Financial Aid

Visit our scholarships webpage to view a full list of scholarships available to students enrolled in a degree-seeking program.

A standard application packet for scholarship requires one original and two copies of the following documents:

• School of Education online scholarship application
• Two letters of recommendation – reference forms used for admission to graduate school are not accepted. One reference must be a faculty member from either the VCU School of Education or a previously-attended university.
• Typed essay (see application instructions for more details)
• Transcripts

NOYCE
In addition to the Noyce Scholars program, prospective STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) teachers can simultaneously take advantage of other sources of financial aid. Like Noyce, some of these come with a commitment to teach in a specific setting for one or more years. In all cases, it is possible to fulfill these other obligations and Noyce’s obligation at the same time. For example, by teaching for two years in a high-needs school, you can simultaneously satisfy both your Noyce commitment (two years) and a pair of VTSLP commitments (one year each).

VTSLP “Scholarship-Loans” (Virginia Teaching Scholarship Loan Program)
These state-funded scholarship-loans provide $3,720 of financial support per year. For each year of assistance, the student agrees to teach for one year in Virginia in one of the following settings: (1) a high needs school (with a large percentage of low-income students), OR (2) a “critical shortage discipline” (math, science, special education, etc.), OR (3) a rural or urban region experiencing a teacher shortage, OR (4) a single school with a teacher shortage. Qualifying schools and content areas are established annually by the Virginia Department of Education. For details, visit https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/teaching-in-virginia/financial-support/virginia-teaching-scholarship-loan-program-vtslp.

Note: VTSLP is open to currently enrolled eligible students. Eligible students are nominated by VCU Department Chairs. Once nominated, students are notified by the Executive Director of Licensure and Accreditation, Dr. Joan Johnson, to complete the application process.

AFCEA Educational Foundation
The AFCEA Educational Foundation will offer scholarships of $5,000 to students actively pursuing an undergraduate degree, graduate degree, or credential/licensure for the purpose of teaching STEM subjects at a U.S. middle, or secondary school. For information, go to http://www.afcea.org/education/scholarships/undergraduate/TeachersScholarship.asp. 

Federal TEACH Grants (Teacher Education Assistance for College & Higher Ed)
Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, TEACH grants provide $4,000 of financial support. In return, the student agrees to teach for four years in a high-needs school (serving numerous low-income students) AND in a “high-need field” (math, science, bilingual education, etc.). To apply, visit https://studentaid.gov/teach-grant-program.

Forgiveness of Federal Stafford and Perkins Loans
Let us help you turn your student loans into scholarships! By teaching in a high-needs school, you will become eligible for forgiveness of your federal student loans: up to $17,500 of your Stafford loans for five years of service in a high-needs school, and up to 100% of your Perkins loans (15% for each of your first two years of service, 20% for your 3rd and 4th years, and the remaining 30% for your 5th year). For details, visit https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/teacher.

Teacher.Org
Teacher.Org is a website that outlines different teaching-specific grants, scholarships and other financial support opportunities.

The Higher Education Teacher Assistance Program was established to help address the teacher shortage in Virginia by assisting undergraduate students enrolled in a K-12 teacher preparation program. Learn more about this program.

The National Scholarship Office (NSO) assists students with applying to national and international fellowship/scholarship opportunities related to their academic and professional goals. Review the NSO website for information about a variety of scholarships/fellowships and upcoming deadlines. Feel free to also schedule an appointment with an NSO staff member by emailing natlscholar@vcu.edu or making an appointment by following this link. For graduate students, it is suggested to meet with either NSO Director, Jeff Wing, or the NSO Assistant Director, Dr. Meredith Sisson (mrsisson@vcu.edu).

Note: NSO supports services for students seeking external funding outside of VCU, thus excluding scholarships awarded by VCU colleges and departments.

