Teachers significantly influence student learning and motivation, with their beliefs playing a key role in shaping instructional behavior (Dweck et al., 2006; Hattie, 2023). Growth mindsets, emphasizing the malleability of abilities through effort, have been linked to better educational outcomes (Burnette et al., 2023). Field-specific ability beliefs (FABs) focus on the context-specificity of mindsets, assessing beliefs about the necessity of innate ability for success in a subject (Leslie et al., 2015). Most longitudinal mindset studies focus on the development of Growth Mindset in the context of an intervention (Yeager et al., 2022); there is a scarcity on research regarding the question how mindsets, especially field-specific mindsets, change in the absence of interventions; even more so related to teacher mindsets. This study investigates the longitudinal development of FABs as well as Growth Mindset in 1,015 preservice teachers across 21 subjects over four years. Structural equation modeling and latent growth models were employed to analyze changes in both field-specific mindsets and general mindsets of intelligence. Pre-service teachers rated both their belief in the necessity of talent in their subject and their belief in the necessity of intelligence for academic success in general. Covariates were gender and prior achievement. Overall, FABs decreased over four years, indicating a shift toward reduced emphasis on innate ability for success. STEM subjects (Science, Technology and Mathematics), in general, started with higher FABs and showed steeper declines compared to non-STEM subjects. Pre-service teachers in mathematics showed the strongest FABs at T1, but also the strongest decline. Physical education was the only subject where FABs increased over time. Gender influenced initial FABs, with men exhibiting stronger beliefs in innate ability at the start of teacher education. Growth mindset, on the other hand, showed a different trajectory throughout teacher training, with a decreasing curve at the first two years of university. After the third year we found a weak increase in growth mindset in most subjects, however, Physical Education showed once again a more complex pattern. The findings highlight the dynamic nature of mindsets during teacher education. Results suggest that teacher university training may contribute to a shift towards a growth-perspective in specific subjects, but not in the mindset of intelligence. Subject-specific variations emphasize the need for tailored interventions and teacher training strategies. Overall, the study contributes valuable insights into the complex interplay between teacher beliefs, subject specificity, and mindset development during the crucial phase of teacher education.

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