Scholarships for Teaching Majors: A Comprehensive Guide
Embarking on a career in education is a significant and admirable choice. Recognizing the financial challenges that often accompany higher education, numerous scholarships and financial aid programs are available to support aspiring teachers. This article provides a comprehensive overview of scholarships for teaching majors, detailing eligibility requirements, award amounts, and post-graduation commitments.
Financial Aid for Future Educators
Many students are interested in studying as education majors and working in education. Teaching, school administrative jobs, and other fields of work associated with education can be very rewarding careers. These occupations are essential to society in raising a new generation of socially responsible students, starting from early childhood education through the upper-grade levels. Like social work and healthcare, education is one of the many fields that measurably contribute to the good of society. Good teachers and caring school staff positively impact the lives of hundreds of developing students. To that end, education majors can apply for many education scholarships and grants.
Financial aid can be instrumental in allowing students to complete their education and enter professional or higher-paying fields. Education majors and any college students should strongly consider what college scholarships and university financial aid they can apply for. Despite many financial aid opportunities available to students of all ages, many high school and college students have difficulty finding scholarships that match their needs.
Scholarships for Aspiring Teachers
Most scholarships for education majors are only open to students who intend to study teaching or a related field. The first step in getting scholarships for education majors is to enroll in an education program or plan to enroll in one. As a result, just by choosing to major in education, you will already be eligible for many relevant scholarships. It’s worth applying to any opportunities that are listed as scholarships for education majors. These types of scholarships should be available to graduate students, those pursuing their undergraduate degrees, and even some high school seniors.
New York State Scholarships and Grants
New York State values its educators and offers a variety of scholarships, grants, and financial aid programs to support students pursuing careers in education. Whether you are an incoming first-year student, current undergraduate, graduate student, or an experienced teacher looking to advance your career, there are funding options available to help.
Read also: Camp Scholarships Guide
Scholarships for Incoming First-Year Students
For high school students planning to pursue a teaching degree, several scholarships and grants can help cover tuition and related costs.
Carey Gabay Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship honors Carey Gabay, a dedicated attorney and public servant.
- Eligibility Requirements:
- citizen or eligible non-citizen
- Legal New York State resident for at least 12 months
- Post-Graduation Commitment:
- Must live in New York State
- Teach K-12 in a New York public school for five years
- Award Amount: Up to $5,655 per semester (based on funding availability)
TEACH Grant (Federal Program)
The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant provides funding for students enrolled in eligible teaching programs.
- Eligibility Requirements:
- Enrolled in an eligible education program at a participating college/university
- Completing or planning to complete coursework to begin a teaching career
- Does not already hold a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree
- Post-Graduation Commitment:
- Serve as a full-time K-12 teacher at a low-income school
- Teach in a high-need subject area
- Complete four years of teaching within eight years of graduation
- Award Amount: Up to $4,000 per year
Scholarships for Current NYS Public School Teachers
For current teachers looking to advance their careers, New York offers grants to support additional certification and credentials.
Albert Shanker Grant for NYS Public School Teachers
This grant supports public school teachers in obtaining National Board Certification. Priority is given to:
Read also: Benefits of NSHSS Scholarships
- Teachers obtaining their first National Board Certification
- Teachers retaking certification components
- Teachers maintaining their certification
- Eligibility Requirements:
- Full-time, tenured teacher in a New York State public school
- Hold a valid New York State teaching certificate
- Commit to completing the entire National Board Certification process
- Continue employment as a full-time NYS teacher for at least one year after completing the grant period
- Award Amount: Covers National Board Certification application fees
Additional Funding Opportunities for Aspiring Teachers
Additional scholarships, grants, and financial aid are available for students, regardless of their major.
Excelsior Scholarship (New York State Residents)
Covers full SUNY/CUNY tuition for students meeting income and residency requirements.
NYS Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)
Offers up to $5,665 per year for full-time undergraduate students in NY.
Federal Pell Grant
Provides up to $7,395 per year for undergraduate students with financial need.
Tennessee Future Teacher Scholarship
The Tennessee Future Teacher Scholarship is a loan-scholarship program intended to encourage exemplary students to enter the teaching field in Tennessee.
Read also: Scholarship Guide
Tips and Tricks to increase your chances of getting education scholarships.
Many scholarships will ask applicants to write an essay or short personal statement. The personal statement is one of the most important factors in deciding who will win the scholarship money. As a result, make sure to submit a polished and well-written essay. Check out our article on how to write a scholarship essay for an in-depth guide. What most donors are looking for in the scholarship essay is someone who is driven, passionate, and will truly put the scholarship money to good use. In the context of education scholarships, a winning essay will likely show that the applicant is truly invested in the field of education and will make a positive impact on their community. A few key points to remember when writing the essay are honesty, insight, and personality. Firstly, nothing can be gained by embellishing details or misleading the reader. The donor wants to get to know the real you, so don’t be afraid to speak truthfully.
