FAQs
Industry professionals and current university students who meet the eligibility requirements can apply for a teach.MathsNOW Scholarship.
Applications must be submitted using the online application form. During the application period an 'Apply now' button will be available on the teach.MathsNOW Scholarship webpage. Outside the application period, you are encouraged to subscribe to be notified when applications open.
Applicants are encouraged to commence and submit their application as early as possible during the application period.
No. The online application form will only be available until 11:59pm on Friday, 11 September 2020. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.
The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) is responsible for accrediting initial teacher education programs in NSW. Refer to the NESA website to make sure that the program you wish to study has been accredited.
If you intend to study or are currently studying a teacher education program in another state, you will also need to make sure that your program is recognised as an appropriate initial teacher education program by NESA.
You will be required to complete and submit the documents listed below as part of your application for the teach.MathsNOW Scholarship:
- official transcripts of results for your undergraduate degree for each year of study to date, including current enrolment. This also includes any studies as part of your initial teacher education qualification e.g. Bachelor of Mathematics/Bachelor of Teaching, Master of Teaching (Secondary Mathematics) etc.
- official evidence verifying completion of undergraduate degree (if applicable)
- for industry professionals, a statement of service confirming 3 years relevant industry experience within the last 10 years
- Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check Application and Informed Consent Form (PDF 1.9 MB)
- Declaration for Child-Related Work – National Criminal Records form (PDF 123 KB)
- Proof of identity including evidence of Australian Citizenship, permanent residence or visa permitting employment in Australia (if not born in Australia)
To submit the documents, open your IworkforNSW application and upload in line with the instructions provided, prior to the closing date.
The online application system will not allow you to submit your application until all the required fields have been completed. Once you click on the submit button, a confirmation email will automatically be sent to the email address you provided as part of the application process. Please keep a copy of that email for your records. If you did not receive a confirmation email, please email the Employment Programs Team via teach.mathsNOW@det.nsw.edu.au.
Some examples of relevant industries would include, but are not limited to: engineering, banking, insurance and investment, environmental modelling, medicine, meteorology, computing, information technology, government, education or research.
A selection panel will consider all applications shortly after the closing date. Scholarship applicants who are shortlisted will be required to undertake online assessments to identify: their capabilities, key knowledge areas and personal attributes to determine their suitability.
A teach.MathsNOW Scholarship will be offered to successful applicants in January for continuation or commencement of their university studies in Semester 1, 2021.
The offer of a scholarship is dependent on the applicant:
- Being enrolled in an initial teacher education program in 2021 at a recognised Australian university that will lead to a qualification that meets the department's and NESA's academic requirements for employment as a secondary mathematics teacher by the end of 2022.
- Satisfying the conditions of a Working With Children Check, which is a prerequisite for anyone undertaking child-related work. The check involves a national criminal history check and a review of findings of workplace misconduct.
- Entering into a Deed of Agreement, a legally binding agreement that outlines the responsibilities of both the scholarship applicant and the NSW Department of Education. The agreement also states the duration of the scholarship and the service commitment areas that were selected by the applicant during the application process.
- Successfully completing an assessment of your English language proficiency. This is a requirement to gain an approval to teach in NSW public schools for applicants who have not completed the full four years of required higher education in a country where English is the main language.
Yes. Both successful and unsuccessful applicants are notified of the outcome via email once the selection process has been completed. If you change your contact details after the closing date, please email your updated contact details to the Employment Programs Team via teach.mathsNOW@det.nsw.edu.au.
Up to 80 teach.MathsNOW scholarships are available to industry professionals and current university students, training to become secondary mathematics teachers.
If you would like feedback on your application, contact the Employment Programs Team via teach.mathsNOW@det.nsw.edu.au.
Successful applicants are required to sign a Deed of Agreement with the department committing them to:
- accepting appointment as an educational paraprofessional (on a part-time basis) in a NSW public school from Term 3, 2021, for the remaining duration of their teacher education program
- successfully completing teacher education studies at a recognised Australian university that will lead to a qualification that meets the department's and NESA's academic requirements for employment as a secondary mathematics teacher
- accepting an appointment as a permanent full-time teacher in a NSW public school in an agreed location on completion of their studies
- remaining in the permanent full-time teaching position they are appointed to on completion of their studies for a minimum of three years.
teach.MathsNOW scholarships can support future teachers for a maximum of two years.
Scholars will commence part-time work as an Educational Paraprofessional at the school they have been appointed to from Term 3, 2021, for the remaining duration of their teacher training.
Scholars are appointed to a NSW public school that is within a reasonable travel distance of the university they are attending or their residential address.
Scholars are employed under the Teaching Services Act 1980 as Educational Paraprofessionals. This means that scholars work under the same conditions and hours of work as a teacher, with paid leave during school holidays in accordance with their part-time status. Scholars also have access to sick leave, accrued pro rata.
As Educational Paraprofessionals, scholars will work on a part-time basis while completing their studies. Scholars are also required to work during university breaks in cases where those breaks fall outside of school holiday periods. To ensure that your work at your school aligns with your university studies, you will be able to negotiate your working days with your school supervisor.
