Virginia Teacher Scholarships
The state of Virginia offers financial help to those studying to become teachers. Each program has unique features and eligibility requirements, and it is possible for students to earn multiple teacher scholarships. In fact, none of the scholarships provides a full tuition award for any student. These scholarship programs are supported by the state government, which uses federal funds for some of the programs; one program is supported by a private consortium.
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Higher Education Teacher Assistance Program
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Created by the State Council of Higher Education in 2000, the Teacher Assistance Program helps address state teacher shortages by helping fund undergraduate students in a program leading to a career as a K-12 teacher. The program gives preference to teachers who focus their education on an area identified by the Virginia Department of Education as having a shortage of teachers.
To qualify, students must be seeking their first bachelor's degree and must demonstrate financial need. Students also must have and maintain a 2.5 cumulative college grade point average. Only students nominated by a faculty member can receive the scholarship.
For the 2010-11 school year, students at four-year colleges received an annual award of $2,000. At two-year schools, students received a minimum of at least $1,000 per year.
Virginia Teacher Scholarship/Loan Program
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This program provides financial support for students preparing to teach in one of the state's annually determined critical shortage areas. The Virginia Department of Education sends application materials to the financial aid departments at each of the 37 colleges and universities in the state with approved teacher preparation programs. The college or university nominates students to be considered for the scholarship, and the Department of Education selects scholarship winners.
Students must be enrolled in a teacher shortage area and must be in their sophomore, junior or senior years at the time the award is made. This means second-semester freshmen are eligible to apply but must be sophomores by the following fall to receive the scholarship.
Students receive as much as $3,720, based on 2010-11 figures. Students must maintain a 2.75 grade point average to continue receiving the award beyond their first semester.
Students are required to teach in a public school in Virginia for at least the same number of years they received the scholarship. The state requires students who do not complete their degrees or who otherwise do not become teachers at public schools in the state to repay their scholarship money.
Graduate students also can qualify for the scholarship. The maximum award amount is the same as with the undergraduate program.
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Teacher Education STEM Scholarship
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The Virginia Space Grant Consortium offers a scholarship program designed to help students who seek a career in teaching science, technology, engineering and math. For the 2010-11 school year, the scholarship awards students with a one-time $1,000 scholarship.
Students must be enrolled full-time in a teacher preparation program at one of five universities in Virginia to qualify. To apply, students must provide a brief statement explaining their plans to enter the teaching field, as well as a plan noting all of the courses they plan to take, and a resume highlighting accomplishments and qualifications. Students also must have two letters of recommendation; one must be from a faculty adviser. A college transcript also is required showing a 3.0 grade point average.
The universities required for eligibility include Hampton University, Old Dominion University, the College of William and Mary, the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech.
Child Day Care Provider Scholarship Program
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Students who seek a degree in early childhood education are eligible to receive funds for tuition and fees from the state's Child Day Care Provider Scholarship Program. The Virginia Department of Social Services administers this scholarship program.
For the 2010-11 school year, students received the smaller of either the equivalent of eight classes of tuition reimbursement or a maximum lifetime award of $2,689. The scholarship money pays for no more than two courses per semester.
The program is only available to an employee of a child care program in Virginia or a Virginia resident seeking to become an early childhood education teacher. Child care employees cannot receive the scholarship money if they plan to earn a degree in another field.
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