StudentAdvisor Blog

Scholarship Saturday: Veterans Day Edition - Troops-to-Teachers

by Taylor Cotter
StudentAdvisor.com Staff

This Veteran's Day, we wanted to feature an interesting and progressive way for veterans to fund their education. Troops-to-Teachers is a Department of Defense program that helps military personnel who are eligible begin careers as teachers in public schools where their skills, knowledge and experience are most needed.

This program provides stipends of up to $5,000 to eligible members of the armed forces to obtain certification or licensing as elementary school teachers, secondary school teachers, or vocational/technical teachers, and provides support for them to become highly qualified teachers by demonstrating competency in each of the subjects they teach.

Who May Apply: Former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including members of the Armed Forces Reserves may apply. Applicants must apply to the Defense Activities for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) for assistance. Applicants aspiring to be an elementary or secondary school teacher must have a baccalaureate or advanced degree and:

• Have retired from active duty;
• Will retire within one year of application;
• Have been transferred to the ready reserve;
• Have been released from active duty after six or more years of active duty immediately before separation;
• Have completed at least 10 years of active duty;
• Have executed a reserve commitment agreement for not less than three years;
• Have been retired or separated due to physical disability;
• Have been involuntarily discharged or released from active duty due to a reduction in force between Oct. 1, 1990 and Sept. 30, 1999; or
• Have applied and qualified under the previous Troops-to-Teachers program statute (10 U.S.C. 1151).

 Learn more about your eligibility and how to apply on the Troops-to-Teachers website.