The ACT Government has announced a new $4 million Scholarship and Career Pathways to Teaching Program to help strengthen the pipeline of future teachers in the Territory.
To be delivered in partnership with the University of Canberra (UC) and Australian Catholic University (ACU), the program is designed to attract, support and grow the next generation of teachers, including people considering a career change into teaching.
Over four years (2026–2029), up to 30 scholarships will be offered annually across three streams, supporting both undergraduate and postgraduate Initial Teacher Education (ITE) pathways. The program provides financial support of up to $50,000 for undergraduate and up to $25,000 for postgraduate study. This includes a $6,000 appointment allowance – paid as $3,000 per year for two years – for graduates who take up temporary or permanent roles in ACT public schools after successfully completing their degree under the program.
“Australian Catholic University is delighted to partner with the ACT Government to address skills shortages in education. These scholarships are a significant boost for the next generation of teachers in the ACT,” said Australian Catholic University Canberra Campus Professor Dean Darius von Güttner Sporzyński.
“ACU has close partnerships across government and industry and is uniquely placed to help meet the ACT’s workforce needs.”
Minister for Education and Early Childhood, Yvette Berry said the investment builds on the ACT’s focus on growing and supporting a high‑quality teaching workforce.
“We understand the importance of continued training and development for our early childhood, primary and secondary teaching workforce. As we continue to respond to the ongoing national teacher shortage, upskilling our current workforce and offering incentives to attract new teachers are key steps in making ACT public schools an employer of choice for teachers,” Minister Berry said.
“We want our teachers to be the best they can be and that is why we are proud to fund these scholarships to support our future educators in their careers.”
These scholarships complement other long‑standing ACT initiatives, including the ACT Teacher Scholarship Program, the UC STEP employment‑based pathway, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tertiary Scholarship Program, and scholarships supporting early childhood educators that all aim to strengthen public education in the ACT.
The new Scholarship and Career Pathways to Teaching Program scholarships are funded through a 2024 ACT Labor Election Commitment.
For more information visit: Tertiary Scholarship Program – ACT Government.
