• The Australian Government has announced 5,000 new scholarships worth up to $40,000 each to encourage more people to become teachers
• The scholarships will provide financial assistance for those commencing teaching degrees in 2024
• Commencing undergraduate teaching students will be eligible for scholarships worth $40,000 each over four years and postgraduate students will be eligible for $20,000 scholarships over two years

Those considering commencing a career in teaching in 2024 have received a big incentive with the announcement by the Australian Government of scholarships worth up to $40,000.

5,000 scholarships are now on offer for prospective teaching students comprised of $40,000 scholarships for undergraduate teaching students over four years and $20,000 for postgraduate students over two years.

Scholarships are aimed at a range of new students who will study initial teacher education degrees in 2024. Groups of specific focus include those from disadvantaged backgrounds such as people with a disability, from low socio-economic circumstances, First Nations peoples, people who have English as a second language, and those from rural, regional and remote locations. High-achieving school-leavers and mid-career professionals are also being targeted.

Head of the Charles Sturt School of Education Associate Professor Will Letts welcomed the announcement.

“Teaching is one of the most admirable professions someone can pursue,” Professor Letts said.

 “To shape the minds of our next generation, producing the leaders of the future is a responsibility our teachers carry every day and as much support as they can be given as they prepare to care for and guide today’s children and youth is ideal.”

The Australian Government’s Minister for Education The Hon. Jason Clare MP said an objective of the new scholarships was to assist communities where there was a critical teacher shortage.

“They will help 5,000 of the best and brightest teaching students to complete their studies and begin changing lives in the schools who need it most,” Minister Clare said.

Universities Australia Chief Executive Catriona Jackson said, “We must do all we can to ensure teachers are supported and empowered at every stage of their careers, and we welcome the new national campaign running in the backdrop to raise the status of the profession.”

Professor Letts said Charles Sturt University has a strong track record in producing the teachers of the future.

“Charles Sturt has produced more than 1,000 domestic graduates in teaching and education courses every year for the last five years,” Professor Letts said.

“We have educated more than 16,000 teachers across the country since our teaching school began in 1989.” 

Professor Letts said Charles Sturt’s partnerships with the government to upskill teacher’s aides and other teaching support staff had also been extremely successful, with the NSW Government supporting three new programs.

“The Grow Your Own Teacher Training Program (GYOTTP), the Mid-Career Transition to Teaching program (MCTT), and the Charles Sturt Collaborative Teacher’s Aide Pathway (CTAP) have had a tremendous impact on attracting and upskilling regional support staff in local schools to become fully qualified teachers.

“More than 600 school support staff and mid-career changers are studying in our Grow Your Own Teacher Training, Mid-Career Transition to Teaching, and Collaborative Teacher’s Aide Pathway programs since the beginning of 2022,” Professor Letts said.

“These students are completing their online study requirements while they continue to provide valuable teaching assistance in classrooms in their local communities.”

The Australian Government consulted with schools and principals to create the new scholarships which include a commitment to teach for a period of time. Undergraduate recipients must be willing to teach for four years in government-run schools or early learning settings, while post-graduate recipients must be willing to commit to teaching in these settings for a minimum of two years.

As an additional incentive to attract teachers to remote Australia, students completing their final year of work placement in a government school or government-run early learning setting in those communities may be eligible for an additional payment of $2,000.

To find out which initial teacher education courses fall within the scholarship guidelines contact the Charles Sturt School of Education here or call 1800 275 278.

To check eligibility or to register interest as a prospective teaching student, visit education.gov.au/teaching-scholarships.

Applications close on 14 January 2024.