Key Takeaways:
- Attaining a scholarship in early childhood education can be competitive, but with careful planning and preparation, you can increase your chances of success.
- Tips for scholarship application include thorough research, meeting eligibility requirements, a solid personal statement, strong recommendation letters, a high GPA, demonstrating financial need, showing involvement and leadership, applying early, proofreading the application, and being persistent.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field of early childhood education is rapidly expanding as the population grows. Whether early childhood workers and preschool teachers have an associate’s or master’s degree in the field, the need for qualified workers is constant and ever-growing.
Whether you’re planning on stopping at two-year or plan to go for a master’s degree in early childhood education, there is a wide variety of scholarships available for this fascinating field of study. Here are five great early childhood education scholarships. If you find the process of applying for scholarships confusing, check out our guide to getting academic scholarships.
Featured Programs
1. The Coca Cola Teacher Foundation
Awarded to graduating high school seniors with a proven academic track record and intent to positively impact their communities, the Coca Cola Teacher Foundation awards scholarships of twenty-thousand dollars per year to one hundred and fifty students in the United States. Students must be intent on majoring in an educational field – including early childhood education – and must be able to demonstrate work they have done in a leadership or charitable capacity in their communities. The scholarship application opens each year in August.
2. American Montessori Society (AMS) Teacher Education Scholarship Fund
The American Montessori Society (AMS) Teacher Education Scholarship Fund awards funding to undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in teaching the Montessori method, and are enrolled in the society’s teacher education programs. Membership in the American Montessori Society is required, along with proof of financial need, a personal essay, and three or more letters of recommendation. The award amount varies from year to year, and applications must be received by May 1st.
3. Teacher Education Assistance College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program
A government-administered program, the TEACH Grant is awarded to education majors enrolled in two-year, four-year or master’s degree programs that maintain a grade point average of 3.25 or higher throughout their studies, and who sign an agreement to teach in lower-income schools for a minimum of four years following graduation. Students must also be pursuing a high-need area of academics within their education major, such as special education, mathematics, or ESL, among others. The TEACH Grant awards up to four thousand dollars per academic year, dependent on student need and tuition costs, and can be applied for when students complete the FAFSA for the academic year in which they wish to receive the grant.
Related:
- Online Teaching Degree Programs
- Early Childhood Education Jobs
- Master’s Early Childhood Education Online
- PhD Early Childhood Education Online
- Online Colleges for Early Childhood Education
4. Zeta Phi Beta Isabel M. Herson Scholarship in Education
This scholarship is awarded to both graduating high school seniors and undergraduate college students majoring in education. Zeta Phi Beta administers a number of scholarships to different educational levels and grade point averages of students, including graduate and doctoral students. The basic undergraduate award ranges from five hundred to one thousand per academic year, and proof of enrollment is required.
5. The Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation
Conducted like a quiz bowl in which students compete for scholarship prizes, the Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation awards graduating high school seniors enrolling in education programs scholarship awards ranging from two hundred and fifty to twenty-five hundred dollars. Parents can also compete with their children.
Regardless of your intended area of specialization or degree level, each of these early childhood education scholarships represent excellent opportunities to fund your degree studies – and, in turn, become part of a growing and dynamic profession.
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