Second, most education scholarships will likely ask you to write about why you chose to major in education. Try to give the reader some insight into why you want to major in education. Your motivations can give the donor insight into who you are and help the donor understand you better. Some specifics can be helpful here, for example, if you want to work in primary and secondary education. Lastly, the ultimate goal of the scholarship essay, as mentioned, is to allow the donor to get a sense of who you are. Instead of writing about what you think might sound impressive or professional, stay true to your genuine beliefs and motivations. For other tips on applying for scholarships, getting scholarships, and more, check out our Scholarship Blog.
Additional Scholarship Resources
Students can find many scholarships for education majors on Bold.org. You may not be eligible for every single education scholarship, but chances are there will be more than a few scholarships that you will be able to apply for. Below is a list of scholarship opportunities for education majors.
- Teacher Scholarships
- Community Service Scholarships
- Need-Based Scholarships
- Scholarships for High School Students
- Scholarships for College Students
- Scholarships for Graduate Students
Graduate School for Education Majors
Education majors will need to decide whether they want to pursue a master’s or higher degree or if they will seek employment after earning a bachelor’s degree. Most states only require education majors to hold a bachelor’s degree to teach at a high school and lower grades, such as secondary education and early childhood education.
However, many education majors will enroll as graduate students to work in higher fields of education, like colleges and graduate schools. Though a graduate degree is required, teaching at a higher level may also offer better pay and job security. Whether or not education majors should pursue graduate degrees depends entirely on what and where they want to teach. If a higher degree is necessary to reach the field you aspire to teach in, start planning for graduate school earlier rather than later. If you plan to teach in a high school or middle school, you will not need to worry about paying for graduate school. For more help in deciding which degree to pursue, read our guide on the top skills employers seek in college graduates. Education majors who attend graduate school should remember that financial aid and scholarships exist at the graduate level. Continue to apply for scholarships for education majors to decrease the cost of college. To help reduce the price of your graduate degree, click here to read about how to find graduate school scholarships.
Federal Student Aid for Education Majors
All students, including education majors, should consider filling out the FAFSA and applying for federal student aid to help decrease the cost of college. Read our guide on federal student aid and loans here for more information on who is eligible and how to apply for aid. Most high school seniors will fill out the FAFSA during the college application process to help generate funds for their college tuition. The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is the first step in applying for federal grants, work-study programs, or federal student loans. Education majors should try to raise college tuition funding through FAFSA and scholarships. In general, try not to rely on one method alone to pay for higher education.
Receiving financial aid through the FAFSA will often result in a larger sum of money than any one single scholarship. However, there is no limit to how many scholarships you can apply to, and you can continue to apply for scholarships throughout high school, college, and graduate school. As a result, there are benefits to applying for both federal student aid and scholarships. Many college students will also take out student loans after applying for the FAFSA. Student loans can cover a large chunk of your college expenses but usually leave students in debt after graduation. Read our guide on how long it takes to pay off student loans. Whether or not you should apply for student loans depends on your financial situation and the cost of your undergraduate degree. It may be beneficial to apply to as many education scholarships as possible first to try to decrease the amount you will need to take out in student loans. In addition, students can and should continue to apply for scholarships as college students, as scholarships can be used to repay student loan debt. Click here for a list of grants to pay off student loans.
Understanding No-Essay Scholarships
The easiest scholarships to get are usually those that don’t require applicants to write an essay. These scholarships are considered easy because they take less time to apply to than essay scholarships. No-essay scholarships can be applied to in minutes since applicants only need to fill out a short form. Essentially, as long as you meet the criteria for consideration, not much else is needed on your part to finish applying. Though this type of scholarship is easy to apply to, the sheer volume of applicants also means you will face a good amount of competition. No-essay scholarships are low effort but also have a slightly lower chance of winning. Click here for a list of no-essay scholarships to apply for.
The easiest scholarship to get will depend on the applicant. In a nutshell, the easiest way to win a scholarship is to play to your strengths. Athletic students may find it much easier to win sports scholarships than academic scholarships, for example, and vice versa. Winning scholarship applications often come from students who are exceptionally talented in a certain area or very driven and passionate about their field. Look for scholarships in your area of interest for the highest chance of winning. Education majors should apply for education scholarships, and so on.
Defining Education Scholarships
A scholarship in education is a form of gift aid meant to help college students majoring in education afford their tuition costs. Education scholarships do not need to be repaid in any way. Potential education majors can apply for a scholarship in education by filling out a form or writing a personal statement according to the rules of the specific scholarship they want to apply for. The donor will select one or a few of the applicants to receive the scholarship money. Typically, donors will have some connection to the field their scholarship is in.
Additional Resources and Organizations
- Department of Education: Its primary purpose is to assist and oversee primary and secondary education in the United States. The OESE's goal is to ensure that all students have access to high-quality education and the opportunity to achieve success in school and in life.
- The Indiana Commission for Higher Education: The Indiana Commission for Higher Education offers the Crawford Minority Teacher Scholarship. Upon graduation from an accredited college, the student is required to formally commit to seeking employment as a teacher at an accredited school in Indiana. Furthermore, if employed, the student must fulfill a minimum teaching tenure of three years in the state.
- Teacher Freedom: TeacherFreedom.org is an informational service aimed at all education staff, supported by non-profit organizations, including the AAE Foundation.
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