Recognised further education teacher training courses eligible for student support: 2025 to 2026
Updated 31 March 2025
Applies to England
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This guidance explains which further education (FE) initial teacher education (ITE) courses are eligible for student support funding. It covers courses offered by:
- higher education (HE) providers with degree awarding powers
- other providers which have validation arrangements with聽HE聽providers with degree awarding powers
FE聽ITE聽courses leading to Ofqual-regulated qualifications are not eligible for student support funding.
We have published this list under聽. Regulation 2B requires the Secretary of State to publish a list of courses which are, in their opinion, initial further education teacher training courses. The text in the list of recognised courses refers to 鈥榠nitial further education teacher training鈥�, as this is how聽FE聽ITE聽is described in the relevant regulations.
List of recognised courses
For courses commencing in the academic year 2025 to 2026, the following are initial further education teacher training courses in the opinion of the Secretary of State.聽
Qualifications developed by an English higher education provider which has been granted degree awarding powers, at the following levels:
- level 5, a course leading to the Certificate in Education (CertEd)
- level 6, a course leading to the Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PgCE)
- level 7, a course leading to the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) or the Postgraduate Diploma聽in Education (PGDE)
Only courses which allow a person to meet the occupational standard for a聽聽are recognised.
Course titles
The full name of the courses should clearly identify that they are for the training of teachers to work in the聽FE聽sector. For example, by using聽the words 鈥榠n further education and skills鈥�, or similar. This information should be included when course titles are submitted to the Student Loans Company.
HE聽providers should try to align qualification titles聽with subjects at sector subject area level聽. Providers should include this in the qualification title when they submit information to the Student Loans Company.