Fund Your Teacher Training

You’ve got options to help pay for your teacher preparation program.

What types of aid are available for prospective teachers in Minnesota?
Depending on the educator preparation program you’ve enrolled in, you may be eligible for grants, scholarships, student loans or loan forgiveness.

Aid for Student Teaching

  • Minnesota Teacher Candidate Grant

    Provides financial assistance to eligible students enrolled in Minnesota teacher preparation programs (undergraduate and graduate) during one term in which the student is completing the required 12-week or more student teaching experience.  Applicants must intend to work in an identified shortage area and/or belong to a racial or ethnic group underrepresented in the Minnesota teacher workforce to be eligible.
    How much money can you get?
    On a funds available basis, students may receive awards up to $7,500.

 

Aid for College Credits and Certification

  • Minnesota Teacher Shortage Loan Repayment Program

    This program was established to provide student loan repayment assistance to teachers providing classroom instruction in a teacher shortage area in Minnesota.
    Shortage areas include teacher licensure fields in high demand statewide, geographical regions within the state experiencing teacher shortages and teacher licensure fields in high demand within regions of the state.  The program’s FAQ has an updated list of shortage areas.
    How much money can you get?
    Annual awards are up to $1,000 in loan repayment assistance paid directly to selected applicants. Awardees are limited to $5,000 in total repayment assistance.

  • TEACH Grant Program

    The federal government offers the TEACH Grant program to students who intend to teach in an elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families. In exchange for receiving a TEACH Grant, students must agree to serve as a full-time teacher in a public or private school serving low income students for at least four academic years within eight calendar years of completing the program of study for which they received a TEACH Grant.
    How much money can you get?
    Annual awards are up to $4,000.

  • Teach.org Financial Aid & Scholarship Database

    Teach.org, a website created through a collaboration of Microsoft and the Department of Education, maintains a comprehensive list of scholarships for future educators.

Other educator-focused scholarships…
  • James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation

    Fellowships are offered to high-achieving college seniors and college graduates who plan to earn a master’s degree to become secondary school teachers of American history, American government, or civics.
    How much money can you get?
    Awards are up to $24,000.

  • PDK Prospective Educator Scholarships

    More than 30 teaching scholarships are awarded each year by PDK International to high school seniors and undergraduates who intend to major in a field of education.
    How much money can you get?
    Awards are up to $2,000.

  • Prospective 7-12 Secondary Teacher Course Work Scholarships

    The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) offers financial support to a college student who is working toward a career teaching secondary school mathematics.
    How much money can you get?
    Awards are up to $10,000.

  • STEM Teacher Graduate Scholarships

    Provides scholarships to students pursuing graduate degrees or certification to teach STEM subjects at K-12 schools in the U.S.. Applies to students majoring in secondary education with the goal of teaching STEM. Students must also be in their second semester, taking two courses per term, with a current GPA of 3.5 or higher, and have already completed a B.S. degree in a STEM subject.
    How much money can you get?
    Awards are up to $5,000.

  • American Montessori Society Teacher Education Scholarships

    The American Montessori Society awards teacher education scholarships to aspiring Montessori teachers in support of their professional growth. Those eligible to apply are individuals who have been accepted, are in the process of being accepted, or are already enrolled in an AMS-affiliated teacher education program.
    How much money can you get?
    In 2019, AMS awarded a total of $28,000 to 20 aspiring Montessori teachers.

  • Hispanic Scholarship Fund

    This scholarship helps students of Hispanic heritage earn a college degree; it is available to high school seniors, community college students transferring to four-year institutions, undergrads, and graduate students.
    How much money can you get?
    Awards are up to $5,000.

  • The Agnes Jones Jackson Scholarship

    POISE Foundation provides scholarship administration for the National NAACP Scholarship Program, including more than 20 scholarships in memory of the late Agnes Jones Jackson, a long-time member of the NAACP in San Francisco.
    How much money can you get?
    Awards are up to $2,000.

  • Borgens Elementary and Secondary Teacher Education Scholarships

    Through the Daughters of the American Revolution, two one-time, merit-based scholarships are available for students 25 years of age or older. One is given to students who are studying to teach elementary school, and the other award is for students who plan to teach at the secondary level.
    How much money can you get?
    Awards are up to $1,500.

  • Nancy Larson Foundation College Scholarship

    The Nancy Larson Foundation is proud to sponsor scholarships for college students studying to become elementary school teachers.Juniors, seniors, and graduate students who have declared an elementary education major are invited to apply.
    How much money can you get?
    Awards are up to $1,000.

  • Ruth Crymes TESOL Fellowship for Graduate Study

    This award is designed to encourage current graduate students who are enrolled in a TESOL graduate program or a program focused on second language acquisition or foreign language education.
    How much money can you get?
    Awards are up to $1,500.

  • Other websites providing scholarship search