Southern Education Leadership Initiative (SELI) provides young leaders with hands-on experience supporting organizations working to create school systems that give Black and Brown children access to the educational opportunity they deserve. Fellows will learn about the South’s most pressing education issues, benefit from a deeper understanding of racial equity, gain exposure to various education career paths, and grow as change agents for social justice. For application information, please contact seli@southerneducation.org.

The School of Education provides hourly wage employment for undergraduate and graduate students. Pay is based on the federal minimum wage standards, but can vary depending on job requirements or the skill and experience levels of the student applicant. Positions available range from office receptionist to research assistant. The supervisor will work with the student employee to arrange a schedule that will allow for a reasonable course load during the day.

Some SOE and other VCU departments post student worker vacancies on Talent@VCU Recruiting; job vacancies and other suitable employment are available on the VCU Handshake resource.

Graduate students must be admitted into a Graduate program and enrolled in at least 5 credit hours of Graduate coursework to receive Federal financial aid. Once admitted, please review the VCU Student Financial Services website and loans page for questions about those funding sources.

Virginia Commonwealth University has a wide variety of resources including grants, scholarships, federal work study and loan information for students to utilize when financing their education.

Thank you for your service. Please review the special Troops to Teachers financial assistance program and VCU Military Student Services for more information about the financial support available through these units.

Part-time or full-time, in-state or out-of-state, tuition can vary for graduate students. Use the tuition and fees calculator to financially plan for your next academic goal. For more information on tuition and fees, please visit our Tuition & Fees page.

In the School of Education, we value the passion, knowledge and commitment of our students who are juggling a wide variety of responsibilities inside and outside of the classroom. If you are a parent and student at VCU, there are two resources that may be of support to your next steps: 

1. Pell eligible student parents (EFC of $6206 or less) qualify for discounted child care through the VCU Child Development Center $1.26M CCAMPIS Grant.
2. Single Parents Scholarship through our VCU University Counseling Services.

Review the resources for VCU Adult Learners.

The VCU Graduate School has a number of funding resources and support opportunities for new incoming students:

Graduate School Master’s Scholarship
The Graduate School will be offering the Master’s Scholarship for the 2023-2024 academic year to new incoming Spring 2024 master's students. Recipients of this award must be accepted into a School of Education Master's degree program starting Spring 2024, accept their offer of admission and register for a minimum of 6 credit hours of graduate coursework, for credit. Apply here by December 1, 2023 for one of the $2,500 scholarships.

RAM Opportunity
The Recent Alumni Master's Opportunity is designed to help Ram baccalaureate graduates further their education and grow their career opportunities by pursuing a master's degree at VCU. The RAM Opportunity is available to Summer 2023, Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 VCU baccalaureate graduates who are applying for admission to a master's program for Spring, Summer or Fall 2024. The program will offer a $70 application fee waiver and a one-time $500 scholarship (Virginia residents only).

The School of Education offers competitive, merit-based graduate assistantships to support doctoral students and enrich their learning, research and teaching experiences. This competitive funding pool is typically geared toward supporting full-time doctoral students. Incoming students, please include the application as part of your full application.

For current students, please submit the form with updated academic information along with a new essay.

Generally, our 9 month funding package includes in-state tuition and a ~$20,000 living stipend. These support packages vary based on the funding pool each year.

VCU School of Education Graduate Assistantship Application

Grant funding for specialized projects at times includes funding for graduate assistantships. A graduate assistant usually receives money toward things such as tuition, fees and a stipend, in exchange for work. To apply for these positions, students should review the listing of opportunities on the Grant Funded Programs page, and contact the lead faculty to review the requirements.

The VCU Division of Student Affairs (DSA) offers various Graduate Assistant opportunities across its many departments. The DSA encompasses departments from residence life, multicultural affairs, to student accessibility and educational opportunity (SAEO), to University Commons. Each position has different responsibilities, application requirements and remuneration details outlined on this centralized listing website.

Many of our students have direct funding or reimbursement options from their current employer. Please contact your HR specialist to identify any tuition or professional development benefits that may be available to you.

For VCU and VCU Health employees, please visit the VCU tuition waiver human resources website.