Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships

Round One applications open

If you are planning to study teaching (undergraduate or postgraduate), will be commencing your study in the first semester/study period of 2024 and you meet eligibility requirements, you can apply for a Commonwealth Teaching Scholarship.

Information about the Scholarships, who can apply and how to apply is provided below. Prospective applicants should read the Scholarship Guidelines, Applicant Handbook, Applicant Fact Sheet, Scholarship FAQs and other information on this site before applying.

Updated FAQs are now available.

Applications close on 14 January 2024, at 11:59pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT)

About Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships

Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships support new undergraduate and postgraduate teaching students to meet the costs of their study in exchange for teaching in government schools or government-run early learning settings for a period of time after graduating from their degree.

Scholarships of up to $40,000 per student are available for full-time undergraduate initial teacher education (ITE) students ($10,000 per year for a four-year qualification) and up to $20,000 for full-time postgraduate ITE students ($10,000 per year for a two‑year qualification).

Applications are strongly encouraged from school leavers and career changers who meet the eligibility criteria and who are high-achieving students (with an ATAR of 80 or above or equivalent academic result), First Nations peoples, people for whom English is an additional language or dialect, people with disability, people from regional, rural or remote locations, mid-career professionals or people from low socio-economic backgrounds, who aspire to a rewarding career in teaching.

Scholarships will be available over five rounds from 2024 to 2028 with up to 1,000 scholarships per year to be offered.

The first round of scholarships are now open for students commencing ITE programs in the first semester/study period of 2024.

Who can apply?

To apply you must be a person living in Australia who is:

• an Australian citizen
• a permanent resident
• a holder of a permanent humanitarian visa; or
• a New Zealand citizen living in Australia.

To apply in Round One, you must be commencing an accredited ITE program in the first semester/study period of 2024. You must also be willing to commit to teaching for up to four years (undergraduate) and up to two years (postgraduate) in a government school or government-run early learning setting.

Applications are strongly encouraged from school leavers and career changers who meet the eligibility criteria and who are high-achieving students (with an ATAR of 80 or above or equivalent academic result), First Nations peoples, people for whom English is an additional language or dialect, people with disability, mid-career professionals, people from regional, rural or remote locations or people from low socio-economic backgrounds, who aspire to a rewarding career in teaching.

How to apply

You must submit your application through the online application form before the closing date. No late applications will be accepted.

Scholarships will be offered to eligible teaching students who are commencing a full-time undergraduate or full-time postgraduate initial teacher education program with a focus on supporting target cohorts.

You should only submit an application before the closing date when you have the relevant ATAR or equivalent academic result.

You must provide evidence of enrolment in an accredited ITE program. If you haven’t enrolled yet or are waiting for acceptance into an accredited ITE program, you can still apply. If you receive a conditional offer, you must provide evidence of enrolment before signing your Scholarship Agreement.

When you apply, you will need to declare that all information you have provided is complete and correct, including if you identify as belonging to any of the target cohorts.

More information is available in the Applicant Handbook, Applicant Fact Sheet, Scholarship FAQs and Scholarship Guidelines.

Commitment to teach obligation

If you are successful in gaining a Commonwealth Teaching Scholarship you will be required to sign a Scholarship Agreement with the Australian Government Department of Education (the department).

The Agreement will outline your obligation to teach in a government school or government-run early learning setting for a time equivalent to the length of your teaching degree.

This means teaching for up to four years full-time equivalent for undergraduates and up to two years full-time equivalent for postgraduates.

You can teach in any, or in more than one, government school or government-run early learning setting in any location, to meet your commitment to teach obligation.

Education departments in each state and territory provide information about how to seek employment in their schools and early learning settings. The Australian Government department does not find or place scholarship recipients in schools.

Other teaching scholarships and support

If you apply for a Commonwealth Teaching Scholarship you can apply for other scholarships or incentive programs. However, you must check that there are no restrictions on you applying for, or accepting, more than one scholarship or program and that you are able to meet the requirements of all programs.

To find out more information on state and territory financial support or scholarships visit state and territory education department websites.

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