Outstanding teachers have a lasting impact on our lives. In fact, research confirms that teachers are the most important in-school factor driving student academic performance. Over the years, Tennessee has advanced many initiatives to increase student access to excellent teachers. Still, for many school and district leaders, it has been challenging to overcome vacancies and barriers to preparation and licensure.
In response to calls for increased support for prospective teachers, the Tennessee General Assembly established the Tennessee Future Teacher Scholarship with $4.5 million for a five-year pilot beginning in 2023. As teacher candidates prepare to support Tennessee students, the scholarship is designed to help candidates financially if they commit to serving in certain geographic regions or high-need subject areas in Tennessee.
The development of the Future Teacher Scholarship was an important step, but its eligibility requirements limited the scholarship’s reach in its first two years. Over the past year, SCORE collaborated with Tennessee partners to improve the scholarship and increase access to it. In 2025, Chairman Dawn White and Chairman Mark White cosponsored passage of Public Chapter 488, successfully enacting several changes to expand eligibility and simplify the award. Key improvements include:
More teacher candidates are eligible for the scholarship.
Previously, the award was limited to undergraduate juniors and seniors pursuing a bachelor’s degree. However, many teacher candidates pursue nontraditional pathways to the classroom through graduate programs or temporary permits.
Today, eligible recipients must be enrolled in an approved Tennessee educator preparation program (EPP) at an eligible postsecondary institution either:
- As an undergraduate junior or senior, or
- As a postbaccalaureate student seeking an initial educator license
The annual amount is $3,500 per academic year.
The initial scholarship design was a last-dollar scholarship, meaning recipients did not know the dollar amount of their award until all other financial aid was applied to tuition and fees.
Today, eligible recipients are guaranteed to receive $1,750 each semester, or $3,500 per academic year.
The teaching commitment has been reduced to two years.
Recipients must commit to teaching in a Tennessee school district or public charter school for at least two consecutive years after completing preparation. Previously, recipients were required to commit to four years, which was not aligned with the duration of the scholarship award or with similar scholarship programs.
Today, recipients commit to two years in a teaching assignment that is either:
- A school located in a distressed or at-risk county, or
- A subject area for which there is a critical shortage
These key improvements will help to remove financial barriers to the profession by enabling more future teachers to receive financial assistance as they complete training for their Tennessee license. Additional benefits to applying for the Future Teacher Scholarship include:
- Addressing teacher shortages: The scholarship’s two-year teaching commitment directly responds to Tennessee geographic and subject area staffing needs.
- Expanding opportunities: The scholarship enhances access to the teaching profession for nontraditional teaching candidates, attracting a broader range of talent.
- Reinforcing quality education: This scholarship embodies Tennessee’s dedication to quality teacher preparation and the commitment to ensure all students have access to excellent teachers.
We encourage anyone who meets eligibility requirements and is interested in making a difference in the lives of Tennessee students to apply for the Future Teacher Scholarship.
Additional eligibility and application details can be found on the Tennessee Higher Education Commission website, collegefortn.org/future-teacher-scholarship. Applications are due Sept.1, 2025, for the fall semester, March 1, 2026, for the spring, and May 1, 2026, for the summer.