How to apply for student finance for teaching
When applying for any course of study, a big consideration is how you are going to support yourself financially.
This can be especially true if you’ve already racked up student debts while studying for your undergraduate degree.
When choosing Initial Teacher Training with the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT), you may be eligible for student finance and maintenance loans, depending on which training pathway you choose with us.
Will you be paying fees?
The first thing to note is that student finance and maintenance loans are available for trainees paying fees, whether you are studying full or part-time. Tax-free bursaries may also be available from the Department for Education (DfE) for some subjects, which change annually. Scholarships and support may also be available for certain subjects and phases, varying between schools.
So, for fee-paying trainees here’s a short guide, with links to further information, on accessing student finance for your training.
Check your eligibility
The first thing you’ll need to do is check your eligibility. This depends on your nationality and residency status, with a different process in place depending on where in the UK you're based. This gov.uk page gives more details.
Find out how much you'll get
The next thing you’ll want to know is how much you could get, and you can find out more on the government’s student finance calculator page. Some people may also be able to receive additional support - such as those who have a disability or children.
Prep your application
After that you’re all set to prepare your student finance application. Further details on when you can apply and what ID you'll need to do it can be found via these links.
You can apply by post or online - you'll need to create an account or sign in if you have an account already. Once applications are submitted you may be asked for additional evidence if required, and the application could take up to six weeks to process. People who would rather apply by post (mandatory for those applying for tuition fee-only funding) can find instructions here. Be sure to keep your details up to date and amend them if any information changes regarding your situation, especially your bank details as payments are usually paid into your bank account at the start of each term.
Keep on top of your repayments
Finally, keep on top of repayments - you'll need to start repaying when you start earning a certain amount once you've finished studying. Find out details here.
For the apprenticeship route and salaried route, student finance and maintenance loans are not available. Instead, you'll receive a salary while you train based on the unqualified teacher scale (UNQ1). Certain rules apply and you can check the amount on the Get Into Teaching website.