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Fund Your Teacher Training

You can get certified to teach without breaking the bank. Learn how to find resources to pay for your teaching program.

Find Financial Aid

Where would you like to start?

1

Key Vocabulary

2

Ways to Lower Your Costs

3

Frequently Asked Questions

Key Vocabulary

First things first: money talk can get confusing. Here are some key terms to get you started.

Make Your Teacher Preparation Affordable

Good news: There are many ways to reduce or even eliminate tuition costs! Here are a few strategies to consider.
  1. 1

    Apply for scholarships

    Whether you’re in high school, college or grad school, there are lots of scholarship opportunities that you may be eligible for.

    Scholarship applications usually include a form or collection of forms. You may need to provide other additional materials as well, such as recommendation letters, school transcripts or other documents that determine your eligibility.

    Check out our national scholarship database.

  2. 2

    Get your training during your undergraduate education

    You can save time and money when you combine teacher training with your bachelor's degree. You'll usually major in your the subject area you want to teach and take teacher training classes at the same time. Just remember, teacher requirements differ by state, and your college may have its own requirements for future teachers.

    Start your search for undergraduate teaching programs.

  3. 3

    Earn a salary while completing your coursework

    If you have a bachelor’s degree, but haven’t completed a teaching program, you could qualify for an alternative certification pathway. Alternative certification lets you take coursework while you teach in the classroom. 

    Some programs follow a hands-on “residency” program where you may earn a stipend as a teacher-in-training before leading a classroom, while others provide opportunities to work as a full-time teacher right away.

    Start your search for teaching programs.

  4. 4

    Explore loan forgiveness options

    The federal government — and many states! — have created programs to forgive some or all loans for teachers. That means you don't have to pay your loans back!

    To get the most loan forgiveness, you'll typically commit to teaching in a high-need school or in a shortage area subject, like math, science or special education.

    Learn more about loan forgiveness programs.

Frequently Asked Questions