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Apply to North Carolina Teaching Fellows

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Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria to be considered for a Teaching Fellows award:

  • Be accepted to enroll in an approved educator preparation program leading to initial licensure in an eligible area at one of the ten Teaching Fellows partner institutions.
  • Be one of the following:
    • A North Carolina high school senior
    • A student applying to transfer to an educator preparation program at one of the ten Teaching Fellows partner institutions
    • A student already enrolled at one of the ten Teaching Fellows partner institutions who transitions into an educator preparation program
    • An individual with a bachelor’s degree pursuing preparation for teacher licensure at one of the ten Teaching Fellows partner institutions

Minimum Academic Requirements

  • High school applicants or applicants with fewer than 24 hours of college credit must have a minimum unweighted high school GPA of 3.0. While not required, we strongly encourage applicants to submit an SAT and/or ACT score.
  • Applicants with more than 24 hours of college credit must have a minimum of a 2.7 cumulative GPA.
  • Be willing to teach in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics), special education, or elementary education (K-6) licensure area in a North Carolina public school, traditional or charter.

Teaching Fellow Awards

Forgivable loans may be awarded for use at one of the eight partner institutions for:

  • North Carolina high school seniors: up to 4 years
  • Students applying to transfer to an educator preparation program: up to 3 years
  • Students already enrolled at one of the partner institutions who transition into an educator preparation program: up to 2 years
  • Individuals with a bachelor’s degree who are pursuing preparation for teacher licensure: up to 2 years

Award amounts: up to $5,000 a semester ($10,000 a year). Loan funds may be used to cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and expenses related to obtaining licensure.

Fellows will be required to sign a promissory note agreeing to the terms of their forgivable loans.

Awards are renewable annually for Fellows who continue to meet eligibility requirements.

Continuing Eligibility Requirements

After initial acceptance into the program, in order to remain eligible for continued program support, Fellows must:

  • Meet the initial eligibility requirements of the program.
  • Honor the terms of the award promissory note.
  • Make Satisfactory Academic Process, as defined by the institution where the Fellow is enrolled.
  • Participate in all Teaching Fellows enrichment activities, unless an exemption is approved by Campus and Program Director.
  • Do not exceed the maximum number of semesters eligible for Teaching Fellows funding.

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What You Need to Apply

Before beginning, make sure you have the following to complete your application!

  • Personal information including Social Security Number
  • High School or College Transcript in PDF form (unofficial is acceptable for application)
  • (2) letters of recommendation
    • One (1) from an academic reference (counselor, teacher, administrator, etc.)
    • One (1) from a personal or additional academic reference (not a family member)
  • Answers to 3 essay questions in complete sentences.
    • Describe why you are inspired to enter the teaching profession, including why you wish to teach in Elementary, Special Education, or a STEM field.
    • Describe a time when you have faced a challenge or adversity. Explain how you used grit, resiliency, commitment, etc. to overcome the obstacle and what you learned from your experience.
    • Briefly describe your school activities, accomplishments, leadership positions held, job experiences, and community service opportunities and why they are/were important to you as a student and as a person.

Still not sure? Email us!

ncteachingfellows@northcarolina.edu

Forgivable Loans

Teaching Fellows awards are forgivable loans.

Fellows may receive up to $5,000 per semester and funds may be used to cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and expenses related to obtaining licensure.

Awards are renewable annually for Fellows who continue to meet eligibility requirements.

Fellows will be required to sign a promissory note agreeing to the terms of their forgivable loans.

Terms of Loan Forgiveness:

The loan principal and any accrued interest may be forgiven if, within 10 years after graduation from a program leading to teaching licensure, the Fellow serves as a teacher in a qualified position:

  • in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics), special education, or elementary education (K-6)  licensure area as identified by the NC Superintendent of Public Instruction
  • at a North Carolina traditional or charter public school

One academic year’s loan will be forgiven for:

  • 1 year of employment at a NC public school identified as low-performing, or
  • 2 years of employment at a NC public school not identified as low-performing

Per G.S. 115C-105.37(a), a low-performing school is defined as receiving a school performance grade of D or F and earning a school growth score of “met expected growth” or “not met expected growth.”

 Please Note: For loans issued in 2024-2025 and beyond, the repayment for those loans will be 1:1 – One (1) year of service in a qualifying teaching position will fulfill one (1) year of repayment regardless of the school’s performance status. For loans issued prior to 2024-2025 the repayment methods referenced above still apply. 

Cash Repayment

Loans not forgiven through employment in a qualified position must be repaid in cash.

Forgivable loans will carry an interest rate of 8%. Interest will begin to accrue and cash repayment will be required in the form of monthly installments commencing no later than the 1st day of September after completion of, or 90 days after withdrawal from, the approved educator preparation program.

The cash repayment period is up to 10 years.

Loan forgiveness and cash repayment is administered by the State Education Assistance Authority (SEAA). Please contact SEAA with questions regarding loan forgiveness and cash repayment at repay@ncseaa.edu.

Alumni Repayment Questions

Teaching Fellows Alumni with questions regarding loan forgiveness/repayment should contact SEAA at repay@ncseaa.edu. or 919-549-8614.