Scholarship Opportunities

Education Northwest has had the honor of working with many Native educators, students, families, and community members throughout our history. These partnerships reflect one of the core values of our organization, equity, and guide us toward our vision of an excellent and equitable education for all. We believe that healthy Native communities are essential to the health and well-being of our region, and we remain committed to this effort.

The Steven R. Nelson Native Educator Scholarship is part of this commitment. This scholarship strives to increase Native representation in the field of education by providing financial support, mentoring, and internships for Native students in the Northwest who are pursuing an advanced degree in education, education policy, leadership, technical assistance, research, or a closely related field. We view this scholarship as an opportunity to create long-term partnerships that will improve our ability to meet the needs of Native communities.

Our former colleague Steve Nelson dedicated his career to working with Tribes, communities, and schools to improve American Indian students’ success in academics and in life. This scholarship honors his work by providing selected students with as many as two years of annually renewable scholarships. Awardees will receive a maximum of $3,000 each year, and we will award as many as five scholarships per year.

Applicants must:

• Reside in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington.
• Be a member or descendent of a federally recognized, state recognized, or terminated American Indian Tribe; a member or descendent of an Alaska Native village, council, or corporation; a Native Hawaiian; or a Pacific Islander from a U.S.-affiliated Pacific Island jurisdiction (specifically, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, or Palau).
• Be accepted to or enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program (by fall term) in an accredited institution of higher education, either in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington for on-campus programs or in an accredited online institution in the United States. For online programs, the degree area must also be accredited according to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) accreditation database. Additionally, maintain a course load that allows for timely completion of the graduate degree (within three years for a master’s degree).
• Pursue a field of study in education, education policy, leadership, technical assistance, research, or a closely related field.
• Have graduated from a four-year, regionally accredited institution of higher learning (before fall term).
• Complete an essay that answers the questions:
1. Why am I pursuing an advanced degree in the field of education, education policy, leadership, technical assistance, research, or closely related field?
2. What are my post-graduation goals?
3. How have I and will I contribute to strengthening my own community and/or rural or Native communities as a whole?
• Submit three letters of recommendation (excluding letters from immediate family members), with at least one from a community member who can attest to the candidate’s Native heritage and their commitment to the designated course of study and to serving rural and/or Native communities after attainment of the degree.
• Begin school as a full- or part-time student no later than the fall semester immediately following the award.

The Sponsor established a scholarship program to assist military veterans who plan to pursue a degree in an education and plan a career in K-12 education.

The program is administered by Scholarship America^®, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarships and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals. Eligibility for individual programs is determined at the sole discretion of the sponsor and eligible applications are reviewed by Scholarship America’s evaluation team.

If selected as a recipient, the student will receive a $5,000 award if attending a vocational-technical or two-year institution or a $10,000 award if attending a four-year college or university. Up to 100 awards will be granted.

Applicants must:

Have served in the United States military in any of the following branches:

• Be an honorably discharged veteran before or after July 2024 (no longer drilling or serving).
• Be able to provide a Certificate or Letter of Eligibility from the Department of Veteran Affairs or a DD214 or another document of service proving honorable service before award disbursement.
  AND
• Be pursuing study in education or counseling while planning to seek a career in the K-12 school system.
• Be high school or GED graduates, current post-secondary undergraduates or graduate-level one students.
• Use any military education benefits for which they are eligible.
• Be planning to enroll in a full-time undergraduate or graduate course of study for an associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s degree at an accredited two- or four-year college or university or vocational-technical school for the entire upcoming academic year (Doctoral study is not eligible).
• Be attending a college or institution that is not on warning or probationary status with the federal government and is not in litigation with the federal or a state government.
• Have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent.

Required Materials:

• A current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Transcripts must display student name, school name, grades and credit hours for each course and term in which each course was taken.
• Copy of the first two pages of the most recently filed IRS Form 1040 used for the Financial Information section of the application. Please black out all social security numbers and bank account information.
• Certificate or Letter of Eligibility from the Department of Veteran Affairs or a DD214 or another document of service proving honorable service. Please black out all social security numbers.

Your application is not complete unless all required materials are submitted electronically.

The Washington State School Retirees’ Association is offering two scholarship for $2,500 for student teacher/interns in each of its eight regions in the state. Statewide that means 16 scholarships for a total of $40,000. Student teachers or those completing an internship as a counselor, school psychologist, social worker, occupational therapist, or speech therapist may apply.

These awards are available for tuition and expenses incurred during the 2024-25 academic year. The funds will be sent to the applicant’s college/university to be applied toward their account. Additionally, in each region there are local chapters of WSSRA that may elect to award scholarships to those not selected in the initial screening. The Neil D. Prescott Scholarship application is available online at www.wssra.org under the Foundation/Scholarships tab.

Applicants must:

• Must be presently enrolled in a college of education, pursuing a certificate in education, and will be doing student teaching or an internship in 2024-25 School Year in Washington State.
• Must profess an intention to apply for employment in a school district(s) within Washington State.

For an application to be considered it must be submitted by April 1, 2024.

The Washington State Educator Workforce Program (EWP) provides financial aid to attract and retain teachers to work in subjects or locations of high need known as shortage areas.

EWP includes options for current teachers, student teachers, paraprofessionals, and non-educators hoping to move into the teaching field. Most are conditional scholarships that encourage individuals to pursue teaching in subjects or locations of high need, also known as “Shortage Areas,” in return for funding received.

Expanding collaborations that recruit, prepare, and retain diverse and highly-qualified STEM teachers in Eastern Washington.

The Noyce team is excited to offer scholarships for STEM teachers. This scholarship is for up-to $28,000. During the last two years of your program, you’ll receive $13,000 each year and $1,000 for your first two years teaching in a high-need school district. Funding beginning Fall 2024. For more information go to:https://inside.ewu.edu/noyce-scholar-project/frequently-asked-questions/

Applicants must:

• Must submit an Essay, Academic Plan, and 3 Letters of Reference.
• Must major in STEM & Education:
  • Earn a BS or BA in STEM
    • and
  • Earn a teaching endorsement in Math, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, or Physics.

For an application to be considered it must be submitted by May 29th, 2024.