The Teach and Learn Scholarship (High Demand Subject Areas) is open to approved teachers in NSW government and non-government schools, who hold a current permanent full-time teaching approval with the NSW Department of Education. You will need to check the eligibility criteria to find out if you meet the requirements to apply.

If you are permanently appointed to a central school or high school, want to train in one of the available high-demand subjects and are currently teaching in that key learning area, you may be eligible to apply and remain in your substantive position. If you do not wish to remain in your current school, you can nominate priority areas on your application where you will be appointed following the completion of your qualification.

If you are not currently permanently appointed to a central school or high school, you will nominate priority areas on your application where you will be appointed following the completion of your qualification.

To apply for a Teach and Learn Scholarship (High Demand Subject Areas), you will need to:

1. Submit the online application form through IworkforNSW. During the application period an ‘Apply now’ button will be available on the Teach and Learn Scholarship (High Demand Subject Areas) webpage.
2. Email the principal's supporting statement to your principal and request that they complete it electronically and email it back to you. This form can be found on the sponsorships forms webpage and should be submitted with your application.
3. Email the referee’s supporting statement to one referee and request that they complete it electronically and email it back to you. This form can be found on the sponsorships forms webpage and should be submitted with your application.

Outside the application period, you are encouraged to subscribe to be notified when applications open.

Applications for the Teach and Learn Scholarship (High Demand Subject Areas) for are now closed. You can subscribe to the mailing list for updates about the program.

You will be required to complete and submit the documents listed below as part of your application:

• a current principal’s supporting statement on the template provided
• a referee’s supporting statement on the template provided
• an official statement of service for any teaching experience in a non-government school stating commencement date, completion date, number of teaching days completed and leave without pay details
• an application for enrolment or evidence of successful enrolment in non-award studies or a postgraduate program
• photo identity card issued by the Australian Government or a state or territory government (this may take the form of a Working with Children or Vulnerable People card or a government issued occupational licence) to verify your identity
• official transcripts of results for your undergraduate degree for each year of study (B.A., B.Sc., B.Ed., etc)
• official transcript of results for any postgraduate studies completed.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a supporting statement from your current principal along with one other supporting statement from a supervisor or colleague.

Your principal may request a delegate to complete your Principal’s Supporting Statement however, both your delegate and principal must co-sign the form.

If your principal has completed the Principal’s Supporting Statement, a delegate isn’t required to counter sign.

If you are unable to gain a principal’s endorsement you may provide a supporting statement from your most recent supervising stage leader or head teacher. The Employment Programs team in the School Workforce Directorate may seek further information if your application progresses.

A selection panel will review applications shortly after the application is received. Your principal and referee may be contacted when assessing your application. We may also verify your employment details with the department’s Teacher Recruitment Unit.

Shortlisted scholarship applicants for the Teach and Learn Scholarship (High Demand Subject Areas) will be required to undertake an online interview to identify their capabilities, key knowledge areas and personal attributes to determine their suitability. Interview invitations will be sent by email and will come from a third party provider.

Yes. Both successful and unsuccessful applicants are notified of the outcome via email once the selection process is completed.

If you would like feedback on your application, contact the Employment Programs team via sponsoredtraining@det.nsw.edu.au.

Successful applicants who are permanently appointed to a central school or high school are required to sign a Scholarship Agreement with the department, committing them to:

• successfully acquiring additional competencies in a high-demand subject area
• remaining at your school (or you may choose to be appointed to an alternative school) once your studies have been completed for a minimum period of three years.

All other successful applicants are required to sign a Scholarship Agreement with the department, committing them to:

• successfully acquiring additional competencies in a high-demand subject area
• accepting appointment as a permanent full-time teacher in a NSW public school on completion of the required studies
• remaining in the permanent full-time teaching position they are appointed to on completion of their studies for a minimum period of three years.

For advice on further studies required, please view the subject requirements page.

Your university may also be able to provide guidance regarding subject selection.

Applicants are encouraged to research the subject content requirements for their desired key learning area (KLA) as outlined on the NESA website.

A practicum is required when training in a new teaching subject except when a teacher is already approved as a science teacher and is completing physics subjects or is already academically approved as a TAS teacher and is completing engineering studies subjects.

The Teach and Learn Scholarship (High Demand Subject Areas) can support teachers for a maximum of 2 years.

While engaged in a full-time temporary or permanent capacity, you can apply for up to eight (8) days of paid study leave per year (pro-rata basis for part-time employees). In addition to up to eight days study leave, you can apply for study leave for the period of your practicum. The study leave day(s) must be approved by your principal. Your principal can request relief funds be reimbursed to the school if a casual teacher was employed to replace you for the day(s). Teachers will retain their full salary while on study leave.

An application form for study leave and request for relief funds form will be provided to you if you are successful for a scholarship.

Study leave is not available for casual teachers.

The financial benefit under the Teach and Learn Scholarship (High Demand Subject Areas) is capped at $20,000 per year of full-time study. The $20,000 is based on a study load of 8 subjects ($2,500 per subject).

Subjects completed prior to commencement of the scholarship will not be supported under the scholarship program.

