The Indiana Higher Education Commission is encouraging all aspiring educators who plan to teach in Indiana to explore four of the state’s different scholarships.
Applications for the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship, Next Generation Hoosier Minority Educators Scholarship, Earline S. Rogers Student Teaching Scholarship for Minorities and Student Teaching Scholarship for High-Need Fields are open.
The deadline for applications is Jan. 31. Applicants can apply for these financial aid opportunities at ScholarTrack.IN.gov.
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“Indiana educators have a critical role in ensuring Hoosier students are prepared for the workforce and postsecondary education,” said Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Chris Lowery.
“These opportunities will encourage more students to pursue a career in education in Indiana, creating a more diverse pipeline of educators in our state.”
Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship
The Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship provides top-performing high school and college students interested in pursuing a career in education. It comes with the opportunity to earn a renewable scholarship of up to $10,000 per year (up to $40,000 total).
In exchange, students agree to teach for five years at an eligible Indiana school. Or they repay the corresponding, prorated amount of the scholarship.
The Commission will review applications and notify applicants of their scholarship status via email by April 2024.
“I applied for the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship because of the opportunities it opened for me,” said Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship recipient Morgan Castleman.
“I wanted to become a teacher and with the help of this scholarship, I achieved my goal at an Indiana college, I was already planning to attend Ball State University, and upon my reception of this scholarship, I was one step closer to making my goal a reality.”
Castleman said the scholarship allowed her to excel in school because of the financial support it provided. This enabled her to focus on her studies and get the most out of her classes.
To qualify for the scholarship, students must meet one of the following academic requirements:
- Rank in the top 20% of their high school graduating class
- Obtain a score in the top 20% on the ACT (25) or SAT (1130)
- Achieve a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
The Next Generation Hoosier Minority Educators Scholarship
The Next Generation Hoosier Minority Educators Scholarship, created during the 2023 legislative session, provides Black and Hispanic or Latino recipients with up to $10,000 per year (up to $40,000 total) and shares the same requirements as the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship.
Students who are eligible for both the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship and the Next Generation Hoosier Minority Educators Scholarship can only be selected for one of the awards.
Earline S. Rogers Student Teaching Scholarship for Minorities
The Earline S. Rogers Student Teaching Scholarship for Minorities is available to minority students (defined as Black and Hispanic or Latino individuals) who plan to participate in student teaching or a school administration internship as part of their degree requirements during the semester they receive the scholarship.
The maximum amount a student may receive is up to $5,000. Priority will be given to student teaching applicants.
Student Teaching Scholarship for High-Need Fields
The Student Teaching Scholarship for High-Need Fields is available to students who will teach in a high-need field, such as special education (any grade) or middle or high school-level math, and participate in student teaching as part of their degree requirements during the semester they receive the scholarship. The maximum amount a student may receive is up to $4,000.
For questions about state financial aid programs, contact the financial aid support center at (888) 528-4719 or awards@che.in.gov.
Questions and inquiries can be directed to NextTeacher@che.in.gov.
Contact staff writer Jade Jackson at (317) 762-7853 or by email JadeJ@IndyRecorder.com. Follow her on Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON.
