Key Takeaways:
- The Gates Scholarship and Horatio Alger Association scholarships are among the top scholarships available for education majors.
- Various organizations offer scholarships to support education majors, emphasizing accessibility and quality in the teaching profession.
- The list includes a variety of scholarships targeting different aspects of education, providing financial aid to aspiring educators.
The importance of accessible, quality education cannot be overstated. The good news is that many organizations recognize this and offer teaching scholarships to education majors of all stripes.
This list of 50 great scholarships for future teachers features a diverse range of scholarships available from various sources. Professional organizations, fraternities, corporations, scholarly associations, social clubs, and more are featured on our list; all are offering financial assistance in the form of great scholarships to students majoring in education.
Most of the scholarships for ed majors on our list are intended as financial assistance for undergraduate students, but there are also a good number of fantastic scholarships and fellowships offered to graduate and post-graduate students featured.
Whether for undergraduate or graduate studies, each scholarship is intended for a specific field of study. Some emphasize academic success in an education program, while others focus on community service and leadership. Still others want to reward students who have struggled to overcome adversity in their pursuit of higher education.
Some of these scholarships exist to incentivize students to major in areas of education where there are shortages, such as special education. In contrast, others aim to make majoring in education more accessible to minority students.
No matter who you are, you can find a scholarship for your higher education goals on this list. And don’t neglect to check out our teaching scholarships FAQ at the end of the article! What follows is our collection of the best scholarships out there for education majors in 2021 and beyond.
Top Scholarships for Education Majors
#1. The Gates Scholarship
The Gates Millennium Scholars Program was one of the biggest private scholarships in the United States and has now been replaced by The Gates Scholarship. This is a last-dollar scholarship for education majors, meaning when a student’s financial aid and expected family contributions are less than the cost of room, board, and tuition, this scholarship fills the gap.
The scholarship is for high-performing students of African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian and Pacific Islander, and/or Hispanic American ethnicities. Proof of tribal enrollment is required for American Indian/Alaska Native students. This scholarship is awarded annually to 300 high school students who demonstrate financial need.
College students must be Pell-eligible, U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents, have a 3.3 GPA, and plan to enroll full-time in a four-year degree program at an accredited not-for-profit university.
- Award: Last-Dollar
- Application Deadline: September 15th
#2. Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans Targeted Scholarships
The targeted scholarships offered by the Horatio Alger Association share similar requirements with the main scholarships. The difference is that these top scholarships all require college students to attend specific colleges or universities, or need a particular major to be eligible. One is for students who aspire to be a science teacher or teacher of other STEM subjects, for instance. There are excellent opportunities here for education majors who meet the criteria, as competition will be less intense and the awards are substantial.
- Award: $10,000-$52,000
- Application Deadline: Varies by Scholarship
#3. Burger King McLamore Foundation Scholarship
This scholarship was created in memory of Jim W. McLamore, co-founder of Burger King. It’s intended to aid employees of the restaurant chain and their family members who wish to attend college. In 2018, the scholarship was awarded to over 3,400 students. With $3.7 million awarded, this yields an average award of $1,088.24.
- Award: $1,000-$50,000
- Application Deadline: Dec. 15
#4. Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
The Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program is designed to provide educational advising and financial support from 8th grade through high school graduation. The college scholarship program awards up to $40,000 per year to education majors and students planning to teach, along with academic advising, networking opportunities, and college planning support.
The undergraduate transfer scholarship awards up to $40,000/year for up to three years to college students seeking to complete an education degree at elite four-year colleges or universities.
- Award: Up to $40,000/year
- Application Deadline: App. Period is Fall
#5. Ron Brown Scholar Program
This scholarship, designed for gifted and community-minded African Americans, is available to undergraduate students and awards $10,000 per year for a period of four years. The teaching scholarships are designed to support the most promising and economically disadvantaged high school students who are interested in public service, community engagement, and entrepreneurship.
300 Ron Brown scholarships have been awarded over the past 24 years, meaning an average of 12.5 college students per year receive this scholarship. Early application deadline is November 1st.
- Award: $40,000
- Application Deadline: January 9th
#6. Thurgood Marshall College Fund
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund partners with a great number of corporations like McDonald’s, CVS, American Airlines, Coca-Cola, FedEx, Wells Fargo, Lowe’s, Boeing, Walmart, Kellogg’s, and Comcast. In partnership, they award teaching scholarships to students attending historically black colleges and universities, as well as primarily black institutions.
Scholarships and fellowships offered through the TMCF range in value from $750 in emergency funds to full-on graduate teaching fellowships worth over $40,000/year. Not all of them are available to education majors but many are.
