School-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) programmes are run by schools or groups of schools. Many schools work in close partnerships with universities, enabling trainee teachers to gain a PGCE alongside working towards Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
- Similar to non-salaried School Direct (tuition fee) programmes, they provide practical, hands-on teacher training, taught by experienced, practising teachers.
- Often SCITT programmes are tailored towards teaching in the local area, but this routes still include lectures, tutorials, and seminars that cover the same material as university or college training programmes.
- While the majority of SCITT programmes lead to a PGCE qualification, not all do. If gaining a PGCE is important to you, check with your training provider before applying, to confirm exactly what is included on your chosen training programme.
- Training providers will make vacancies available at different points in the year, as this helps them manage the volume of applications they receive. If you have a preferred training provider in mind, but they do not currently have vacancies, we suggest contacting them to find out if they plan to make places available in the future.
- If your degree subject doesn’t link closely to your chosen teaching subject, you may still be able to apply for a SCITT programme by undertaking a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course. Your chosen provider may ask you to take an SKE course as a condition of your offer, before you start your initial teacher training programme.
Entry requirements
You must have achieved the following minimum requirements to be eligible to apply for SCITT programmes:
- You’ll need to hold an undergraduate degree awarded by a UK higher education provider, or a recognised equivalent qualification.
- You’ll need to have achieved a standard equivalent to grade C/4, or above, in the GCSE examinations in English and mathematics.
- If you intend to train to teach pupils aged three to 11 (early years and primary), you must also have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade C/4, or above, in a GCSE science subject examination.
- You’ll also need to pass the professional skills tests in numeracy and literacy before you begin your teacher training. Some training providers may require you to complete them before your interview, or ask you to complete them by a certain date as a condition of your offer.
- Some training providers may also have specific entry criteria. Check the programme details careful to establish if it matches your qualifications and experience. As teaching involves working with children on a daily basis, there are also some non-academic requirements you’ll need to meet.
Fees and funding
The amount training providers charge varies – for UK and EU students, it can be up to £9,250 per year for a full-time programme starting in 2018. It’s a big investment, but there’s often funding available to help you. UCAS does not arrange student finance, but we can give you information and advice about funding and support to help point you in the right direction.
- Scholarships – for certain in-demand subjects, you can apply for a tax-free scholarship to support your training. To be eligible, you will typically need a 2:1 degree or above in the subject you want to teach (or a closely related subject).
- Bursaries – tax-free bursaries are available for training to teach a range of subjects. The level of funding and eligibility will vary depending on the subject you choose to teach, and your degree classification.
- Tuition fee and maintenance loans – if you’re not eligible to receive a bursary or scholarship, you can still apply for a student loan to cover your training programme fees and living costs. Find out more from Student Finance England.
- Extra student funding – if you have dependents, you could access further funding to support your teacher training, such as Parents’ Learning Allowances, Childcare Grants, or Child Tax Credits. The student finance calculator from Student Finance England allows you to estimate the level of funding that may be available.
- Disabled students and care leavers – universities and colleges have different ways of supporting you in higher education. Check if you are entitled to additional support and funding.
How to apply
UCAS Teacher Training is the scheme you need to use to search and apply for SCITT programmes in England.
- You’ll then need to register with UCAS Teacher Training to submit, and track the progress of, your application. There’s lots of information and advice to help you complete your teacher training application, including writing your personal statement, and getting references.