Teacher residencies, teacher apprenticeships and traditional degree programs are the three main ways to prepare for U.S. teaching certification/licensure. A traditional program trains you through college coursework and a semester of student teaching. A residency pays you to co-teach with a mentor for a full school year (usually after a bachelor’s). And an apprenticeship employs you in a school while you earn your bachelor’s degree and certifcation/license.

Here’s the quick version before we go deeper:

• Traditional degree: college coursework plus student teaching, usually unpaid
• Residency: paid co-teaching with a mentor for a full school year, typically after a bachelor’s
• Apprenticeship: paid school job while you earn your bachelor’s degree and certification/license

A traditional teacher preparation program trains you through college coursework plus a supervised student teaching placement, usually one semester, at the end of your program.

How a traditional program works

You complete your education coursework first, then step into a real classroom for student teaching. Traditional programs average around 500 clinical hours. (1) That placement is where theory meets practice. For a closer look at what to expect, our guide to pre-teaching experience is worth a read before you start.

Is a traditional program right for you?

It’s worth considering if you’re starting college with teaching in mind, you want a degree and certification/license in one structured path, or you prefer campus-based learning before stepping fully into a classroom. Student teaching is usually unpaid, so factor that into your timeline. If cost is a concern, our financial aid page is a good next stop.

A teacher residency is a paid, school-based training model where you co-teach with an experienced mentor teacher for a full school year, usually earning a stipend or salary while completing certification/licensure requirements.

How a residency works

Residency programs are typically one year, run through a district or nonprofit in partnership with a university. You spend most of your time in a real classroom, not a lecture hall. Residencies average 900 or more pre-service clinical hours, compared with about 500 in most traditional programs. (1)

That extended time shows up in the outcomes. Eighty-two percent of residents stayed in their districts in years three and four, versus 72 percent of non-residents. (2)

Stipend ranges vary widely. As one example, Minneapolis/St. Paul residency programs have offered stipends ranging from $19,500 to $26,000 plus benefits. (3) Treat any figure you see as an example, not a guarantee.

Real example: The Empire State Teacher Residency Program places residents in New York districts with full-year mentorship and a pathway to a master’s degree.

Steven Seals, a residency graduate, put it directly: 

“The residency model, in my opinion, cannot be topped on the ground experience that you get in the classroom with a mentor teacher, being able to get reps, being able to lesson plan with somebody that can view those things with you and get you up to speed really quickly.” (6)

Is a residency right for you?

A residency is worth a close look if you already have a bachelor’s degree and want hands-on, paid training rather than returning to a traditional classroom. It tends to suit career changers and recent graduates who want to learn by doing from day one. If you didn’t major in education, our guide to getting certified without an education degree covers your options.

How does a teacher apprenticeship work?

As of 2026, every state has at least one registered teacher apprenticeship program. (4) There are more than 230 K-12 registered apprenticeship programs nationally, with more than 6,200 active apprentices. (5)

About 63 percent of teacher apprentices don’t have a bachelor’s degree when they start. (4) That makes this the primary pathway for paraprofessionals, school staff and community members who want to become teachers without pausing their careers or income.

Real example: South Carolina’s apprenticeship model, which includes Clemson University as a prep partner, is structured with progressive wage increases as apprentices advance. See southcarolina.teach.org/apprenticeships for details.

Is an apprenticeship right for you?

If you’re already working in a school, don’t yet have a bachelor’s degree and want to earn while you learn, this may be your clearest path. Your Future Self called. If they said pick the path with the paycheck, this is the one.

One thing worth knowing: T.S. certification/licensure still typically requires completing the degree. “No degree needed” isn’t the full picture. The apprenticeship lets you pursue both while staying employed.

These two have a lot in common. Until they don’t.

Both are school-based, both pay you and both come with a mentor. The key differences are straightforward.

A residency is designed for people who already have a bachelor’s degree and want a deeper, more mentored path to certification/licensure. It’s a training year, not permanent employment.

An apprenticeship is structured as employment from the start and is designed for people building their degree and certification/license at the same time. It’s a multi-year commitment, usually two to three years.

Some states and districts blend both models. Minnesota’s Grow Your Own pathways are a good example.

There’s no objectively best program. The right one depends on where you’re starting.

If you have a bachelor’s degree and want paid, hands-on training: Look at residency programs. Use our Program Explorer to find residencies in your state.

If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree and are already working in or near a school: Look at apprenticeships. Every state has at least one registered program.

If you’re still in college or just starting out: A traditional preparation program gives you the full foundation. Pair it with teaching certification/licensure guidance for your state.

If you have a degree in another field and want the fastest path to certification/licensure: Alternative certification/licensure is a fourth option worth knowing about. Our four pro tips article walks through how to compare programs.

Before you commit to any program, here are five questions worth asking:

1. Does this program lead to full state certification/licensure where I want to teach?
2. Will I be paid during training, and if so, when does pay begin?
3. Is there a post-program service commitment, and what happens if I can’t fulfill it?
4. What does mentorship look like: a dedicated full-year mentor or a rotating supervisor?
5. Does the program connect me to a specific district, or am I on my own for placement?

You don’t have to figure this out alone.

Not sure which path fits your background? Book a free 1-on-1 session with a TEACH coach and we’ll help you match your starting point to the right pathway.

Ready to compare real programs? Try our free Program Explorer.

Want to hear directly from residents and program leaders? Watch the recording of The Residency Route: Pathways to Teaching.

1. Guha et al., Learning Policy Institute, 2016, cited in AERA Open (2024). https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/reader/10.1177/23328584241231937
2. Brookings Institution, “Teacher Residencies Offer a Compelling Solution to Staffing Shortages,” 2023. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/teacher-residencies-offer-compelling-solution-to-staffing-shortages-although-at-a-large-cost
3. Minnesota House of Representatives, stipend documentation. https://www.house.mn.gov/comm/docs/1f06f4f2-ea42-42e6-9713-06e27ad2440f.pdf
4. K-12 Dive, “The emerging promise of teacher apprenticeship programs,” Aug. 25, 2026. https://www.k12dive.com/news/the-emerging-promise-of-teacher-apprenticeship-programs/828540/
5. American Academy of Arts and Sciences, “Grow Your Own Registered Teacher Apprenticeships.” https://www.amacad.org/opportunities/in-practice/grow-your-own-registered-teacher-apprenticeships
6. Steven Seals, residency graduate, quoted by The Educator Academy. https://educator-academy.org/why-consider-a-teacher-residency/