Scholarships for Future Teachers

Let’s help get you started on finding and applying for future teacher scholarships. Here are nine teaching scholarships you can explore today.

About this Scholarships List

Before we proceed, a quick note on how we’ve curated this scholarship list.

  • First, we have attempted to compile a list of lucrative options that interested students may explore. The scholarships range from $2,500 awards to full scholarships offering tuition and stipends.
  • Second, the awards presented here are mostly location independent — so, you can likely apply no matter where you are in the US.
  • Lastly, we’ve tried to include options for everyone. Therefore, some of the awards cater to students with unique physical or financial needs, while others are open to most students. 

With that said, let’s get in!

TEACH Grant Program (Low Income — $4,000)

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant is a federal scholarship for future teachers with up to $4,000 in yearly financial support. The grant is available for current and intending students in an education major who commit to teach for a minimum of four academic years in a low-income, high-need field. 

You’ll need to meet the core eligibility criteria for federal student aid programs to qualify for the TEACH grant. Likewise, you must be enrolled in an eligible program, complete the grant’s academic achievement criteria, and fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Learn more about the TEACH Grant by visiting their website and discussing it with the financial aid office at your school. 

James Madison Memorial Fellowships (High Achievers, Constitutional Scholars — $24,000)

You can earn a lucrative Junior Fellowship at the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation if you are interested in teaching American history and civic education. The James Madison Foundation offers up to $24,000 to high-achieving college seniors and graduates that plan to teach the US Constitution in grades 7-12. 

Eligibility for this scholarship requires US citizenship and residence in a US state. Additionally, you would need to have obtained your bachelor’s degree by August of the year you’re applying. The Foundation offers one fellowship per state yearly, so prepare for a competitive process. Learn more about the scholarship here.

STEM Teachers for America’s Future (STEM Grads — $2,500)

If you want to teach science, technology, engineering or math, a STEM scholarship may be right for you. The Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) offers scholarships of $2,500 to education majors that want to teach STEM subjects at K-12 schools. 

You must be a US citizen, reside in the US, and meet the eligibility requirements to apply for this scholarship. The program requires graduate students to be enrolled in an accredited US college or university with an education major focused on teaching STEM in K-12 grades. In addition, students pursuing a teaching credential or licensure must possess a bachelor’s degree or graduate qualification in a STEM major. 

You can learn more about the program here.

Gates Millennium Scholars Program (Minority / Low Income — Full Ride)

The Gates Millennium Scholars Program provides a full ride for minority and low-income students with teaching interests in education and other qualifying disciplines. Students who maintain satisfactory academic progress can receive renewable awards to fund their post-secondary education from undergraduate to doctoral level.

The program caters specifically to high-school seniors who must demonstrate sound academic qualifications with a minimum 3.3 GPA and complete a series of essay questions. Students must also submit proof of their low-income status alongside two letters of recommendation. 

Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship (STEM Educators — Full Ride)

In partnership with the American Association for the Advancement of the Sciences, this program offers scholarships to students and graduates in STEM education majors. Awardees receive a full-ride scholarship consisting of full tuition and a stipend. However, they must commit to a two to five-year teaching career, depending on how much they receive in funding.

The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship aims to increase the number of professionals teaching K-12 grades. If successful in this program, you can help impart strong STEM knowledge to K-12 students in high-need US school districts. You’ll find more information about the Robert Noyce scholarship on their website.

Thurgood Marshall College Fund (Historically Black Colleges — $5,000)

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund partners with Wells Fargo to offer scholarships to high-achieving undergraduates in Historically Black Colleges and Universities within their network. Anyone can apply for this $5,000 scholarship, including education majors. 

You’ll need to demonstrate a GPA of 3.0 or higher and be a full-time sophomore, junior, or senior in an eligible HBCU to qualify for this scholarship. Applicants must also show financial need, leadership ability and US citizenship or residency to qualify. 

Rudolph Dillman Memorial Scholarship (Visually Impaired — $2,000 to $7,000)

The American Foundation for the Blind sponsors this scholarship for future educators which caters to legally blind candidates who plan to teach the visually impaired. The program offers scholarships from $2,000 to $7,000, consisting of tuition, upkeep, and adaptive technology costs to students attending a technical college or university. 

Application is open to full-time freshmen, undergraduate and graduate students with a minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrated community or school involvement. Candidates who are legally blind are eligible to apply. Learn more about the scholarship here.

Albert Shanker Scholarship Program (NYC Low Income — $5,000 to $6,000)

Sponsored by the United Federation of Teachers, the Albert Shanker Scholarship is open to high school, undergraduate and graduate students in New York City. The program provides up to $1 million in financial aid yearly to 200 low-income students interested in a teaching career. The $5,000 award is paid over four years at the undergraduate level. In addition, students pursuing a master’s in education receive an award of $6,000 over three years. While this scholarship program has no minimum GPA requirements, applicants must still demonstrate financial eligibility. You can learn more about the program by visiting their website.

How to Find Good Scholarship Opportunities

Education scholarship

Scholarship opportunities are plentiful for any high school or mature-age student looking to study education and teaching at college. However, it’s important to be strategic about which scholarship opportunities you apply for.

Find scholarships in the teaching niche

By focusing on scholarships for teachers, you have a much better chance of being successful. More general scholarships, that are open to students not doing teaching courses, often have hundreds or even thousands of applicants. It’s just not worth your while to go for scholarships where the chances of being successful are so slim.

Scholarships for future teachers are listed at Teacher.org and Niche. However, it’s a good idea to look wide and far to find obscure teaching scholarships not listed on popular websites.

About Future Teacher Scholarships

Early childhood education teacher

While teaching is one of the most fulfilling professions, financial roadblocks can make it difficult to start a teaching career in the US. Rising tuition costs and living expenses make a Bachelor of Education or Master of Teaching expensive to get. And because education jobs aren’t high-paying to start with, taking on debt to fund a teaching career may seem unworthwhile. 

Thankfully, many scholarships and financial awards are available for current and future educators to help relieve this burden. Teaching scholarships are available nationwide and regionally. Many are run to support students with in a specific way based on factors such as career goals, personal attributes, and cultural identity.

There’s a good chance you’ll find an award program that fits your circumstances and study objectives. These are available whether you’re planning to study an education major in college or pursue teacher qualifications in graduate school.