- Award: $750-$40,000
- Application Deadline: Varies
#7. Harry S. Truman Scholarship
The Truman Fellowship competition is for college students pursuing higher education with the goal of becoming a force for change in government agencies, nonprofit organizations, or educational institutions.
Truman scholars devote their lives and careers to improving organizations that serve the public. The fellowship is open to current graduate students who are pursuing a master’s degree in one of several areas, including education.
- Award: Up to $30,000
- Application Deadline: Feb. 4
#8. Ford Foundation Fellowships
The Ford Foundation awards approximately 70 predoctoral fellowships annually, each providing three years of support for graduate students pursuing a Ph.D. or Sc.D. degree.
Recognizing the severe lack of representation from groups including Alaska Natives, Black/African Americans, Mexican Americans, Native Americans, Native Pacific Islanders, and Puerto Ricans in American higher education, the Ford Foundation considers belonging to one of these groups as a positive factor when evaluating candidates.
- Award: $27,000 3-year Stipend
- Application Deadline: Varies
#9. Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans National Scholarships
The Horatio Alger Association national scholarships are massive financial aid awards. They are awarded to 106 college students. Students must display both integrity and perseverance even as they overcome hardships in their lives.
The minimum GPA for applicants for these scholarships is 2.0. Students must be high school graduates planning to earn their bachelor’s degree at public schools, private schools, or a not-for-profit college or university within the United States.
Undergraduate students majoring in education may begin their studies at a two-year college. These community college students must intend to transfer to a four-year institution to complete their degree, though.
- Award: $25,000
- Application Deadline: Oct. 25
#10. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics offers a wide range of teaching scholarships and research grants to aspiring teachers of all levels, including graduate students, those pursuing bachelor’s degrees, and community college students. Most scholarships are highly targeted, making it easier for education majors to decide which ones to apply for.
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics scholarships are available to math educators and future math educators at the undergraduate through postgraduate level. This includes those high school students planning to teach at the early childhood, elementary, and secondary school levels.
- Award: $1,500-$24,000
- Application Deadline: Nov. 1st
#11. James Madison Memorial Fellowship
The James Madison Fellowship is available to teachers earning their Master of Arts, Master of Arts in Teaching, or Master of Education degree with a concentration in American history, American government, political science, or government.
Students applying for this fellowship must be high school teachers of grades 7-12 who are committed to teaching American history, American government, or civics classes, covering topics related to the U.S. Constitution. Early childhood education and elementary majors are not eligible.
- Award: $24,000
- Application Deadline: Mar. 1st
#12. Dell Scholars
In addition to the significant monetary award, the Dell Scholars program provides college students with confidential counseling, financial aid coaching, work-life solutions, and access to support staff who have similar experiences to the student.
High school graduates who are Dell scholars are 25% more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree than students from similar socioeconomic backgrounds. Half of Dell scholars graduate with no student debt, and those who do graduate with debt average $15,000 in loans, about half the national average.
- Award: $20,000
- Application Deadline: December 1
#13. Peters Foundation Scholarship
The Peters Foundation scholarship is for high school seniors planning to attend a Christian university and major in areas of environment, conservation, and forestry, or education. The scholarship is limited to college students attending schools in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, or Colorado.
These financial aid awards are granted based on a combination of financial need and academic performance. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for these scholarships.
- Award: $10,000-$20,000 over 4 years
- Application Deadline: April 1st
#14. Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
While not limited to college students majoring in education, the Coca-Cola Scholars Program offers a wide range of scholarships to students pursuing bachelor’s degrees. The flagship scholarship is a $20,000 award given to 150 students annually.
The community college scholarship offers 50 $1,500, 50, $1,250, and 50 $1,000 scholarships per year to students attending community colleges.
The Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise scholarship awards 200 scholarships of $1,000 each to members of Phi Theta Kappa. This honors society supports high school students in reaching their full potential by developing professional and leadership skills and exploring career paths.
- Award: $1,000-$20,000
- Application Deadline: N/A
#15. Jewish Community Center Scholarship Programs
The Jewish Community Center’s scholarships are available to Jewish college students who are working or intend to work with Jewish-affiliated community centers in an educational or administrative capacity. A work requirement is attached, equivalent to six months of work with JCCs, for every $5,000 granted by the scholarships.
The teaching scholarships are available to graduate students and will pay up to $20,000 at a rate of $5,000 per semester towards a graduate degree. For those education professionals who decide not to meet the work requirement after graduation, the scholarship converts to an interest-free loan.
Scholarships are available to full-time and part-time students pursuing graduate degrees, certificate programs, and continuing education classes.
- Award: $5,000-$20,000
- Application Deadline: October 1st For the Following Year