You will receive the first scholarship payment once your scholarship is finalised and evidence of your enrolment into postgraduate studies for Semester 1, 2024 has been received. For permanent teachers, the scholarship payment will be calculated from the current semester/session/trimester/term of when the scholarship is granted.

Subjects completed prior to the commencement date of the scholarship will not be paid.

The total maximum amount payable to recipients of the scholarship is $20,000 per year of study and will be paid via electronic funds transfer (EFT) directly into your nominated bank account.

Payments will begin after your sponsorship has been finalised and evidence of enrolment received. Subsequent payments will require you to provide a copy of your results for the previous semester and your new enrolment details.

Scholarship funds will be included alongside your regular pay and are subject to tax. You will be eligible to receive the full $20,000 per year of study if you are completing a minimum of eight subjects per year while on scholarship. If you do not complete a minimum of eight subjects per year, you will be paid a pro-rata amount, that being $2,500 per subject studied while on scholarship.

The department will not provide an allowance for subjects previously failed and reattempted, or subjects for which you receive advanced standing or academic credit.

The following payment scenario is an example based on course requirements where 8 subjects are to be completed:

1. Up to $10,000 paid once the Employment Programs team receives confirmation of your enrolment in approved subjects. This is based on evidence of enrolment in at least four subjects.
2. Up to $10,000 paid once the Employment Programs team receives confirmation of your successful mid-way completion of approved subjects and evidence of enrolment into at least four more subjects for the following semester.

Alternatively, if you will be completing subjects over two years, your training allowance payments will be paid on receipt of evidence of enrolment each semester and paid at a rate of $2,500 per subject.

Scholars who are permanent or temporary teachers can apply for study leave while completing a practicum.

Temporary teachers must be engaged in temporary employment at the time they are required to complete their practicum to be eligible.

Teachers on approved study leave will retain their salary for the period of their practicum. Your principal can request for relief funds to be reimbursed to the school if a casual teacher was employed to replace you while on study leave.

An application form for study leave and relief funds will be provided to you if you are offered a scholarship.

Study leave for university requirements is not available to casual teachers.

The department will not pay the equivalent upfront course contribution fee for any unit which you receive advanced standing or academic credit for.

The training allowances payable to scholars will be paid in the regular pay cycle and taxed accordingly.

Any money paid to you by the department must be declared as assessable income on annual income tax returns. You will have tax withheld from your annual training allowance. HECS-HELP repayments may also be withheld.

If you have any taxation questions it is recommended that you seek independent financial and/or taxation advice.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to select either 'Anywhere in the State' or individual school education areas where you would like to be appointed on completion of your studies.

If you select to be appointed 'Anywhere in the State', you are agreeing to be appointed to a school in one of the following school education areas: Albury, Armidale, Bankstown, Batemans Bay, Bathurst, Blacktown, Bondi, Bourke, Broken Hill, Campbelltown, Central Coast, Clarence/Coffs Harbour, Deniliquin, Dubbo, Fairfield, Granville, Griffith, Hornsby, Lake Macquarie, Lismore, Liverpool, Maitland, Moree, Mount Druitt, Muswellbrook, Newcastle, Northern Beaches, Orange, Parramatta, Penrith, Port Jackson, Port Macquarie, Queanbeyan, Ryde, Shellharbour, St George, Sutherland, Tamworth, Taree, Tweed Heads/Ballina, Wagga Wagga, Windsor or Wollongong.

If you select individual school education areas, you will be required to select a minimum of three areas from the list of non-coastal rural priority areas or Sydney metropolitan priority areas.

The non-coastal rural priority locations include: Albury, Armidale, Bathurst, Bourke, Broken Hill, Deniliquin, Dubbo, Griffith, Maitland, Moree, Muswellbrook, Orange, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga.

The priority metropolitan locations include: Bankstown, Blacktown, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Granville, Liverpool, Mount Druitt and Windsor.

If you are successful in gaining a scholarship, the areas you select will be stipulated in the Teach and Learn Scholarship (High Demand Subject Areas) Agreement.

If you are permanently appointed to a central school or high school, you can select to remain in your current school.

NSW public schools are grouped into ten geographic locations called regions. Each region has a number of 'areas' for the purpose of staffing schools. Applicants are encouraged to download and view the organisation of public schools by staffing area resource. As a scholarship holder, you are considered an employment applicant and therefore when selecting areas as part of your scholarship application, schools to which you are considered for appointment will align with the 'areas' for the purposes of staffing schools.

Upon successful completion of the required post-graduate studies you will be appointed to a full-time permanent teaching position in a NSW public school in one of the nominated locations in line with your Scholarship Agreement. If you are already appointed to a central school or high school and select to remain in your current school, your three year service commitment period will commence following the completion of your studies.

You may be notified of your appointment in the term preceding the anticipated completion of your required post-graduate studies.

Your appointment will be in the subject area you are being sponsored for.

The location of your permanent appointment is non-negotiable.

Yes. On completion of their studies and appointment to a permanent position, scholars may be eligible for a wide range of benefits and incentives. The benefits vary from school to school. Use the Teach NSW benefits calculator to find out about the benefits and incentives that are available to teachers at individual schools.