Around 120 trainee teachers in Northern Ireland pursuing qualifications in Mathematics, Science, Technology and Irish language education are excluded from a new financial support scheme worth up to £20,000, leaving many questioning whether they will remain in the country to teach.
Student teachers at St Mary's University College in Belfast have submitted a proposal to the Department of Education requesting partial tuition fee support for those currently enrolled. The exclusion stems from a bursary initiative introduced by Education Minister Paul Givan that applies only to students beginning their training in September 2026 onwards.
According to the official announcement, the scheme is backed by a projected £8.2 million over five financial years and covers Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Computing, Technology and Design, alongside Irish-Medium Education. Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students in those subjects will receive a combined bursary of £17,000 per year, including £1,000 monthly payments plus tuition fees. Recipients must commit to teaching in publicly funded schools in Northern Ireland for at least two years after qualifying.
The initiative was designed to address acute teacher shortages in post-primary schools. A June 2024 survey identified severe recruitment and retention problems in Northern Ireland's post-primary sector, prompting the government to introduce the financial incentive.
Why current students feel excluded
Current students who began their teacher training before September 2026 receive no support despite pursuing the same shortage subjects. The Department of Education stated that
funding is not available to extend the scheme to current undergraduate studentsand that doing so would not increase new entrants to teacher education, which remains the scheme's primary objective.
Those affected have proposed a
taperedalternative that would provide partial tuition fee support to students graduating and qualifying as teachers in 2027, 2028 and 2029. The students estimate the total cost at £1.2 million.
Caoilte Hamil, former Student Union President at St Mary's, has backed the proposal despite not personally benefiting.
The minister rightly addressed what he considered an acute shortage of teachers and educators in STEM areas,he said.
From September 2026, tuition fees will be waived for those who apply and enrol into those courses. Our argument has been that there should be a level of acknowledgement for those students who are already enrolled in teaching capabilities in these areas, who already have a passion to be teachers in these areas and are the short-term solution to this long term problem. Those students who are currently studying in those areas are feeling very disheartened, they're felling ignored and they're feeling quite disrespected.
Current Student Union President Keri Teague emphasised the importance of including existing students.
I think it's important to filter it in so that everyone benefits from it,she said.
It's our generation that are going into these jobs, and obviously through the scheme as well they're guaranteed to stay in the country and work for a while. But if you don't take that into consideration the next graduates might not even be in the country to fill the vacancies.
What debt do current students face?
Turlough O'Hagan, a fourth-year student on the Mathematics and Science Bachelor of Education course, estimates he will owe approximately £50,000 in student loans upon graduation.
It is very disheartening,he said.
Teaching is something that I've always been passionate about, coming from a family of teachers. It's unfair not to be given the same treatment as those who are only starting now.
The financial burden is prompting him to reconsider his future in Northern Ireland.
It just feels that I've been put at a disadvantage and I'm considering do I want to stay here to teach? There's 120 students currently in training for these STEM subjects, but there's no incentive for us to stay here. I want to stay here but I just don't know if it's a financially viable situation with the cost of living that there is at the moment.
Rhian McCrory, also in fourth year and studying to teach Mathematics, highlighted the disparity between her cohort and incoming students.
We're put at a great disadvantage compared to other students coming into Maths teaching,she said.
Coming out of university we're probably going to be in debt of £40,000 to £50,000. And we're going to be expected to pay that all back ourselves whereas other students in the same position coming after us are going to be completely debt free after university. Having a bursary for fourth year to have our tuition fees paid would be extremely beneficial for us.
How do other countries approach teacher recruitment?
Northern Ireland is not alone in using financial incentives to attract trainee teachers. In England and Wales, governments have introduced bursaries of up to £30,000 to encourage students to train as teachers in subjects facing shortages, reflecting a broader international strategy to address educator recruitment challenges.
What happens next?
The Department of Education says further details on how to apply will be published on its website in the coming months, before the September 2026 start date. The department has not indicated whether it will reconsider extending support to current students, though the proposal from St Mary's students remains under consideration.
A Department of Education spokesperson reiterated the scheme's purpose:
The Initial Teacher Education Bursary Scheme is designed specifically to attract more student teachers into subjects with the greatest teacher shortages. At a time when the Department of Education faces significant financial challenges, funding is not available to extend the scheme to current undergraduate students and doing so would not increase the number of new entrants to teacher education, which is the fundamental purpose of the scheme.
Key Facts
- Around 120 current student teachers in Mathematics, Science, Technology and Irish language education are excluded from the new bursary scheme
- The scheme applies only to students beginning training in September 2026 and provides up to £20,000 in support
- Current students estimate they will graduate with £40,000 to £50,000 in student loan debt, while future cohorts will have tuition fees covered
- Affected students have proposed a tapered alternative costing £1.2 million to support those graduating in 2027, 2028 and 2029
- The Department of Education says extending the scheme would not increase new entrants and funding is unavailable
