year.
   
• Financial Contingency Funds (available from individual institutions), to provide discretionary assistance if you are experiencing financial difficulties.
   
• The Welsh National Bursary. This bursary of £310 is means-tested and available to both Welsh and non-Welsh students who are liable for the new flexible fees.
   
• Bursaries available from individual institutions. Contact institutions directly for further information.

Secondary Undergraduate Placement Grant

Funding for the secondary undergraduate placement grant is made available to ITT providers by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and is designed to support you during your school experience. You do not have to apply for this grant. 

• A grant of £1,000 is awarded annually to each undergraduate student training to teach in a secondary priority subject area. Priority subjects include Mathematics, Science, Modern Languages, Design and Technology, ICT, Welsh, Music and RE.
   
• A grant of £600 is awarded annually to each undergraduate student training to teach in a secondary non priority subject area (Drama).
   
• The grant is paid in two instalments by the ITT provider and individual providers will be able to give you more information on how and when you receive the funding. Do not contact the Higher Education Funding Council directly.

Postgraduates

Welsh domiciled students (and non UK and EU students) on postgraduate ITT courses in Wales may be eligible for the following teacher training incentive grants which are subject to annual review:

• £7,200 if training in a designated priority subject at secondary level. Priority subjects include Mathematics, Science, Modern Languages, Design and Technology, ICT, Welsh, Music and RE.
   
• £4,200 if training in a secondary non-priority subject.
     
• £2,200 if training at primary level.

The grant is part of a package of initial teacher training (ITT) incentives available in Wales in 2008-09 which ensures that Welsh students will benefit from a comparable level of support (incentives combined with funding towards tuition fees) as those in England.

• In 2008-09, in both Wales and England, tuition fees for ITT students could be up to £3,145 per student. However, in Wales, a non means tested, non-refundable, fee grant of up to £1,890 is being made available to all students domiciled and studying in Wales. Hence, the £7,200 training grant available to those undertaking PGCE courses in a designated priority subject at secondary level in Wales is comparable to the £9,000 bursary in England; the £4,200 training grant in Wales is comparable to the £6,000 bursary in England and the £2,200 training grant in Wales is comparable to the £4,000 bursary in England.
     
• For Welsh domiciled PGCE students studying in Wales in 2008-09, the first £1,255 of the Assembly Learning Grant (if studying for 10 weeks or more; £625 if studying between 6 and 10 weeks) will be non-means tested. Similarly, in England, a non means tested element of the maintenance grant of at least £1,260 will be available to England domiciled PGCE students studying in England.
     
• A means tested student loan for maintenance (living expenses). Contact your Local Authority.
     
• A further £5,000 taxable Teaching Grant paid to those trained in Mathematics and Science and who meet grant conditions, including successfully completing their Induction year in either England or Wales in the subject in which they trained.
     
• A further £2,500 taxable Teaching Grant paid to those who trained in other priority subjects (Modern Languages, Design and Technology, ICT, Welsh, Music and RE) and who meet grant conditions, including successfully completing their Induction year in either England or Wales in the subject in which they trained.
   
• For further information click www.tda.gov.uk.
   
• A £1,500 Welsh Medium Incentive Supplement (£1,800 for those on mathematics and science courses) available to students who undertake a secondary postgraduate course through the medium of Welsh. This incentive is aimed at students on eligible courses who need additional support to raise confidence in their ability to teach effectively through the medium of Welsh.

Graduate Teacher Programme

• Trainees starting the Graduate Teacher Programme in 2008-09 are paid a salary by schools during training, using the pay scale for unqualified teachers. For details click ( www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?.id=8305 )and then on “Teachers Pay”.
   
• In Wales, maintained schools who support a trainee on the Graduate Teacher Programme may receive a grant of £14,400 towards the cost of the trainee’s salary and an additional grant of up to £4,400 to cover training costs. Funded places are allocated as per the subject priorities set each year and have in the past reflected the secondary priority subjects. For further information and application forms click here.

Additional Financial Support for Disabled Students

The Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA) help students with the extra costs they incur when attending their course, as a result of their disability. The Student Finance Wales Guide ‘Bridging the Gap’, is available by calling 0800 7319133, textphone 0800 3288988 or click here. The DfES Guide ‘Bridging the Gap’ is available by calling 0800 7319133, textphone 0800 3288988 or click here.

Your Starting Salary

• Once you have completed your training and achieved qualified teacher status (QTS), you can expect to start as a newly qualified teacher (NQT) in England and Wales on £20,133 a year; £24,168 if you work in inner London (1 September 2007 rates).
   
• This makes teaching one of the most financially secure and rewarding career options, comparing very favourably with other sectors.

Part-time Students

Tuition Fees

These may vary between individual institutions.
You can apply for:

• A fee grant if you are studying 50% or more of an equivalent full-time course. This varies between £620 and £930 depending on the number of hours you study. Apply to your Local Authority.
   
• Assistance with course related costs worth up to £1,050. Contact your Local Authority for details.
   
• The Fee Waiver Scheme. You may be eligible if you are in receipt of, for example, income support, J.S.A., working tax credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit or incapacity/disablement benefit. For further information contact the Institution you wish to study at.

Open University Students

• In 2008-09, students on flexible ITT courses in Wales fall under the same student finance arrangements provided for those on traditional courses of ITT. Contact them directly on 01908 653411, or email reg-fees@open.ac.uk for more details.
   
• In 2008-09 students undertaking flexible ITT provision through the Open University in Wales, will have the same access to fee support as traditional ITT students. Please contact Student Finance Wales and your Local Authority in the usual way.
   

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