Scholarships are financial assistance programs based on academic achievement and other predetermined criteria for students.

These financial awards are given to students by schools, universities, professional organizations, or the government to help them finance their education without the burden of high tuition fees. 

Scholarships for Texas teachers aim to nurture the next generation of Texas educators by providing them with financial, internship, and mentorship programs that will mold them into successful educators. 

To check the scholarships available to you as an educator in your state, check the scholarship page on your state’s website. One key step in securing a scholarship is filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA). The federal government evaluates your financial need and decides if you qualify for aid. 

This article provides you with all the relevant information about Texas scholarships for aspiring teachers.

Teacher working at school

Overview of Texas’ Teaching Situation 

College tuition and related expenses have increased significantly over the past few decades, from $18,300 annually in 2000 to more than $27,000 in 2017. 

Teaching is a highly demanding profession whose need for qualified professionals is increasing daily. Aspiring teachers, therefore, require all the financial help they can get to help them pursue their teaching degrees and graduate on time. 

The demand for teachers has pushed Texas to hire more teachers without traditional training with the hope that the State will pay to prepare them. 

Texas teacher’s scholarships are therefore, essential in helping minimize the loan burden for teachers and in providing an alternative method of funding prospective teacher’s education. 

15 Scholarships for Teachers in Texas

Different scholarships available to teachers in Texas help provide alternative funding methods for their education. These include:

1. TEACH for Houston 

The Teach for Houston scholarship offers free assistance to aspiring teachers. To be eligible, you must be pursuing initial teacher certification through a partner program. Unfortunately, you do not qualify if you are looking to add credentials to your certificate or are pursuing administrator certification. 

Once you enroll in one of the partner teaching programs, you get up to $100 reimbursement of your application fee expenses. Costs such as transcript fees and required test registration fees are also reimbursed. 

To apply, you must sign up for a free TEACH account and then apply to one of the partner programs. You can then enroll to receive the scholarship funds once you are admitted to a partner teaching program. 

TEACH for Houston offers two types of scholarships:

  • The Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators (HAABSE): This program awards $1,000 scholarships to black individuals at the high school senior or college level majoring in education. 
  • The TEACH for Houston Classic Scholarship: This awards $1,000 to any future educator applying to a teaching program. 

2. Charles Butt Scholarship

The Charles Butt Award is a component of the Raise Your Hand Texas Foundation. It provides approximately 100 annual scholarships, mentorship from experienced public school educators, and ongoing training and participation in a state-organized aspiring teachers network. 

It consists of $8,000 yearly for up to four years and is open to students who are working towards their initial teaching certification within selected programs at participating universities. 

To qualify for the scholarship, you must be enrolled full-time in EC-6 ESL/Generalist Certification, Bilingual certification, UTeach Urban Teachers, Special Education Certification, or UTeach Urban Teachers English. The award requires that you have displayed leadership skills and strong academic achievement. 

You should also have shown your commitment to serving high-needs Texas public schools in either a Title 1 school or a shortage subject area (math, special education, science or bilingual) upon graduation. 

Application: Enrolling freshmen are automatically considered and so information from the Apply Texas application is considered. If you are a new student, you should apply online. The scholarship involves a competitive selection process, from application to pre-screening by the university to an individual interview. 

3. Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF)

The JRF award grants four-year scholarships combined with job placement, mentoring, life skills training, and leadership development opportunities to highly motivated college students with a need for financial funding.

Students receive scholarships of up to $35,000 over a period of four years and are financially supported to attend JRF’s annual, four-day leadership conference.  Other perks include career guidance, permanent job placement, travel abroad, and practical life skills training. Applications open in September and close in January. 

The application includes:

  • One recommendation
  • Demographics
  • High school information
  • College plans
  • Test scores (AP, IB, PSAT, ACT or SAT)
  • Activities and distinctions
  • Household information
  • Four essays

The Rachel Robinson International Fellowship supports international service and study opportunities for JRF scholars. 

