Frequently Asked Questions

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, must currently attend a North Carolina High School; able to use award up to 8 semesters
  • A student applying to transfer to an educator preparation program at one of the ten Teaching Fellows partner institutions; able to use award up to 6 semesters
  • A student already enrolled at one of the ten Teaching Fellows partner institutions who transitions into an educator preparation program; able to use award up to 4 semesters
  • An individual with a bachelor’s degree pursuing preparation for teacher licensure at one of the ten Teaching Fellows partner institutions; able to use award up to 4 semesters
• 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. Applicants are encouraged to submit an SAT and/or ACT score, although that is optional.

Under the authorizing legislation, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the State Superintendent are assigned the duty of establishing a list of eligible licensure areas.

Elementary Education (K-6)

Approved STEM licensure areas:

• MATHEMATICS (9-12)
• SCIENCE (9-12)
• EARTH SCIENCE (9-12)
• PHYSICAL SCIENCE (9-12)
• BIOLOGY (9-12)
• PHYSICS (9-12)
• CHEMISTRY (9-12)
• AGRICULTURE (6-12)
• TECHNOLOGY EDU (6-12)
• MID GRD MATHEMATICS
• MID GRD SCIENCE (6-9)
• MID GRD TECHNOLOGY

Approved Special Education licensure areas:

• EC-GENERAL CURR (K-6)
• SP ED: GENERAL CURR (K-12)
• SP ED: ADAPTED CURR (K-12)

Please note that programs do vary among partner institutions. For more information about the specific licensure pathways offered at a particular partner institution, please visit the “Partner Schools” tab.

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

• Make Satisfactory Academic Progress as determined by the institution in which they are enrolled.
• Participate in all Teaching Fellows activities (unless an exception is requested and approved by the NCTFP Director).
• Meet the initial eligibility requirements of the program.
• Honor the terms of the Fellow’s promissory note.
• Have not exceeded the maximum number of funding years available for the Fellow’s approved education program.

• Complete online application via Qualtrics application portal. Applicants must provide official academic transcripts. 
• Submit 2 letters of recommendation (one from school official, one from community member).
• Video submission 
• Virtual/in-person interviews may be scheduled for individual applicants at the discretion of the Teaching Fellows Commission.
• All applications MUST be submitted online, applications will not be accepted via U.S. Mail. 

• 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.  

Teaching Fellows may repay their forgivable loan by:

• 1 year of service at a NC public school identified as low-performing for each year an award was received, or
• 2 years of service at a NC public school not identified as low-performing for each year an award was received, or
• Cash repayment for the amount of the award and any accrued interest

 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. 

Per G.S. 115C-105.37(a), a low-performing school is defined as a school that receives a school performance grade of D or F and earns a school growth score of “met expected growth” or “not met expected growth.”
More information on school performance grades is available: https://ncreportcards.ondemand.sas.com/src.

Teaching Fellows have 10 years in which to repay the loan after completion of the program leading to teacher licensure or termination of the forgivable loan through withdrawal from the program.

For purposes of repayment through loan forgiveness, Teaching Fellows are able to teach at any North Carolina public school, traditional or charter.

All questions regarding loan repayment should be directed to the State Education Assistance Authority (SEAA) at (919) 549-8614 or via email at repay@ncseaa.edu

You may transfer to another institution in the Teaching Fellows Program, provided that you are accepted and that space is available in the program. If you choose to transfer to an institution that is not a Teaching Fellows partner institution, you will be required to enter cash repayment for the amount of your award plus 8% interest.

Teaching Fellows awards cannot be deferred and therefore, prospective applicants are encouraged to apply only in the year prior to beginning their eligible pathway of study.

For additional questions about the program or application, please email us at ncteachingfellows@northcarolina.edu.

For questions about loan forgiveness or cash repayment, please contact the State Education Assistance Authority at repay@ncseaa.edu or (919) 549-8614.