Financial support available

The government provides the following financial support to assist people to become qualified early childhood education teachers. More detailed information about this support is available on the Ministry of Education website.

TeachNZ Scholarships - TeachNZ ECE Scholarships are available annually for students undertaking specific programmes equipping them to teach in Kaupapa Maori or Pasifika settings or students from low income backgrounds.

For further information please contact TeachNZ on 0800 165 225 or through the TeachNZ website.

ECE Service Teacher Education Grants ($3375 GST inclusive) are available for teacher-led services and are intended to support teacher-led ECE services, on a priority basis, to achieve the teacher registration targets.

Government-funded Recognition of Prior Learning - Available until June 2011.

Government funded assessments of prior learning are offered by a number of ECE teacher education providers. This process assesses previously gained qualifications, experience and prior learning which may credit towards upgrading to a recognised ECE qualification.