Germany Offers Financial Incentives to Trainee Teachers in Rural Areas
Germany’s state of Thuringia is introducing a new incentive scheme offering trainee teachers up to €1,250 per month in additional payments to address acute teacher shortages in rural regions. According to the state’s education ministry, the new regulation is set to take effect on 5 January and will apply to new appointments from February 2026 onwards.
As reported by German news agency dpa, trainee teachers completing their preparatory service will be eligible for a bonus worth 70 percent of their base salary if they agree to work in shortage regions or teach subjects classified as high-demand. Trainee teachers in Thuringia currently earn between €1,750 and €1,780 per month, meaning the new allowance could amount to an additional €1,220 to €1,250.
Thuringia’s Education Minister Christian Tischner said the goal of the scheme is to encourage young teachers to commit to rural areas at an early stage of their careers. He added that attracting graduates from cities such as Jena and Erfurt could help ensure long-term staffing stability if teachers settle and feel comfortable in their assigned schools.
The allowance will primarily apply to trainee teachers at lower secondary schools and special education schools. Trainees in other school types will only qualify if specific combinations of region and subject are met.
Thuringia already offers financial incentives to newly appointed fully qualified teachers who commit to working in shortage regions or subjects, but this scheme is currently under review. Tischner argued that incentives introduced during the training phase are likely to be a more effective tool in tackling teacher shortages. Under current rules, the two bonus schemes cannot be combined.