Teach the Future Fellowship Program

Overview

The Teach the Future Fellowship (TFF) is a Victorian Department of Education initiative that supports students commencing an eligible undergraduate initial teacher education (ITE) degree in 2026 in areas of workforce shortage.

There are 200 fellowships available in 2026. The Department of Education will prioritise participants:

• studying an in-demand subject
• studying secondary, specialist, dual secondary-specialist or primary-specialist undergraduate teaching degrees
• studying at Victorian-based ITE providers
• who have lived in rural and regional areas over the past 5 years
• with a high ATAR or equivalent result (with first consideration to those with an ATAR of 85 or above).

Fellowship benefits

Successful recipients will receive a total of $10,000 over the duration of their undergraduate teacher education program. This includes $8,000 in the first year of study and $2,000 upon completion of their Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA) in their fellowship subject specialism at an eligible school located in a rural or regional area, or in a growth corridor at the time of assessment. Fellows will also have access to mentoring and networking opportunities to support their early teaching career.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for the TFF, applicants must meet all six criteria:

1. Be a Victorian or designated border community resident domestic student (Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident, New Zealand citizen living in Victoria, or Australian permanent humanitarian visa holder).
2. Have a primary place of residence in Victoria or a designated border community during the completion of their eligible ITE degree.
3. Be enrolled in a VIT-accredited undergraduate teaching degree (secondary, specialist, dual primary-secondary, secondary-specialist, or primary-specialist) or an equivalent program recognised by the VIT, with a first census date between 1 January 2026 and 31 March 2026.
4. Be commencing their first year of study in 2026.
5. Undertake at least 50% of a full-time study load (EFTSL) at the time of assessment.
6. Specialise in STEM disciplines, English as an Additional Language (EAL), and/or special education within their teaching degree.

How to apply

Applicants can apply for the Teach the Future Fellowship (TFF) via the online form available on the Department of Education website: Teach the Future Fellowship program.

For more information on required information and documentation, please review the guidelines and FAQ’s.

Contact

For overall program queries about eligibility and program policy, rules and processes contact teach.the.future.fellowships@education.vic.gov.au