Key Takeaways:
- Scholarships for teacher education target high-demand areas, offering financial relief and encouraging more educators in needed subjects.
- Applicants typically need to demonstrate academic merit, financial need, and commitment to teaching in specific regions or fields.
- Many scholarships require service obligations post-graduation, effectively reducing debt in exchange for teaching in high-need areas.
A college degree is necessary for most professional jobs today, including education. But with that comes a hefty tuition bill. Many students apply for education scholarships to help pay for college. Investopedia says more than half of students have student debt at graduation. And more than 42 million Americans owe money for college. Repayment can be complicated, with an average teacher salary of about $60,000 per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Teacher scholarships like those listed below can ease this financial burden. Getting scholarships can be a confusing and frustrating process. Check out our guide to getting your academic scholarships.
How to Qualify for These Scholarships for Teachers
For high school seniors, receiving free money to attend school might seem too good to be true. You might be wondering what the catch is. You’ll also probably be glad to hear that the scholarships we highlight in this ranking are all 100% legitimate. That’s right! We did the heavy lifting for you to determine that these awards are absolutely the real deal. You’re not entirely off the hook, though. You must meet specific eligibility requirements to qualify for these scholarships. These criteria will inevitably vary by award program. Some standard requirements for scholarship eligibility include:
Featured Programs
Residency
For many, a teacher scholarship requires a residency in the United States or a specific state. Many individual states form scholarship programs for teachers in training because they have a shortage of teachers in general. Or, they may have a critical need in a specific discipline or teaching area.
Financial Need
Some teaching scholarships are need-based awards. This means that applicants must show low income or some other indicator of financial need to pay for tuition. Sometimes, high school seniors must apply for federal student aid to be eligible for certain scholarships. This is part of the process of demonstrating financial need.
Merit
Merit-based scholarships for educators consider a candidate’s academic record before determining eligibility. Merit is usually gauged by an applicant’s GPA and/or college entrance test scores.
Essay
When teaching scholarships are limited for a specific incentive program, the required essay is often the tie-breaker. When essays are requested, consider this your opportunity to stand out among the pile of other scholarship applicants. Many applicants use the essay to highlight their leadership skills.
Service Obligation
Teacher scholarship programs formed in response to a teacher shortage usually require some sort of service obligation. In other words, applicants will be required to teach in the state for a period of time (e.g., 3-5 years). The service obligation begins after graduation from their teacher preparation program. Students who fail to meet this obligation after finishing their undergraduate program must pay the money back. In this way, awards with service obligations could be considered loan forgiveness programs.
Robert Noyce Scholarship
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The Robert Noyce scholarship is actually a collection of scholarships given to students looking to teach in STEM fields. This includes science, technology, engineering, and math at any level from elementary education to secondary. Schools often experience shortages in these subjects, often due to higher-paying positions in other industries with a STEM background. This program provides funding to schools across the country so that they can offer teaching scholarships to their students.
The Nancy Larson Foundation
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This scholarship is awarded to undergraduate juniors and seniors as well as graduate students who are studying elementary education. Nancy Larson has spent more than 30 years in the education field. She held positions both as a teacher and successful author of mathematics teaching materials. She then founded a publishing company to create resources for other subject areas. Her Foundation awards nine education majors each year with $1000 for tuition as a way to help offset their financial burden.
NEA – Jack Kinnaman Scholarship
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This scholarship is available to students already taking an active role in the field as members of the National Education Association (NEA) Student Program. Each year, five $2,500 awards are granted to education majors. Recipients must show financial need, academic achievement with at least a 2.5 GPA, and participation in NEA activities at a local level. The scholarship is given in memory of former NEA-retired vice President Jack Kinnaman. Kinnaman spent his life as an advocate for both students and educators.
Applegate/Jackson/Parks Teacher Scholarship
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The National Institute for Labor Relations Research (NILRR) awards a $1000 scholarship each year to recognize the courage of three teachers who were terminated when they refused to join a union. The recipient is an undergraduate majoring in education. To be considered, education majors must show academic ability and demonstrate their understanding of unions and the difference between compulsory and voluntary membership.
Early Childhood Educators Massachusetts Department of Higher Education Scholarship
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Students living in Massachusetts should be aware of this Massachusetts Department of Higher Education scholarship. This early childhood education program is designed to attract talented students to the early childhood education profession. Students who qualify may receive up to $4,500 per semester at the University of Massachusetts or a private university. Students who elect to attend a state university will receive up to $3,600 per semester. Finally, community college students may be eligible for up to $2,250 per semester.
The ECE Scholarship Program, funded by the Massachusetts Department of Education, has several eligibility requirements. For example, aspiring college students must be permanent residents of the state and enrolled in an early childhood education program. They must also be employed by an early childhood education care provider for six months while working towards a degree in the field.
STEM Teachers for America’s Future Scholarships
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Sponsored by the AFCEA, the STEM Teachers for America’s Future Scholarships are ideal for prospective STEM educators. This includes those college students seeking a graduate teaching degree. Eligible students can receive up to $2,500. AFCEA International and ManTech International Corporation fund teaching scholarships. To qualify, you must be a U.S. citizen and be enrolled in a K-12 STEM education program at an accredited college or university.