The Extra Innings Fellowship also helps highly motivated JRF Scholars fund the cost of advanced professional or graduate training. EIF promotes the study of a broad range of disciplines that communities in need within the country and across the globe. 

4. APIA Scholarship Program

The Asian & Pacific American (APIA) Scholars offer financial support to students from the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Island (AANHPI) backgrounds. The APIA scholarships are open to AANHPI undergraduate students attending U.S.-accredited colleges and universities. 

The amount awarded ranges from $2,500 one year awards to $20,000 multi-year awards. In addition, the APIA scholars has a special focus on learners living below or at the poverty line, are the first ones to attend college in their family, or are representatives of the AANHPI community both ethnically or geographically. 

Here is a summary of the eligibility requirements:

  • Applicants must be U.S. citizens, national or legal permanent residents, or citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau.
  • Be able to describe your ethnicity, heritage, or ancestry in relation to the countries, territories, or lands in Asia or the Pacific Islands.
  • Be enrolling or continuing as a degree-seeking undergraduate student in a U.S accredited college or university in the FALL.
  • Have at least a cumulative GPA of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale (unweighted) or have acquired a GED.
  • Must apply for federal financial aid using the Free Application for the Federal Student Aid (FASFA) by early April. 

APIA Scholars offers applicants the opportunity to apply for two scholarships: the APIA Scholarship and the AANAPISI Scholarship. However, if eligible, you will only be awarded one scholarship. 

  • APIA Scholarship: This is a national scholarship open to all joining and continuing APIA undergraduate college students at any accredited U.S. college or university. The scholarship award ranges from a one-off $2,500 to a multi-year $20,000 award. 
  • AANAPISI Scholarship: Serves the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) students, in collaboration APIA Scholars. The application follows the APIA Scholars timelines with applications open in September and closing in January. The application must be completed online and awards the same amounts as the APIA Scholars. 

5. TRTF Beginning Teacher Scholarship

The Texas Retired Teachers Foundation (TRTF) awards scholarships to first-year public school educators. Applications are open on the TRTF website beginning in September and closed by the 31st of January.

This Beginning Teacher Scholarship is meant to reimburse first-year enrollees for their certification tests and test results and to assist them in purchasing their classroom materials.

To be awarded the TRTF scholarship, you must;

  • Have sat or scheduled to sit for the Texas Teacher Certification Exams
  • Be referred by an active member of the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA).
  • You must also have earned or be earning an undergraduate or master’s degree at a Texas university or college an be planning to take your certification exam or be pursuing alternative certification.  
  • Submit your application and legible college transcripts by February.

6. Ellsworth Family Endowment

The Ellsworth Family Foundation is a funding foundation privately established to offer charitable grants to qualifying tax-exempt organizations with reliable ties with the State of Nebraska. ‘

The foundation’s charitable activities include education with an emphasis on disabled children, family services, protection of upland bird or waterfowl habitat, art collection, river and stream restoration and conservation, and protection of scenic views. 

It also raises funds for scholarships, equipment purchases, and campus improvements. Annually, the foundation awards 145 endowed scholarships and provides $300,000 financial assistance to ECC and its students. 

Additionally, Ellsworth College Trustees provide over $200,000 in scholarship support, making Ellsworth one of the lowest community colleges in terms of student debt when graduating. 

The Ellsworth Community College offers the following scholarships:

  • Eric & Janet Emery Endowed Scholarship: You must have a GPA of 3.0 and be interested in education or Fire Science.
  • Mary Fuller and Doris Foster Scholarship: You must be a student majoring in education with a financial need.
  • Raymond King Endowed Scholarship: You must also be an education student majoring in education. 
  • Merrill & Linda Ahrens Endowed Scholarship: To qualify, you must be an education or agriculture major with a GPA of 2.5 or higher.

7. Carol Murphy Memorial Endowment

The Carol Murphy Memorial Endowment is open to residents of Missouri, Indiana, or Texas who are at least 25 years old. 

