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Principals and schools

School Onsite Training Programme

Learn about the school-based training programme offering funded places to become a teacher
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Last updated 21 August 2026

The School Onsite Training Programme (SOTP) supports people training to become teachers through a school-based study and practical teaching experience.  Student teachers spend three days a week in a host school or kura while completing their teaching qualification and receive mentoring support from an experienced teacher. 

Initial Teacher Education (ITE) providers partner with host schools and match schools with people wanting to train to become a teacher. ITE providers must apply to the Ministry of Education to be a part of the programme. 

Host schools and kura receive funding to help cover some of the costs of supporting a student teacher. Principals can also choose to support people in their school community to train as a teacher by participating in the SOTP and becoming a host school.

To be eligible for SOTP funding, ITE providers must deliver an approved 1-year graduate or postgraduate ITE programme that:

•    will lead to teacher registration
•    is focused on primary or secondary education and
•    is able to be delivered online via distance learning.

ITE providers must also: 

  • demonstrate understanding of and integrate work-based pedagogy in their programme delivery and design. They must work with host schools on this design and delivery.
  • demonstrate how SOTP delivers wraparound support and structure for student teachers 
  • offer opportunities for mentoring teachers to enhance their mentoring skills. 
     

SOTP 2027 provider intake

Applications from new providers for the 2027 programme have closed. If you are interested in participating in future SOTP intakes, please contact us.

School Onsite Training Programme for 2027

The 2027 intake is now open.

If you are interested in becoming a teacher:
To apply for a place on an SOTP ITE programme, you need to decide which ITE provider you would like to study with and apply through their application process. If your place is approved by your provider, they will arrange a placement for you at a host school.

If you are interested in becoming a host school or kura:
If you are interested in becoming a host school or kura, contact your preferred ITE provider from the list of SOTP approved providers to discuss hosting a student teacher, or supporting people from your community to train as a teacher. You do not need to apply through the Ministry of Education.
 

Funding

Each SOTP place is funded at $22,660, consisting of:

  • a $20,660 tax-free bursary paid to the student teacher as a contribution towards their study and living costs
  • a $2,000 payment to the host school or kura as a contribution towards the cost of hosting a student teacher onsite.

SOTP providers

All ITE providers offering SOTP places and their programmes are listed below. 

SOTP providers and programmes
Contact details, programmes and useful links
Go to list launch

School | kura eligibility

All participating schools and kura must:

  • be state, state-integrated or private schools. Charter schools are not eligible to host Ministry-funded SOTP student teachers
  • have formal arrangements and support structures in place for student teachers
  • ensure mentoring teachers have a minimum of four years' teaching experience.

Additionally, primary schools and kura must be able to demonstrate school-wide commitment to professional learning and development in structured maths and literacy.

Student eligibility 

Students must: 

  • be a graduate, as this is a one-year graduate or post-graduate training programme
  • be a New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or holder of a resident visa. International students are not eligible
  • be enrolled in an approved SOTP one-year Initial Teacher Education programme that leads to teacher registration
  • not have accepted a TeachNZ scholarship or another Ministry funded pathway into teaching.

* You can apply for other Ministry funded pathways into teaching. However, you can only accept funding through one programme. 

School staff requirements

School staff who meet the student eligibility criteria can train to become a teacher through SOTP. However, they cannot be employed to work on the 3 days that form part of the SOTP placement.
 

Contact us

Contact your preferred provider directly from the list of providers to participate in the SOTP.

Please get in touch if you have other questions about the information on this page. We're here to help.

Email: info.sotp@education.govt.nz

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