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. Applicants will need to check the eligibility criteria to find out if they meet the requirements to apply.

Yes, however an applicant must still hold a current permanent approval to teach and be prepared to accept an appointment to a school within the nominated school education areas at the completion of their studies.

If an applicant has relinquished their school-based position, they must still hold a current permanent approval to teach and be prepared to accept an appointment to a school within the nominated school education areas at the completion of their studies.

Please note that applicants will be asked to nominate their school education areas in the scholarship application form.

If an applicant holds a casual approval to teach following separation they will need to reapply for a permanent approval to teach and be granted this, to be eligible for a scholarship.

To apply for a Teach and Learn Scholarship (High Demand Subject Areas), an applicant 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 their principal and request that they complete it electronically and email it back to them. This form can be found on the scholarships forms webpage and should be submitted with their application.
3. email the referee's supporting statement to one referee and request that they complete it electronically and email it back to them. This form can be found on the scholarships forms webpage and should be submitted with their application.

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

Once applications are open, an applicant should submit their application as soon as it is completed and before the specified closing date.

No, incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.

An applicant will be required to complete and submit the documents listed below as part of their 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
• official transcripts of results for their undergraduate degree for each year of study (B.A., B.Sc., B.Ed., etc.)
• official transcript of results for any postgraduate studies completed
• a photo identity card issued by the Australian Government or a state or territory government (this may take the form of a government-issued occupational licence or driver's licence).

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

An applicant's principal may request a delegate to complete their principal’s supporting statement however, both the delegate and principal must co-sign the form.

If the principal has completed the principal’s supporting statement, a delegate isn’t required to counter-sign.

If an applicant is unable to gain a principal’s endorsement they may provide a supporting statement from their most recent supervising stage leader or head teacher. The Scholarships and Employment Programs team in the School Workforce Directorate may seek further information if the application progresses.

A selection panel will review applications shortly after the application is received. An applicant's principal and referee may be contacted when assessing their application. We may also verify the applicant's employment details with the department’s School 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 applicants would like feedback on their application, they are advised to contact the Scholarships and Employment Programs team via sponsoredtraining@det.nsw.edu.au.

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 3 years.

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

An applicant's 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 subject requirements page.

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.

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

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

Successful applicants will receive the first training allowance payment once their scholarship is finalised and the semester census date has passed, upon receipt of evidence of their enrolment into postgraduate studies. Subsequent training allowance payments will require scholars to provide a copy of their results for the previous semester.

Scholars will not receive a scholarship payment for subjects completed prior to the commencement date of the scholarship.

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

Scholarship funds will be included alongside the scholar's regular pay and are subject to tax. Scholars will be eligible to receive the full $20,000 (subject to tax) per year of study if they are completing a minimum of 8 subjects per year while on scholarship. If they do not complete a minimum of 8 subjects per year, they will be paid a pro-rata amount, that being $2,500 (subject to tax) per subject studied while on scholarship.

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

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. A scholar's principal can request for relief funds to be reimbursed to the school if a casual teacher was employed to replace the scholar while on study leave.

Information on how to apply for study leave and request for relief funds will be provided to successful scholarship recipients.

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

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

Information on how to apply for study leave and request for relief funds will be provided to successful scholarship recipients.

Study leave is not available for casual teachers.

A scholar will not receive a training allowance for subjects completed prior to the commencement date of the scholarship or for subjects they receive advanced standing or academic credit for during their studies.

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

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

If a scholar has any taxation questions it is recommended that they seek independent financial and/or taxation advice.

It should be noted that if scholars withdraw from the scholarship program or breach the terms and conditions of their scholarship agreement and incur a liability, that the amount repayable is calculated based on the gross amount paid under the scholarship.

As part of the application process, applicants will be asked to select from individual school education areas where they are willing to be appointed to on completion of their studies.

Applicants will be required to select a minimum of 3 school education 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 an applicant is successful in gaining a scholarship, the areas they select will be stipulated in the Teach and Learn Scholarship (High Demand Subject Areas) Agreement.

NSW public schools are grouped into 10 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 NSW public schools by staffing area spreadsheet resource. A scholarship holder is considered an employment applicant and therefore when selecting areas as part of their scholarship application, schools to which they are considered for appointment will align with the 'areas' for the purposes of staffing schools.

Upon successful completion of the required post-graduate studies, scholars will be appointed to a full-time permanent teaching position in a NSW public school in one of the nominated locations in line with the Scholarship Agreement.

Scholars may be notified of their appointment as early as 2 school terms prior to the anticipated completion of their required post-graduate studies, or earlier, depending on available vacancies at the time.

A scholar's appointment will be in the subject area they are being sponsored for. The location of the scholar's 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 department's benefits calculator to find out about the benefits and incentives that are available to teachers at individual schools.

Recipients of a scholarship will be appointed to a permanent full-time position (1.0 FTE) following the completion of the required studies. Should a scholar be approved by their principal to permanently reduce their full-time arrangement following appointment to a permanent full-time position, they will have their service commitment period extended accordingly. For example, if a scholar permanently reduces the number of days they are working from 5 days per week (1.0 FTE) to 2.5 days per week (0.5 FTE), the length of time remaining under their service commitment period is doubled.

Once permanently appointed, a scholar can access the same LWOP provisions as any other permanent teacher, subject to discussion with their principal. However, scholars must consider that any period of unpaid leave (including unpaid parental leave or unpaid leave for caring responsibilities) or unauthorised absence of more than 5 working days will not count as service for the purposes of calculating the commitment period. The commitment period will be extended to the extent of any such unpaid leave or unauthorised absence.