National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) offer flexible, high-quality professional development designed to help teachers and school leaders build core skills, progress their careers and drive better pupil outcomes.

To support the profession, the Department for Education (DfE) provides scholarship funding to cover course fees for eligible applicants.

Funded NPQs for all state-funded schools

For the Autumn 2026 cohort, scholarship funding is available to teachers and leaders in England in all state-funded schools, maintained nurseries, 16 to 19 educational settings, hospital schools, young offender institutions and local authority virtual school headteachers, deputy headteachers or staff in direct teaching roles for these three specific qualifications:

• NPQ for Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (NPQ fo SENCOs)

• NPQ for Senior Leadership (NPQSL)

• NPQ for Headship (NPQH)

Disadvantage-based & targeted funding

For all other NPQ pathways, scholarship funding is targeted toward settings with the highest levels of economic disadvantage or those enrolled in specific school improvement programmes.

Full course fee coverage is available for the following NPQs only if your school or 16 to 19 setting meets specific disadvantage criteria:

• NPQ for Leading Teaching (NPQLT)

• NPQ for Leading Behaviour and Culture (NPQLBC)

• NPQ for Leading Teacher Development (NPQLTD)

• NPQ for Executive Leadership (NPQEL)

How disadvantage-based funding eligibility is calculated

The eligible settings are fixed for the Autumn 2026 recruitment period based on two distinct lists:

• Schools: The top 50% of publicly funded schools with the highest proportion of pupils attracting Pupil Premium (excluding maintained nurseries).

• Further Education: The top 50% of 16 to 19 settings with the highest proportion of funded students attracting a disadvantage uplift.

Exceptions & special programmes

• RISE Programme Schools: If your school is part of the targeted Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) program, you are automatically eligible for scholarship funding across all NPQs.

• Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Mentors: For the NPQLTD, you can get a full scholarship even if your school doesn't meet the disadvantage criteria, provided you are taking on the role of lead mentor for an accredited ITT provider.

Find out if your school is eligible

You can quickly and easily find out if you're eligible for a scholarship by using our scholarship checker below, simply enter your school's URN. 
Scholarship Checker

Headship support

Early Headship Coaching Offer

If you are currently taking or have completed the Headship NPQ, you can access funding for the Early Headship Coaching Offer. To qualify, you must be in your first 5 years of headship at a state-funded school or 16 to 19 organisation in England.

Want to Know More?

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 Email: npq@bestpracticenet.co.uk

 Tel: 0117 920 9200 (8.30am-5.30pm, Mon-Fri)