Scholarships for Teachers

Being a teacher is tough enough, without the financial worry related to ongoing educational expenses. Those seeking either undergraduate or graduate educational degrees — such as a Masters in Education or a Master of Arts in Teaching — may find it difficult to obtain the needed funds to do it. Fortunately, many organizations recognize this challenge by offering scholarships for teachers. We hope this list of nationally available scholarships will help you finance your teacher-focused dreams.

Organization: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Availability: Scholarship applicants must hold a Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in Chemistry or related discipline, along with work experience in a chemistry-related profession. Applicants must be accepted into an education Master’s program (or teacher certification program) and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Additional Information: Application and Details — ACS – Hach Second Career Teacher Scholarship

Organization: AFCEA / The National Science Teacher Association
Availability: Students must be U.S. citizens with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 (or equivalent). Undergraduate candidates must be attending an accredited U.S. college or university on-campus and majoring in secondary education or a STEM field for the purpose of teaching STEM subjects in a U.S. middle or secondary school. Undergraduate applications will be accepted from current sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Graduate-level candidates must be currently enrolled in at least two semester-equivalent classes at an accredited U.S. college or university. Credential and licensure students must have completed a bachelor’s degree in a STEM major.
Additional Information: Application and Details — AFCEA STEM Scholarship

Organization: Alpha Kappa Alpha
Availability: In order to be eligible for this one-year (and one-time) scholarship, applicants must be a full-time sophomore (or beyond) who is currently enrolled in an accredited college/university, hold a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and have demonstrated community service and involvement.
Additional Information: Application and Details — AKAEAF Graduate Scholarships

Organization: NAACP
Availability: Awards of $2,000 available for both undergraduate and graduate students who are members of the NAACP, are under 25 years of age, are currently enrolled or accepted to an accredited college or university, and demonstrate financial need. Available to students pursuing degrees in education.
Additional Information: Application and Details — Agnes Jones Jackson Scholarship

Organization: The American Council of Learned Societies
Availability: Thirteen annual grants and fellowships of various amounts are available for teaching students in humanities, including anthropology, archaeology, political science, history, sociology and psychology. Eligibility requirements and award amounts vary. Applicants may apply for more than one grant or fellowship program but typically are only eligible to receive one award in a given year.
Additional Information: Application and Details — American Council of Learned Societies Grants and Fellowships

Organization: National Institute of Labor Relations Research
Availability:: Applicants must be on-track to complete the required credits of a college/university Department of Education and submit their application for teaching licensure. Applicants must also write a 500 word essay that demonstrates an understanding of the principles of “voluntary unionism” and problems of “compulsory unionism” in relation to education.
Additional Information: Application and Details — Applegate/Jackson/Parks Future Teacher Scholarship

Organization: Association of American Educators
Availability: Teacher scholarships are available to all full-time educators who have not received a scholarship or grant from AAE in the previous three grant cycles (or 18 months). Awards are competitive. AAE members receive additional weight in the scoring rubric.
Additional Information: Application and Details — Association of American Educators

Organization: Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation
Availability: CKSF offers a wide variety of scholarship quizzes throughout the year for U.S. high school, college, and graduate students. CKSF also has some scholarships that parents can win for their children.
Additional Information: Rules and Eligibility — Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation

Organization: Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Availability: A variety of scholarships are provided to support Hispanic education through partnerships with major corporations and benefactors. Eligible recipients are Latino students meeting specified citizenship or residency requirements with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Additional Information: Application and Details — Hispanic Scholarship Fund

Organization: NAACP
Availability: Up to $3,000 awarded to male students who are majoring in engineering, chemistry, physics or math and are currently enrolled or accepted to an accredited college in the U.S. and demonstrate financial need. NAACP membership and participation is highly desirable.
Additional Information: Application and Details — Hubertus W.V. Willems Scholarship for Male Students

Organization: James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
Availability: Available to individuals who want to become outstanding teachers of the American Constitution at the secondary school level.
Additional Information: Application and Details — James Madison Graduate Fellowships

Organization: Jeannette Rankin Foundation
Availability: Scholarships for low-income women who are 35 or older and are pursuing a technical or vocational education, an associate’s degree or a first bachelor’s degree at a regionally or ACICS accredited school.
Additional Information: Application and Details — Jeannette Rankin Women’s Scholarship Fund

