Second round of Initial Teacher Education Fee Awards launched

A second opportunity for trainee further education (FE) teachers to have their tuition fees reduced has been announced.
The Learning and Skills improvement Service (LSIS) is launching a second round of  awards for those studying in the first year of an initial teacher education course in England that is validated by a university or other higher education institution.
Successful applicants could have their first year fees cut by up to £1,500. The Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Fee Awards scheme is being run by LSIS, on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
The scheme offers £1,500 towards the fees of those training to teach basic maths/numeracy and basic English/literacy (including functional skills) in the FE & Skills sector, and £1,000 towards those training to teach other subjects within the sector. To be eligible learners must be undertaking the first year of a higher education institution (HEI)-validated qualification in England. The awards are made direct to the organisations delivering the training.
Funds are limited and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Awarding organisation qualifications are not covered under the scheme.
The fee awards will help fund up to 13,500 places on initial teacher training courses. This second round of awards follows the first round, which was announced in March this year. The then Skills Minister, John Hayes, issued a written statement stating that LSIS would be tasked with the administration of the awards.
LSIS’s Chief Executive, Rob Wye said: “Taking on the responsibility for the awards echoes the first of LSIS’s three strategic priorities, which is to equip the sector to achieve outstanding teaching and learning.
“We are pleased to be able to support the recruitment of the next generation of our sector’s teachers. Skilled and qualified teachers are the lifeblood of the FE sector and they serve a vital role in shaping the future workforce of every sector in the economy. These awards are one way of ensuring that professionals with the right skills and expertise are able to improve the quality of teaching and learning in our sector.”

Full funding guidance and application forms can be found at the Excellence Gateway .

The deadline for second round applications is midnight Friday 19 October 2012.