Funding for PGCE courses
UK and EU postgraduates starting in 2012
Funding
If you enrol for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) you may be eligible for a bursary from the Teaching Agency as well as other government support to help cover the costs of your course.
- Tuition fee loan
- Maintence grant
- Loan for living costs
- Help with living costs for EU students
- Teaching Agency training bursaries
Tuition fee loan
You can get a loan from the UK government to cover the cost of your tuition fees whilst you are studying. You start to pay back this student loan after you have left university and you are earning over £21,000 a year.
Maintenance grant
In addition to the student loan for living costs if you are a UK student and have a household income of less than £25,000 you are entitled to a full grant of £3,250 a year. If your household income is between £25,000 and £42,600 are entitled to a grant of between £3,250 and £50.
Grants do not have to be paid back.
More about the maintenance grant
Student loan for living costs
You can apply for a student loan from the government to help with costs such as accommodation, food and travel. The student loan for living costs does not have to be paid back until after you are working and earning more than £21,000 a year.
The amount you are eligible for depends on whether or not you live at your parents' home, your household income, the length of the course and the size of the maintenance grant you are eligible for. A loan of up to £4,395 a year is available to students living away from home and studying outside London (studying up to 45 weeks a year). A loan of up to £3,351 a year is available to students who continue to live at their parents’ home (studying up to 45 weeks a year).
More about student loans for living costs
Help with living costs for EU students
If you have an EU passport but have been living in the UK for more than three years you may be able to apply for some help from the government to cover your living costs.
Find out if you qualify on the Directgov website
Student Support Fund
The Student Support Fund is a university fund available to new undergraduate and PGCE students from England starting in 2012 who are liable to pay £9000 tuition fees. It is open to students from low income backgrounds who are experiencing financial hardship. Students should use the fund to help pay for course-related costs e.g. travel or childcare.
Find out more about the Student Support Fund
Teaching Agency training bursaries 2012
The amount you are eligibe for depends on the subject you are training to teach.
| Your degree classification | PGCE course in physics, mathematics, chemistry, modern languages | PGCE course in art and design, design and technology, English, dance, geography, information and communications technology, biology, physical education, primary, and religious education |
| 1st class | £20,000 | £9000 |
| 2:1 | £15,000* | £5000 |
| 2:2 | £12,000 | £0 |
Find out more
For details of how to apply and for further information contact our Faculty of Education.
For PGCE for secondary-school teaching
Adam Morley
Tel: 01273 643911
For PGCE for primary-school teaching
Eleanor James
Tel: 01273 643912
Or email deped@brighton.ac.uk
For further information see the Teaching Agency website