To be eligible:

  • You must be enrolled in college with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  • Must be enrolled at a technical school or returning to school after an absence for retraining of job skills or obtaining a degree. 
  • Must be engaged in online learning through an accredited college, vocational school, or university.

You should also be attending or enrolled in an accredited school within the United States and major in education or business.

Selection for this award is based on service and leadership (15 points), financial need (50 points), and scholastic ability(25 points). 

To complete your application, an application fee of $5 is required. Once you have filled out your application, you should submit it to the ESA state counselor, who verifies the information before forwarding it to the scholarship director. 

8. Jerry Harvey Endowment

This is an award for U.S. and international undergraduate and graduate students residing in Texas.  Qualifying students are awarded a non-renewable $1300 annual amount, which is applied towards registration, tuition, dormitory fees, books, and other college fees and academic expenses. To qualify, you must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. 

To apply for this scholarship, you need to prepare the following:

  • Essay
  • Recommendation letter
  • Application form
  • Official Transcript
  • $5 application fee

The application fee is meant to cover the costs of running the scholarship program. Any remaining monies after the costs are covered are put back in the general scholarship to support future awards. 

Applications for the Jerry Harvey Scholarship are decided on based on Service/ leadership- 20%, Financial need- 35% and Scholastic ability- 35%. 

9. USPAACC CelebrASIAN Scholarship

The USPAACC CelebrASIAN Scholaship has been embraced by different corporations and Asian American businesses who support the program and endow their oen scholarships. It awards between ten and twenty scholarships annually ranging between $3,000 and $5,000 to high school seniors nationwide for their post-secondary education. The award is open to four-year college enrollees. 

To apply for this scholarship,

  • You must be a high school senior student
  • Must be of Asian Pacific heritage (except for Bruce Lee Scholarship)
  • Must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States
  • Must be beginning full-time study at an accredited post-secondary educational institution. 
  • Must have a minimum GPA of 3.3

10. Udall Undergraduate Scholarship

The Udall Foundation offers scholarships, internships and fellowships to undergraduate students enrolled in the healthcare, Tribal public policy, and environmental fields. It’s highly competitive requiring applicants to participate in internal competitions before being considered by the Udall Foundation. In 2025 it awarded 55 scholarships of $7,000 each. 

11. UHCL EXCITE Scholarship

The UHCL Exploring Careers in Teaching (EXCITE) program offers tuition funds for Hispanic and low-income students enrolled in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) and Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction (EDCI) programs. 

The scholarship amount varies from $1,000 to $5,000 per semester, up to a maximum of four semesters. The application deadlines are 15 March for MAT and 15 May for EDCI. 

To qualify:

12. American Indian College Fund

The American Indian College Fund provides scholarships and programming for American Indian and Alaska Native students enrolled in certificate, undergraduate, and graduate programs to enable their access to higher education. The students are also provided with tools and support to enhance their stay in school. 

To be eligible, you must be:

  • U.S. or Canadian citizens attending college in the United States under the provisions of the Jay Treaty. 
  • An enrolled member of a federal or state-recognized tribe or a descendant of a parent or immediate grandparents that was/is an enrolled member of a state or federally recognized tribe or Alaska Native village. 

13. Study.com Scholarships

The Study.com scholarships awards different amounts to different groups of people according to the following categories:

  • LGBTQ+ Student Scholarship: LGBTQ+ students pursuing their undergraduate or graduate college degree are awarded $1000. Its focus is making college education more accessible to LGBTQ+ students. 
  • Scholarship for Transfer Students: Awards $1,000 to transfer students currently enrolled for their degree.
  • Scholarship for Women in STEM: Awards $2,000 to women students pursuing any undergraduate degree program mainly focusing on STEM. This scholarship focuses on promoting women’s interest in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, engineering technology, and computer science, among others.  
  • Scholarship for Black Students: Offers $2,000 academic award to Black students pursuing their undergraduate or graduate college degree. 
  • Single Parent Scholarship: Awards $1,000 in academic support to a single parent who is currently a student or an aspiring one.
  • Scholarship for Moms: Awards $1,000 scholarship to a mum who is currently a mum and planning or enrolled at an accredited school. 

