College Scholarships

The TEACH Early Childhood® Scholarship Program (Teacher Education and Compensation Helps) is a nationally recognized initiative designed to make higher education more accessible and affordable while strengthening the early learning workforce. Through a unique partnership between the educator, their employer, and the scholarship program, TEACH helps cover the cost of tuition, books, and other educational expenses while providing additional support that makes continuing education achievable.

The program serves:

Early learning educators and directors
Family child care educators and owners

Out-of-school-time educators
Child care program owners

What Does the Scholarship Provide?

TEACH scholarships offer a wide range of support to remove barriers and help educators successfully complete their educational goals including:

Payment of most tuition costs
Book stipends for each course
Access stipends each term
Computer reimbursement (up to $500 every three years)

Paid release time for eligible educators
Contract completion bonuses
Dedicated scholarship counselors for ongoing support

Available Scholarship Options

TEACH offers flexible pathways to meet a variety of professional goals, including:

Florida Staff Credential and Director Credential
National CDA (Child Development Associate)
Credential Renewals
College Credit Courses (3–6 credits)

Infant/Toddler Certificate
Associate, Bachelor’s, and Master’s Degrees in early childhood education

Each scholarship model includes shared cost responsibilities between the educator, their employer, and the TEACH program.

Who is Eligible?

To qualify for a TEACH scholarship, applicants must:

Have a high school diploma or GED
Work in a licensed, license-exempt, or registered early learning program in Florida
Work with children from birth through age 5 (or up to 5th grade in out-of-school-time programs)
Work at least 20 hours per week (or 520 hours annually)
Have employer support and sponsorship