Scholars work with individual students or small groups of students to support individualised learning plans under the supervision of a teacher. Scholars also support the teacher to develop curriculum and assessment materials, research professional learning materials, prepare the learning environment, implement teaching and learning strategies and collate student data. Scholars do not have any direct supervision of students or any responsibility for classroom management.
Scholars may be asked to assist a teacher during playground duty or with school sport activities.
Scholars may also be asked to participate in after-school activities on the days that they are working at their school. These activities may include staff meetings, professional learning activities and parent-teacher meetings.
The annual salary of a full-time Educational Paraprofessional undertaking teacher education studies is $67,013 (as at January 2020). Scholars are paid as Educational Paraprofessionals pro rata, commensurate with their part-time status.
The department pays the equivalent of your upfront course contribution fees (up to a limit of $50,000) over the duration of your teaching degree, directly to you. Payment will be scheduled at the completion of each semester of study, on provision of your university fee invoice and your academic transcript showing your results for those units appearing on your invoice.
To be eligible to receive your equivalent upfront course contribution fee for a unit, you must provide the Employment Programs Team with a copy of your university fee invoice clearly stating the cost of the unit and your academic transcript showing your results in the unit (from your previous semester’s study). Scholars are paid in the form of an electronic funds transfer (EFT) directly into their nominated bank account.
The department will not pay for any unit you have previously failed and reattempted while on scholarship, no matter what result you subsequently achieve.
The total amount of equivalent value of upfront course contribution fees paid by the department is capped at $50,000.
The department will not pay the equivalent upfront course contribution fee for any unit for which you receive advanced standing or academic credit for.
teach.MathsNOW scholars will receive their $5,000 training allowance once the Employment Programs Team receives confirmation of their enrolment. The $5,000 study completion grant will be paid once the Employment Programs Team receives a final academic transcript clearly stating that the scholar has satisfactorily completed all course requirements.
The equivalent upfront course contribution fees teach.MathsNOW scholars receive, as well as the $5,000 training allowance and $5,000 study completion grant must be declared as assessable income on annual income tax returns. Scholars may have tax withheld from their equivalent upfront course contribution fee payment. HECS-HELP repayments may also be withheld depending on individual circumstances.
On successful completion of their teacher education studies, teach.MathsNOW scholars are appointed to a full-time permanent teaching position in a NSW public school in an agreed location. A scholar may initially be appointed to a NSW public school temporarily as 'above establishment' until a suitable substantive vacancy arises.
Yes. On completion of their teacher education studies and appointment to a permanent position, scholars may be eligible for a wide range of benefits and incentives. The benefits vary from school to school. Use the teach.NSW benefits calculator to find out about the benefits and incentives that are available to teachers at individual schools.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to select either 'Anywhere in the State' or individual school education areas where you would like to be appointed on completion of your studies.
If you select to be appointed 'Anywhere in the State', you are agreeing to be appointed to a school in one of the following school education areas: Albury, Armidale, Bankstown, Batemans Bay, Bathurst, Blacktown, Bondi, Bourke, Broken Hill, Campbelltown, Central Coast, Clarence/Coffs Harbour, Deniliquin, Dubbo, Fairfield, Granville, Griffith, Hornsby, Lake Macquarie, Lismore, Liverpool, Maitland, Moree, Mount Druitt, Muswellbrook, Newcastle, Northern Beaches, Orange, Parramatta, Penrith, Port Jackson, Port Macquarie, Queanbeyan, Ryde, Shellharbour, St George, Sutherland, Tamworth, Taree, Tweed Heads/Ballina, Wagga Wagga, Windsor or Wollongong.
You may also choose to select one school education area from the following list of priority rural or remote areas of workforce need: Bourke, Broken Hill, Dubbo, Griffith, Moree or Orange.
For admission to NSW graduate entry secondary teaching programs, your undergraduate studies must align with the area you intend to teach. Your bachelor degree should contain at least one major study relevant to the first teaching area (mathematics) consistent with the NSW Education Standards Authority’s subject content knowledge requirements.
If you have not completed a major in pure or applied mathematics as part of your undergraduate degree you are able to include appropriate postgraduate pure or applied mathematics studies to satisfy the required number of discipline units. In addition, some graduate entry secondary teacher training programs may include elective units that can be used to top up any shortfall in the required number of mathematics discipline units.
You are required to complete the following university level studies to gain approval to teach secondary mathematics:
- A major of six subjects in pure or applied mathematics with at least four subjects at second year level and above (must include algebra and calculus). One unit of statistics may be counted provided it is studied as a stand-alone unit. Engineering units may be considered upon review of unit statements for appropriate mathematical content; and
- An approved graduate entry teacher training program containing one or two subjects of mathematics method and curriculum studies appropriate for years 7 – 12, including one or two subjects of practicum in a secondary mathematics setting.
If you have not found the answers to your questions in the above FAQs, contact the Employment Programs Team via teach.mathsNOW@det.nsw.edu.au or phone 1300 114 541.