teach.Rural Scholarship

HSC students and current university students who meet the eligibility criteria can apply for a teach.Rural Scholarship.

Other opportunities available to future teachers in NSW public schools include the Teacher Education Scholarship or the Teacher Education Scholarship - Aboriginal.

In addition to applying for a teach.Rural Scholarship, applicants may also be eligible to apply for a Teacher Education Scholarship or a Teacher Education Scholarship - Aboriginal. If applicants apply for multiple scholarships with the NSW Department of Education, they will only be awarded one scholarship.

No, individuals cannot apply if they are already under a Scholarship Agreement with the department.

Yes, if an applicant meets the eligibility criteria they are welcome to reapply.

No, only HSC students commencing university study next year and university students currently enrolled and studying in Semester 2, 2024, can apply for a teach.Rural Scholarship.

If an applicant is successful in being awarded a teach.Rural Scholarship, they are not able to defer their university studies.

The teach.Rural Scholarship is available for a minimum of one year and can support future teachers for a maximum of 5 years. Scholars must remain enrolled and studying for the entire duration of time for which they have been granted a scholarship.

Successful applicants are required to sign a Scholarship Agreement with the department, committing them to:

• successfully completing an initial teacher education program, or undergraduate degree followed by an initial teacher education program, at a recognised Australian university that will lead to a qualification that meets the department's and NESA's academic requirements for employment as a secondary teacher, or for those applying for a scholarship for inclusive/special education, either a primary and/or secondary teacher with a specialisation in inclusive/special education
• undertaking all practicums in NSW public schools if commencing studies in 2025 or all remaining practicums if continuing studies in 2025
• satisfying the department’s recruitment procedures and requirements. During the final 2 semesters of study, scholars are required to submit an application for employment as a teacher through the department’s online application for approval to teach, which will include a teacher suitability assessment and behavioural interview
• accepting an appointment as a permanent full-time teacher in a rural or remote NSW public school in an agreed location in line with the Scholarship Agreement on completion of their studies
• remaining in the permanent full-time teaching position they are appointed to on completion of their studies for a minimum of 3 years.

The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) is responsible for accrediting initial teacher education programs in NSW. Applicants are advised to refer to the NESA website to make sure that the program they wish to study has been accredited.

If applicants intend to study or are currently studying a teacher education program in another state, they will also need to make sure that their program is recognised as an appropriate initial teacher education program accredited by NESA.

An applicant will be required to select from the following rural and remote school education areas when submitting their application for a teach.Rural Scholarship:

• Anywhere in rural and remote NSW (Albury, Armidale, Bathurst, Bourke, Broken Hill, Deniliquin, Dubbo, Griffith, Moree, Orange, Tamworth and Wagga)
• New England Area (Armidale, Moree, Tamworth)
• Riverina Area (Albury, Deniliquin, Griffith, Wagga Wagga)
• Western NSW Area (Bathurst, Bourke, Broken Hill, Dubbo, Orange)

Or, applicants may nominate individual rural and remote school education areas. Applicants are encouraged to download and view the NSW public schools by staffing area spreadsheet resource to find out which schools are located within each school education/staffing area.

Applicants will be required to complete all practicums in NSW public schools if commencing studies in 2025 or all remaining practicums if continuing studies in 2025. This includes at least one practicum in a rural NSW public school in the final 2 years of an undergraduate degree or final year of a master's degree.

A $500 a week practicum training allowance will be available for eligible scholars while undertaking a practicum in a rural location more than 151 kilometres from their residential address. Eligibility for payment of the practicum allowance will be determined by the department.

Applications for the teach.Rural Scholarship are now closed. You can subscribe to the mailing list for updates about the program.

Applicants are encouraged to commence and submit their application as early as possible during the application period.

No, incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.

The online application system will not allow an applicant to submit their application until all the required fields have been completed. Once an applicant clicks on the submit button, a confirmation email will automatically be sent to the email address they provided as part of their application process. Applicants are advised to please keep a copy of that email for their records.

If an applicant did not receive a confirmation email, they are advised to email the Employment Programs team via scholarships@det.nsw.edu.au.

NSW public schools are grouped into 10 geographic locations called regions. Each region has a number of 'staffing areas' for the purpose of staffing schools. Applicants are encouraged to download and view the NSW public schools by staffing area spreadsheet resource. Scholarship holders are 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 'staffing areas' for the purposes of staffing schools. Scholars will be given one appointment and will not be offered multiple appointments under the scholarship.

Applicants will be required to complete and submit the documents listed below as part of their application for the teach.Rural Scholarship:

• Principal's recommendation form - for HSC students only (PDF 198 KB) (if applicants are currently completing the HSC) as well as Year 11 and 12 school reports and results to date
• Official evidence verifying completion of undergraduate degree and results of undergraduate degree for each year of study (if applicable) for current university students
• Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check: Application and informed consent form (PDF 485 KB)
• Declaration for Child-Related Workers: Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (PDF 473 KB)
• Proof of evidence of Australian Citizenship, permanent residence or visa permitting employment in Australia (if not born in Australia)
• Proof of identity (PDF 255 KB)

To submit the documents, open the IworkforNSW application and upload in line with the instructions provided, prior to the closing date.