14. McDonald’s HACER National Scholarship

The McDonald’s Hacer National Scholarship offers educational support for up to 30 Hispanic exceptional students across the country. The award is broken into three tiers:

  • Tier 1 recipients are awarded with up to $100,000
  • Tier 2 receives $20,000 or $10,000
  • Tier 3 receive $5,000

Recipients are selected based on their academic achievement, personal statement, financial need and community involvement activities. Winners are selected in June so you can check your emails by April and see if you are a semi-finalist. 

The 2024-2025 application will open in the fall. 

To apply, you need:

  • Transcript
  • Personal statement
  • An online submission of a Letter of recommendation 
  • List of community service projects

Here are the eligibility criteria:

  • Must be a high school senior
  • Must be a legal U.S. Resident, U.S. Citizen or a DREAMER/DACA recipient
  • Must be under 21 years old
  • Must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.8
  • Must be eligible to enroll full-time in a two- or four-year college, university, or vocational/technical school
  • Should report any other scholarship programs you have applied for
  • Must enroll in and attend an accredited institution during the academic year following selection
  • Must have at least one parent of Hispanic or Latino descent

15. Workforce Solutions Scholarship

The Workforce Solutions Scholarship offers training support for high-skill, high-growth occupations. It can help you decide on what to study, how to pay for it and where you need assistance.

To qualify for this scholarship, you must:

  • Complete the Financial Aid Intake Form and provide proof of eligibility
  • Meet eligibility requirements, including authorization to work in the U.S., age, selective service registration, and family income information.

To apply, you must schedule an appointment to speak with a Workforce Solutions professional. Such will help you explore in-demand careers, create a payment plan for your training, and help you choose an eligible service provider. 

Scholarships and Fund Purpose

Scholarships play a huge role in closing the financial gap in education for many families. With the cost of tution rising, scholarships awarded on a need-basis may help some families meet the financial needs of their families and be able to acquire a college education. Scholarships, therefore, create community support and ensure access to higher education for students who may not otherwise acquire it. 

Scholarships can be granted by the government, educational institutions, businesses, professional groups, or even non-profit organizations. 

Students can also use scholarship funds to acquire books, accommodation, or travel costs depending on the amount awarded and the conditions attached to it. Getting a scholarship can also help you with expenses for:

  • Bachelor’s & certification
  • Master’s & certification
  • College credits & certification
  • Certification only
  • Instructional materials
  • Professional development 

Other Types of Financial Support for Texas Teachers

Scholarships are not the only way that teachers in Texas receive financial aid. Other types of financial assistance programs include:

  • Loan forgiveness programs: The Texas Education Agency submits subject shortage areas to the U.S. Department of Education annually. Teachers may qualify for partial loan forgiveness, deferment, or cancellation benefits. Teacher’s eligibility for loan forgiveness depends on the type of loan they have, the date of their first loan, and whether they serve in a low-income school or a subject-matter teacher shortage area. 
  • Fellowships: The Texas Education Agency organizes a Teacher Leadership Fellowship– a highly selective two-year program meant to strengthen teacher leadership pathways. To qualify, you have to be serving as a teacher or record and have a minimum of two years of teaching experience. 
  • Housing assistance: The Home for Texas Heroes is a program by the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC). It offers loans and down payment assistance to Texas teachers.
  • Teacher Incentive Allotment: The Texas Legislature, in June 2019, established this Incentive Allotment with a stated goal of a six-figure salary for teachers who decide to teach in high needs areas and rural district campuses. The program incentivizes educators to work in high needs schools and difficult to staff positions.  
  • Mentor Program Allotment (MPA): This program allows districts to build or sustain beginning teacher mentoring programs aligned to research-based mentoring best practices. Participating school districts use MPA funds for mentor stipends, release time, and the providers of mentor training.

Teachers make a great impact on future generations in Texas. As a working or enrolled teacher, take a step to explore these options available to you and find a financing plan that gets you closer to your goal.