External educator funding resources
The scholarships, funding resources, and professional development information on this page are external to the University of Minnesota. The university is not responsible for changing information and students should go to each external webpage to learn more about the funding resource including eligibility criteria, application requirements, and contact information.
Carol E. MacPherson Scholarship
The Carol E. Macpherson Memorial Scholarship is a private family scholarship administered by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Minnesota that provides scholarships to women who are at least 28 years old and have at least a five-year cumulative gap in their education and are seeking undergraduate or graduate degrees (full or half time) from a Minnesota higher education institution. The application deadline is typically in July. The award is offered once a year for new or current students who will be enrolled in the fall and spring semester. More information can be found on their website: https://cemscholarship.org/
Minnesota Aspiring Teachers of Color Scholarship Pilot Program
This Minnesota Office of Higher Education program provides post-secondary financial assistance to eligible undergraduate and graduate students who are preparing to become teachers, have demonstrated financial need, and belong to racial or ethnic groups underrepresented in the state's teacher workforce. This opportunity is for initial licensure students only and is typically offered in the Spring of the student teaching placement. To learn more, go to the program webpage.
Grow Your Own Grant Opportunity
The Grow Your Own program is a grant opportunity administered by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) to increase and diversify Minnesota’s teacher workforce. If you are a prospective or current student seeking the initial teaching licensure and you work in a district, you may be eligible to access funds through the Grow Your Own program to reimburse tuition costs. If considering, you will need to work with your district regarding applying for this opportunity. To learn more information and application deadlines, visit the MDE website or reach out to famed@umn.edu . Grow Your Own applications are typically due in January and awarded in March.
Postsecondary Child Care Grant
This program helps low-income students who have young children (12 years or younger, or 14 or younger if the child is handicapped) pay for child care while the student attends classes. To qualify, the student must be: a Minnesota resident whose family size and income qualify for the program, be enrolled in 1-12 credits or more per term (undergraduate), or 1-6 credits or more per term (graduate), and have not received child care grant funds for a period of ten semesters or equivalent. The maximum award amount is $6,500 per eligible child per academic year. To see a full list of program eligibility requirements and application information, go to the program webpage.
Utilizing UFARS (Object Code 389) with District ECFE funds for staff tuition and other reimbursements
Minnesota school districts follow the Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting Standards (UFARS) to collect district financial data from all reporting units. District programs, including Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) and Community Education departments, can use UFARS Object Code 389 with ECFE funds to reimburse for staff tuition including, “all expenditures associated with course work for teacher quality training, including tuition, books and materials” and well as, “reimbursements for parental involvement and other reimbursable activities of federal programs.” It is determined by the school district how to use ECFE funds.
Both initial and additional licensure candidates who work in a district in which there is a need for a licensed Parent Educator qualify. Prospective and current students should work with their school district and ECFE program to negotiate the terms and conditions for tuition reimbursement. For more information contact famed@umn.edu or Mike Brown from MDE at mike.p.brown@state.mn.us.