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, Teacher Education Scholarship - Aboriginal and the Graduate Teacher Scholarship.

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

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

Yes, if you meet the eligibility criteria you are welcome to reapply.

No, only HSC students commencing university study next year and university students currently enrolled and studying in Semester 2, 2023, can apply for a teach.Rural Scholarship.

If you are successful in being awarded a teach.Rural Scholarship, you are not able to defer your university studies.

Up to 120 teach.Rural Scholarships were available in 2023.

The teach.Rural Scholarship is available for a minimum of one year and can support future teachers for a maximum of five 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 primary, secondary or inclusive/special education (K - 12) teacher
• undertaking all practicums in NSW public schools if commencing studies in 2024 or all remaining practicums if continuing studies in 2024
• satisfying the department’s recruitment procedures and requirements. During the final two 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 three years.

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

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

You will be required to select from the following rural and remote school education areas when submitting your 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, you may nominate individual rural and remote school education areas. Applicants are encouraged to download and view the organisation of public schools by staffing area resource to find out which schools are located within each school education/staffing area.

You will be required to complete all practicums in NSW public schools if commencing studies in 2024 or all remaining practicums if continuing studies in 2024. This includes at least one practicum in a rural NSW public school in the final two years of an undergraduate degree or final year of a masters degree.

A $500 a week practicum training allowance will be available for eligible teach.Rural 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 must be submitted using the online application form. During the application period an ‘apply now’ button will be available on the teach.Rural Scholarship webpage. Outside the application period, you are encouraged to subscribe to be notified when applications open.

We encourage applicants to commence and submit their application as early as possible during the application period.

Applications closed 11:59pm (AEST) Friday, 25 August 2023. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.

The online application system will not allow you to submit your application until all the required fields have been completed. Once you click on the submit button, a confirmation email will automatically be sent to the email address you provided as part of the application process. Please keep a copy of that email for your records.

If you did not receive a confirmation email, please email the Employment Programs team via scholarships@det.nsw.edu.au.

NSW public schools are grouped into ten 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 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 'staffing areas' for the purposes of staffing schools. Scholars will be given one appointment and will not be offered multiple appointments under the scholarship.

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

• Principal's recommendation form - for HSC students only (PDF 148 KB) (if you 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 and practicum reports (if applicable) for current university students
• Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check: Application and informed consent form (PDF 559 KB)
• Declaration for Child-Related Workers: Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (PDF 190 KB)
• Proof of evidence of Australian Citizenship, permanent residence or visa permitting employment in Australia (if not born in Australia)
• Proof of identity (PDF 180 KB)

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

If you are a HSC student, a principal's recommendation is an important part of your application. If you are planning on applying for a scholarship, ask your 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 in January for entry to university/continuation of university studies in Semester 1, 2024.

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 2024 or all remaining practicums if continuing studies in 2024, 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 you change your contact details after the closing date, please email your updated contact details to the department's Employment Programs team via scholarships@det.nsw.edu.au.

If you would like feedback on your application, 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.

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 training allowance of $7,500 is payable based on full-time enrolment of eight subjects or more per academic year. The department will not provide an allowance for subjects previously failed and reattempted. The department will also not provide an allowance for subjects which you 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 your upfront course contribution fees (up to a limit of $50,000) for each unit in which you get a credit grade or above, over the duration of your teaching degree while on scholarship, directly to you.

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

The department will not pay the equivalent upfront course contribution fee for any unit you fail. The department will also not pay for any unit you have previously failed and reattempted, no matter what result you subsequently achieve.

Payment will be made annually for all units relevant to your teaching degree where you achieved a credit grade or above in the previous year and that you have not already been paid for. Your first course contribution fee payment will not be received until you have completed one year of study as a teach.Rural scholar. Payment will be made dependent upon your yearly results and corresponding university fee invoice for the year prior.

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 you receive advanced standing or academic credit for.

The department will not pay the equivalent upfront course contribution fee for any unit for which you achieve 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.

On successful completion of their teacher education studies, and subject to meeting requirements of the department’s approval to teach process, teach.Rural 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.

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 organisation of public schools by staffing area 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 Teach NSW benefits calculator to find out about the benefits and incentives that are available to teachers at individual schools.