American Montessori Teacher Education Scholarship
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Students interested in the Montessori approach to education may consider applying for this scholarship awarded by the American Montessori Society (AMS). The amount of the financial aid award may vary. In 2020, the AMS awarded $20,000 to sixteen different scholarship recipients. To meet eligibility requirements, students must have been accepted by (or be applying to) a teacher preparation program affiliated with the American Montessori Society. Qualifying programs include Infant & Toddler, Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary.
TEACH Grant
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While not precisely a scholarship, the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grant is a federal student grant. This financial aid award is for teachers in training and does not have to be paid back so long as students meet certain service obligations after graduation.
The amount of the award may vary. Still, qualified students may receive up to $4,000 per year toward tuition expenses for their teacher education program. To meet the service obligation required for the grant, students must teach low-income students in a high-demand teaching area for four years. The grant will be converted to a loan for students who fail to fulfill this requirement.
James Madison Memorial Graduate Fellowship
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If you plan to teach history at the middle or high school level, you may qualify for the James Madison Memorial Graduate Fellowship. This generous secondary education scholarship awards $24,000 in free financial aid. Recipients are history teachers striving to become “outstanding teachers of the American Constitution.” It is highly competitive, though. Only one recipient will be chosen from each state in the United States.
PDK Educational Foundation Scholarship
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Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) International offers over one hundred scholarships for prospective teachers through its PDK Educational Foundation Scholarship. The amount of each financial aid award varies from $500 to $5,000, and some of the scholarships can be renewed annually. Both undergraduate and graduate awards are available. Applicants must be members of the PDK Association or an affiliated organization such as Educators Rising or Pi Lambda Theta.
New York State Math and Science Teaching Incentive Program
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You may be eligible for a full-tuition scholarship if you’re an aspiring high school math or science teacher residing in New York. The scholarship is available through the NYS Math and Science Teaching Incentive Program. Like the federal TEACH grant, this particular financial aid award has some strings attached. Recipients of financial assistance must agree to teach students math or science at the secondary level in the state of New York for five years. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible for this secondary education program. All qualified applicants will receive the award so long as funds are available. If there are more applicants than the budget allows, candidates will receive awards according to their GPA and grade level.
Oklahoma Future Teachers Scholarship
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Are you studying to become a teacher in high-demand subject areas in Oklahoma? If so, you may apply for the Oklahoma Future Teachers Scholarship. Established by the Oklahoma State Regents, this incentive program for educators awards up to $1,500 per semester in financial aid to qualified applicants. Eligibility requirements include residency in Oklahoma and enrollment in a critical needs teacher preparation program. Applicants for financial assistance must also have a referral from an accredited college or university. Recipients must agree to teach in Oklahoma for at least three years after becoming college graduates.
William A. Crawford Minority Teacher Scholarship
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This financial aid award is available to prospective teachers from a minority group (i.e., Black or Hispanic). The William A. Crawford Minority Teacher Scholarship program is offered through the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. Students who qualify as low-income are eligible to receive up to $4,000 a year through the scholarship program. All other students may receive up to $1,000 yearly in scholarship money. Recipients of the award must agree to apply to work as a teacher in Indiana upon graduation from their teacher preparation program. If hired, they must work in the state for at least three years.
Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers
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The Raising Texas Teachers initiative funds this financial aid award. The Charles Butt Scholarship grants qualified applicants up to $8,000 per year toward tuition for a teacher preparation program. To qualify, students must plan to teach in a critical needs area identified by the state. This includes English, Social Studies, ESL, or Special Education. Currently, about a hundred college education scholarships are available. The program is predicted to expand to 500 awards per year.
Fulghum-Fulghum Family Scholarship
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This particular scholarship award is not specifically for teachers. The Fulghum-Fulghum Family Scholarship is open to students of any major. Still, the financial aid program does show a preference for aspiring teachers and applicants studying education, nursing, or social services. The award amount is $1,000. Eligible students include high school seniors already accepted to an accredited college or university.
Frequently-Asked Questions About Scholarships for Teachers
Q: Are there scholarships for teachers to get master’s degrees?
A: Yes. However, scholarships to fund a master’s in education degree are not as plentiful. Still, scholarships are available to graduate students enrolled in a teacher preparation program. Likewise, some scholarships are open to both undergraduate and graduate students.
Q: Are there scholarships for elementary teachers and secondary teachers?
A: Yes. Some scholarships are geared towards specific grade-level teachers, such as preschool or high school teachers, while others are open to teachers at any level of education.
Q: Do I have to teach a specific subject to receive a teacher scholarship?
A: Sometimes. Scholarships are often more widely available in critical needs areas. Or, these awards may be more accessible in a specific location experiencing a teacher shortage in particular subjects or grade levels. These vital needs areas can change each school year. For instance, they could include early childhood education majors, middle school science teachers, or high school math educators.
Q: Can I get a full scholarship for teachers?
A: Yes, it’s possible. Some teaching scholarships and grant programs will fund your entire tuition for four years. This is long enough to earn your bachelor’s in education degree. These are sometimes referred to as full-ride scholarships for teachers.
Teaching scholarships for students with financial need can help encourage more students to enter a teaching education program. They do so by easing the fear of massive student debt and financial difficulties associated with an education degree. Another option is a loan forgiveness program. With these programs, graduates agree to work in areas of high need for about 10 years. During this period, they make monthly loan payments in exchange for the rest of the loan being forgiven. Even if planning to use this type of program, education scholarships for aspiring teachers are also helpful.
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