Postgraduate Teacher Training – A Quick Guide

Teacher training is a pretty popular route for prospective postgraduates, with a variety of routes as well as generous UK Government funding available in the form of bursaries and scholarships.

The number of different options and schemes open to you can be a bit bewildering at first glance, so this blog will give you a quick introduction to postgraduate teacher training in the UK, covering the qualifications and routes that lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

It’s also worth mentioning that the bursaries and scholarships we cover on this blog are available for the current academic year (2022-23) – the exact amounts and subject areas may change for the 2023-24 academic year.

The PGCE is one of the most common ways to become a teacher in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This qualification usually takes one year of full-time study, with the option to write a dissertation to ‘top up’ the PGCE to a full Masters.

There are two main kinds of PGCE: university-led courses and school-led courses. If you study a university-led PGCE, you’ll be based at a university but will still have lots of practical experience on placement at a school, as well as pedagogical training.

School-led PGCEs and teacher training courses are delivered by school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) providers, rather than universities. On these programmes, you’ll be based at a school for the duration of your course.

You can pick a PGCE that relates directly to your expertise and career ambitions, with most programmes focusing on a particular age group, subject or sector.

PGCE funding

The UK Government offers several generous PGCE funding opportunities in England, with bursaries between £7,000 and £22,000 available to graduates with at least a 2:2 degree in the following subject areas:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Classics
• Computing
• Languages
• Maths
• Physics

Similarly, scholarships of £26,000 are available for graduates with a 2:1 in the following subjects, awarded in partnership with professional associations:

• Computing (British Computer Society)
• Chemistry (Royal Society of Chemistry)
• Maths (Institute of Mathematics and its Applications)
• Physics (Institute of Physics)

If you’re studying a PGCE in Wales and have a First in one of the following subjects, you could be eligible for a £20,000 bursary:

• Biology
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Welsh
• Computer Sciences

Also in Wales, grants of between £3,000 and £20,000 are available to trainee teachers in a range of other priority subjects.

PGCEs in Northern Ireland are usually funded via the undergraduate student finance system.

You can find out more in our guide to PGCE funding.

The PGDE is the Scottish equivalent of the PGCE, allowing you to register with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GCTS).

Somewhat confusingly, there’s another teaching qualification with the same acronym: the Postgraduate Diploma in Education, which is offered in England and Wales and is essentially a PGCE with twice as many credits.

If you’re a Scottish resident, your fees will be covered by Scottish Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). STEM bursaries of £20,000 are available to applicants who meet certain eligibility requirements and are going to be teaching the following subjects:

• Chemistry
• Computing Science
• Home Economics
• Maths
• Physics
• Technical Education

Non-Scottish UK residents pay fees at the undergraduate level, using the undergrad student finance system in their home nation.

So, now we’ve covered the main qualifications that can lead to you becoming a teacher, it would be useful to take a look at some of the different pathways and schemes you can take (not all of which necessarily involve a PGCE or PGDE).

School Direct involves you learning on the job at a school, while also earning a salary if you already have three years of employment history. These programmes grant you QTS, but don’t always lead to a PGCE, so it’s best to check with your provider if this qualification is important to you.

Teach First is a charity that aims to help outstanding graduates become teachers in low income areas. You’ll earn a salary during the two-year programme and will eventually gain a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (worth double the credits of a PGCE).

Early Years Initial Teacher Training (EYITT) is how you qualify to become a teacher of children up to five years old. There are options to complete courses that are both university-led and school-led, depending on your preference, as well as training grants.

We list hundreds of teacher training programmes right here on FindAMasters, so it’s well worth having a browse to find what’s suitable for you and your career goals. To start you off, here are some links:

• PGCEs
• PGDEs
• SCITT
• EYITT

And, for more information on becoming a teacher, check out our guide to postgraduate teacher training.

Editor's note: This blog was first published on 02/12/20. We've checked and updated it for current readers.

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