Scholarships for Future Teachers

Teaching is a noble profession, and luckily many colleges and organizations realize this and offer scholarships for future teachers. Getting a teaching degree isn't easy - it involves long hours and plenty of practical experience. Sometimes it isn't possible to work and complete your teaching degree at the same time. These scholarships make it easier for potential teachers to afford college, and one might be just right for you!

Find college scholarships.

Scholarships for Future Teachers from Organizations

Teachers Count

Teachers Count is an organization that believes in the power of teachers. While it does not offer any teaching scholarships itself, it does have a page full of links to National and Regional Scholarships, Local Government Programs, Scholarships for Specific Schools, Federal Government Programs, and General Scholarship Databases.

National Institute for Labor Relations Research

The National Institute for Labor Relations Research offers the Applegate/Jackson Parks Future Teacher Scholarship, a $1,000 scholarship available to anyone pursuing a graduate or undergraduate degree in education.

American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

The American Federation of Teachers is part of the AFL-CIO. Their website contains information on their mission as well as a listing of scholarships and loan forgiveness programs. Unlike scholarships, loan forgiveness means you need to apply for and receive student loans, but, assuming successful completion of the degree and fulfillment of any contractual obligations such as teaching in a particular area or school for a year or two, you will not have to repay the loans. This is not a scholarship or grant, but the end result is similar.

Scholarships for Minorities

If you're a minority, there are some college funding options available just for you:

Siemens Foundation

The Siemens Foundation offers the Siemens Teacher Scholarship in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund and the United Negro College Fund in order to assist future minority educators interested in teaching math or science.

United Negro College Fund

The United Negro College Fund offers scholarships with and without restrictions on your intended teaching subject. The type and amount of support varies, but with a list of over 250 scholarships available, there's a good chance you'll find one matching your interests.

State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana

The state of Indiana offers a minority scholarship to help encourage future African-American and Hispanic teachers. While the maximum award is normally $1,000, if financial need is demonstrated, it is possible to receive up to $4,000. They do have restrictions, however, so read the application carefully before applying.

College Zone - Minority Teachers in Illinois

Illinois also offers scholarships for future teachers who are minorities. They include African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans and offer up to $5,000 a year to cover tuition, fees, and room and board.

Scholarships from Schools

Many schools offer scholarships you may not know about unless you check with the financial aid office or education department. Don’t be shy - there are scholarships that are never awarded because no one applies for them! You can also look at the alumni association's website for potential scholarships.

Government Scholarships

Since teachers are usually employed by cities and municipalities, there are often scholarships available from the government meant to encourage future teachers. A few examples include:

Washington State Higher Ed Coordinating Board

Washington state's Higher Education Coordinating Board offers scholarships and loan repayment programs for those interested in teaching in Washington state. You must be willing to teach in Washington state in order to receive these scholarships and loan repayments. Failure to do so means that you'll have to pay back any money, and you may even be fined.

Los Angeles Collaborative for Teacher Excellence

The Los Angeles Collaborative for Teacher Excellence offers scholarships for future teachers who intend to work in the Los Angeles area. Last year, they gave away 50 scholarships ranging from $500 to $4,000.

Check local and state board of education and city government websites for information on programs available in a particular area.

Scholarship Clearinghouse Websites

My Free Degree is a clearinghouse of scholarships, which means it gathers information about hundreds of scholarships and then shows you the relevant results. In order to receive the information, you will need to fill out a questionnaire and give personal information, so make sure you're prepared to do so before checking it out. Similar scholarship clearinghouses include FastWeb and the CollegeBoard.

Future Special Education Teachers

If you're interested in teaching special education (or exceptional ed, as it is called in some states), check with the school board or state website. Many states offer special scholarships for those interested in pursing a teaching certificate in special education. Many of the scholarships do require you to agree to teach for a certain amount of time within a certain school district, but don't let that scare you off - each scholarship is different, and not all of them have such requirements.

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