Priority Area 1, Action 2: Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships Program applications open

This content was published on Wednesday 22 November 2023. There may be more recent updates available.

Students commencing teaching degrees in the first semester/study period of 2024 can apply for scholarships worth up to $40,000 which are designed to encourage more people to become teachers.

The $160 million Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships program aims to attract high-quality candidates to teaching to address teacher workforce shortages.

These scholarships extend to both recent school graduates and individuals transitioning into teaching from other professions. The Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships program will allocate 1,000 scholarships per year over the next five years, as an integral part of the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan.  

Recipients of the Scholarships will be required to work as teachers in government schools or government-run early learning settings, for a period equivalent to the duration of their teaching degree.

The scholarship package comprises up to $40,000 for undergraduate teaching students, allocated as $10,000 per year for a four-year course. Postgraduate teaching students will receive up to $20,000, allocated as $10,000 per year for a two-year course.

As well as high-achieving school leavers, the initiative also seeks to encourage mid-career professionals, First Nations peoples, people with disability, people for whom English is an additional language or dialect, individuals from rural, regional, and remote locations and individuals from low socio-economic backgrounds to become teachers.

Applications are open and close on 14 January 2024.

To apply visit the Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships page.

For further details, you can review the media release from the Hon Jason Clare MP, Minister for Education