If an applicant is a HSC student, a principal's recommendation is an important part of their application. When applying for a scholarship, applicants are advised to ask their principal for a recommendation well before the application deadline, so they have time to write the recommendation.

A principal's recommendation provides the selection panel with information that isn't found elsewhere in an application, including insight into an applicant's personal attributes and leadership qualities.

A selection panel will consider all applications shortly after the closing date. Scholarship applicants who are shortlisted will be required to undertake online assessments to identify their capabilities, key knowledge areas and personal attributes, to determine their suitability.

Scholarships will be offered to successful applicants for entry to university/continuation of university studies in Semester 1, 2025.

The offer of a scholarship is dependent on the applicant:

1. being accepted into/enrolled in an initial teacher education program, or an undergraduate degree followed by an initial teacher education program, at a recognised Australian university that will lead to a qualification that meets the department’s and NESA’s academic requirements for employment as a teacher.
2. undertaking all practicums in NSW public schools if commencing studies in 2025 or all remaining practicums if continuing studies in 2025, including at least one practicum in a rural NSW public school, from the commencement of the scholarship.
3. satisfying the conditions of a Working With Children Check, which is a prerequisite for anyone undertaking child-related work. The check involves a national criminal history check and a review of findings of workplace misconduct.
4. entering into a Scholarship Agreement, a legally binding agreement that outlines the responsibilities of both the scholarship applicant and the department. The agreement also states the duration of the scholarship and the service commitment areas that were selected by the applicant during the application process.

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

If an applicant changes their contact details after the closing date, they are advised to please email their updated contact details to the department's Employment Programs team via scholarships@det.nsw.edu.au.

If an applicant would like feedback on their application, they are encouraged to contact the department's Employment Programs team via scholarships@det.nsw.edu.au.

The $7,500 annual training allowance, $6,000 appointment allowance, course contribution fee allowance and practicum allowance must be declared as assessable income on annual income tax returns. Scholars may have tax withheld from their allowances. HECS-HELP repayments may also be withheld.

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.

Scholars are paid their $7,500 annual training allowance once the Employment Programs team receives confirmation of their enrolment in their teacher education studies. An annual maximum training allowance of $7,500 is payable based on full-time enrolment of 8 subjects or more per academic year. If scholars are enrolled in less than 8 subjects per academic year, they will be paid a pro-rata amount at a rate of $937.50 per subject. The department will not provide an allowance for subjects previously failed and reattempted. The department will also not provide an allowance for subjects which scholars receive advanced standing or academic credit for. Allowances are paid in the form of an electronic funds transfer (EFT) directly into their nominated bank account.

The department pays the equivalent of the scholar's upfront course contribution fees (up to a limit of $50,000) for each unit in which they get a credit grade or above, over the duration of their teaching degree while on scholarship, directly to the scholar.

To be eligible for the department to pay the scholar's equivalent upfront course contribution fee for a unit, they will need to achieve a credit or above result in that unit. Scholars must also provide the department with their academic transcript showing their result and a copy of their university fee invoice clearly stating the cost for each unit.

The department will not pay the equivalent upfront course contribution fee for any unit a scholar fails. The department will also not pay for any unit the scholar has previously failed and reattempted, no matter what result they subsequently achieve.

Payment will be made biannually for all units relevant to the scholar's teaching degree where they achieved a credit grade or above in the previous semester and that they have not already been paid for. The first course contribution fee payment will not be received until the scholar has completed one semester of study under the scholarship. Payment will be made dependent upon the scholar's results and corresponding university fee invoice.

The total amount of equivalent value of upfront course contribution fees paid by the department is capped at $50,000.

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

The department will not pay the equivalent upfront course contribution fee for any unit for which a scholar achieves an ungraded result.

If a scholar is unable to fulfil the terms of the scholarship agreement they will be required to repay the department for any payments as part of the teach.Rural Scholarship. The amount repayable is calculated based on the gross amount paid under the scholarship.

On successful completion of their teacher education studies, and subject to meeting requirements of the department’s approval to teach process, scholars are appointed to a full-time permanent teaching position in a NSW public school, in an agreed location in line with the Scholarship Agreement. Scholars will be given one appointment and will not be offered multiple appointments under the scholarship. Scholars are awarded a $6,000 appointment allowance to assist with relocation costs. A scholar may initially be appointed to a NSW public school temporarily as ‘above establishment’ until a suitable substantive vacancy arises. Scholars may receive notification of their permanent teaching position up to 12 months prior to their entry on duty date.

On successful completion of their teacher education studies, scholars are appointed to a full-time permanent teaching position in a NSW public school in line with the agreed areas/locations confirmed within the Scholarship Agreement. Scholars should familiarise themselves with the schools located within each 'staffing area' in the NSW public schools by staffing area spreadsheet resource. Scholars will be given one appointment and will not be offered multiple appointments under the scholarship.

Yes. On completion of their teacher education 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 benefits calculator to find out about the benefits and incentives that are available to teachers at individual schools.