Funding for national professional qualifications (NPQs)

National professional qualifications (NPQs) are flexible professional development courses for teachers and leaders to improve skills, progress careers and deliver improved outcomes for schools. 

You may be able to get your NPQ course fees paid for by the Department for Education (DfE). This is called scholarship funding.  

Youfunding.  You do not need to apply for funding. it.

When you register for an NPQ, DfE will tell you if you are eligible for funding. 

Scholarship funding for 2023autumn to 2024 

TheFrom followingautumn criteria2024, appliesscholarship forfunding to cover the 2023full NPQ course cost will be available to 2024teachers academicand year. leaders from:

• the 50% of schools with the highest proportion of students who attract pupil premium funding 
• 16 to 19 educational settings identified as having high disadvantage 

ScholarshipFor fundingthe isearly availableyears forleadership NPQ courses and, the highly disadvantaged early headshipyears coachingsettings offer,will foralso be eligible.    

Scholarships will continue to be available to all teachers and leaders employedfrom inpublicly Englandfunded by: schools and 16 to 19 educational organisations for the following NPQs: 

• state-fundedleading schools primary mathematics
• state-fundedspecial 16educational toneeds 19co-ordinator organisations (SENCO)
• independentheadship  

Funding specialfor schools these 3 NPQs is also available to:

• hospital schools schools
• young offender institutions institutions
• staff working in local authority virtual schools schools (local-authority-run organisations that support the education of children in care)
• other local authoritiesauthority asstaff with a supplyresponsibility teacherto ordeliver anothercurriculum rolecontent directly(for teachingexample, pupils local authority supply or peripatetic teachers)

Leading teacher development development NPQ funding   

For the the leading teacher development development NPQ, scholarship funding is also available for people who are, or will be, taking on the role of lead mentor for an initial teacher training provider accredited to deliver initial teacher training from September 2024. 2024.

Early yearsheadship leadershipcoaching NPQ funding offer

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  Check if you are eligible for the course 

  You should check the course eligibility criteria with your chosen course provider before you register. You may meet the funding criteria but not the course eligibility. eligibility requirements. 

  You can find out how to check the eligibility of your workplacesetting for autumn 2024 when registration opens later this year. 

  Learn about NPQs and the early headship coaching offer .

  Funding restrictions 

  You can only receive scholarship funding for each NPQ once. 

  If you receive scholarship funding but then withdraw from or fail your programme, you cannot receive scholarship funding for the same NPQ again. 

  Legacy NPQs 

  If you received scholarship funding for a legacy NPQ (before November 2021) and withdrew from the programme, you’re still eligible for scholarship funding for the current NPQs.