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.  You do not need to apply for it.

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

Scholarship funding for springautumn 2025 2024 

From springautumn 2025,2024, scholarship funding to cover the full NPQ course cost will be available to teachers and leaders from:

• schools: the top 50% of state funded schools inwith England that have the highest proportion of students attractingwho attract pupil premium,premium as set out in the eligibility listsfunding 
• 16-1916 settings:to the19 topeducational 50% of state funded settings inidentified Englandas thathaving havehigh the highest proportion of students eligible for disadvantage funding disadvantage 

For the early years leadership NPQ, highly disadvantaged early years settings will also be eligible.    

YouScholarships will onlycontinue to be eligibleavailable forto scholarshipall fundingteachers forand theleaders springfrom 2025publicly cohortfunded ifschools your setting is on one of the eligible disadvantaged settings lists and you16 areto taking19 oneeducational oforganisations for the following NPQs:: 

• leading teacherprimary developmentmathematics
• leadingspecial teachingeducational needs co-ordinator (SENCO)
• leadingheadship  

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• leadinghospital literacyschools
• senioryoung leadershipoffender institutions
• executivestaff leadershipworking in local authority virtual schools (local-authority-run organisations that support the education of children in care)
• earlyother yearslocal leadership

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Leading teacher development NPQ  

For the leading teacher development NPQ, scholarship funding is available iffor youpeople arewho are, or will be, taking on the role of lead mentor for an initial teacher training (ITT) provider accredited to deliver ITTinitial teacher training from September 2024.

Early headship coaching offer

For the early headship coaching offer, funding to cover the course fees will be available if you are in your first 5 years of headship in England in a state-funded school or state-funded 16 to 19 organisation. You should also be doing or have done the the headship headship NPQ..  

Scholarships

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• leading primaryteacher mathematicsdevelopment
• specialleading educationalteaching
• leading needsbehaviour co-ordinatorand (SENCO)culture
• headship  leading literacy
• senior leadership
• executive leadership
• early years leadership

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Schools

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pupil premium.

Further education

• other16 localto authority19 staffsettings (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 27.5 KB) identified as being in athe directtop teaching50% roleof (forpublicly example,funded localfurther authorityeducation supplysettings who have:
  • the highest proportion of students attracting an uplift
  • low attainment in maths or peripateticEnglish teachers)at the end of Year 11

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  Early ifyears

  Early youryears settingsettings (MS isExcel eligibleSpreadsheet, for1010 scholarshipKB) funding

  Recruitmentidentified foras thebeing currentin cohortthe hastop now50% closed.of Eligibilitysettings listswho forhave the springhighest cohortproportion willof bechildren madeattracting:

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  • disadvantaged 2025.
    2-year-old entitlement funding

  EligibilityOfsted-registered forchildminders scholarshipare fundingincluded doesin notearly guaranteeyears asettings. placeThe onearly ayears fundedlist NPQshould course.be read alongside the high-disadvantage schools and high-disadvantage 16 to 19 settings to determine eligibility.

  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 suitabilityeligibility requirements. 

  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. 

  Being eligible for an NPQ scholarship does not guarantee either suitability for the course or that a funded course place is available. NPQ providers are responsible for determining suitability through their application process.

  TheBefore amountapplying of NPQ scholarship funding available nationally is limited. This means some teachers and leaders who are eligible for aan scholarship may not be able to access a funded place.

  NPQ providersyou manageshould thecheck applicationavailability process for the courses they deliver and may need to prioritise applications to manage the number of funded places theywith haveyour available.chosen For example, NPQ providers willprovider. need to prioritise applications for NPQ for SENCOs places to support those needing to take the qualification to meet statutory requirements.

  If funded places are not availableavailable, with your chosen NPQ provider, you can:

  • approach a different NPQ training provider to enquire about the availability of funded course places
  • choose to join your chosen providers waiting list
  • choose to pay for a course place

  NPQ courses provides more information about NPQ providers.

  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.