Organization: Knowles Science Teaching Foundation
Availability: Selection criteria of (1) potential to develop the content knowledge for teaching; (2) potential to develop exemplary teaching practices; and (3) potential to develop qualities of a teacher leader.
Additional Information: Application and Details — KSTF Teaching Fellowships

Organization: Math for America
Availability: Scholarship is available to those looking to earn their Master’s Degree (or enroll in a teacher credentialing program) in Secondary Mathematics Education. Those accepted are granted membership into a national corps of highly-qualified secondary school mathematics teachers, and are provided with mentoring, job search support, and ongoing interactive professional development opportunities.
Additional Information: Application and Details — Math for America

Organization: U.S. Department of Education
Availability: Award amount of $4,000 per year available to full-time students currently in their third or fourth year of study who have been Federal Pell Grant recipients and are majoring in either physical science, life science, computer science, engineering, mathematics, technology or in one of over 20 specified foreign languages.
Additional Information: Application and Details — National SMART Grants

Organization: Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation for Low-Income Women and Children
Availability: Five awards of up to $5,000 each to assist low-income women who are pursuing education or training. Applicants must be at least 17 years of age and a mother of minor children; must be enrolled in a not-for-profit, accredited institution or program; and must be low-income.
Additional Information: Application and Details — Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Support Awards

Organization: Paul & Daisy Soros Charitable Trust
Availability: Supports the graduate educations of 30 new Americans — permanent residents or naturalized citizens if born abroad; otherwise children of naturalized citizen parents — each year. Must be college seniors or early in the graduate programs for which they request support. Each fellow receives tuition and living expenses that can total as much as $90,000 over two academic years.
Additional Information: Application and Details — Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans

Organization: Phi Delta Kappa
Availability: Offers five (5) different fellowship and grant opportunities to educators who are pursuing their graduate degree in education. This scholarship is only available to members PDK.
Additional Information: Application and Details — Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) Graduate Fellowships and Grants

Organization: American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
Availability:
$1,000 Grant Requirements
– Must be an AFT member in good standing for at least one year
– Must be pursuing courses in applicant’s field of work
– No full- or part-time AFT staff, state or local, may apply.
$8,000 post-secondary scholarship requirements
– Must be an AFT member’s dependent
– Must be a graduating high school senior
– Parent or guardian must be an AFT member for at least one year.
Additional Information: Application and Details — Robert G. Porter Scholars Program

Organization: U.S. Department of Education
Availability: Applicants must teach full time for five consecutive complete academic years in certain elementary and secondary schools that serve low-income families and meet other qualifications.
Additional Information: Application and Details — Stafford Loan Forgiveness Program for Teachers

Organization: American Montessori Society
Availability: For individuals who have been accepted, are in the process of being accepted, or are already enrolled in an AMS-affiliated teacher education program. Amounts of awards vary.
Additional Information: Application and Details — Teacher Education Scholarships

Organization: U.S. Department of Education
Availability: Those eligible must agree to serve as a full-time teacher in a high-need field in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves low-income students. Must teach for at least four academic years within eight calendar years of completing the program of study for which a TEACH grant is received.
Additional Information: Application and Details — TEACH Grant Program

Organization: Educational Testing Service (ETS)
Availability: Thirteen grants and awards funded yearly in the areas of foreign language research, teaching or assessment, and international higher education. Eligibility requirements vary according to the specific award.
Additional Information: Application and Details — TOEFL Grants and Awards

Organization: Union Privilege
Availability: For current and retired members of participating unions, their spouses, and their dependent children (as defined by IRS regulations). At least one year of continuous union membership by the applicant, applicant’s spouse or parent (if applicant is a dependent) is required.
Additional Information: Application and Details — Union Plus Scholarship

Organization: The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
Availability: Twenty-five fellowships awarded annually to post-graduate students of color who are pursuing a master’s degree in education. Awards include a $30,000 stipend for education completion with a 3-year term of service at a high-need public school.
Additional Information: Application and Details — Woodrow Wilson Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellowship for Aspiring Teachers of Color