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MI Future Educator Fellowship

A teacher sitting with students at a table.

MI Future Educator Fellowship

The MI Future Educator Fellowship offers $10,000 scholarship to up to 2,500 future educators every year who are admitted and enrolled in an Educator Preparation Program (EPP) approved by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE).

Eligibility Requirements:

To be eligible, the student must:

  • Complete the annual MI Future Educator Fellowship application by June 15, 2025.
  • File a current-year Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Be a high school graduate.
  • Be admitted into an eligible Educator Preparation Program (EPP) approved by Michigan’s State Board of Education.
  • Be working on their initial teacher certification.
  • Be enrolled in enough coursework to be considered enrolled full-time during the academic year, or its equivalency for individuals enrolled in an alternative certification program.
  • Have reached Junior grade level according to the institution’s definition.
  • Have a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.0.
  • Be a Michigan resident since July 1 of the previous calendar year.
    • If you are a dependent student, the contributor(s) on your FAFSA must also be a Michigan resident.
    • This will be confirmed based on your FAFSA.
  • Complete a Commitment to Teach in Michigan Agreement, which requires that the recipient teach in Michigan in a public school or qualifying public preschool program for a specific number of years, depending on the number of years the recipient has received the MI Future Educator Fellowship. This will be issued to applicants when the institution confirms eligibility.
    • The Commitment to Teach in Michigan Agreement must be e-signed no later than July 15, 2025.

Ready to apply? Follow these steps:

Apply Now

Already applied? These are the next steps in the process:

  • Institutions confirm student eligibility.
  • Complete Commitment to Teach in Michigan Agreement.
  • Institutions request reimbursement from the State of Michigan.
  • Payments are made to institutions.

MI Future Educator Fellowship Full Process

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Renewal Requirements

Fellowship is renewable for up to three years.

For a renewal award, students must:

  • Complete the annual MI Future Educator Fellowship application.
  • File a current-year Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • Meet institution’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy.
  • Have a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.0.
  • Be a Michigan resident since July 1 of the previous calendar year.
    •  If you are a dependent student, the contributor(s) on your FAFSA must also be a Michigan resident.
    •  This will be confirmed based on your FAFSA.
  • Complete a Commitment to Teach in Michigan Agreement, which requires that the recipient teach in Michigan in a public school or qualifying public preschool program for a specific number of years, depending on the number of years the recipient has received the MI Future Educator Fellowship.
  • Have participated in relevant academic and career advising programs offered by the eligible education preparation program.
  • Have maintained full-time continuous enrollment in an eligible EPP, as determined by the EPP, or the equivalent of full-time participation for individuals enrolled in an alternative certification program. The timeframe since the student received their initial MI Fellowship award should be used in determining full-time continuous enrollment.
    • If the student’s initial MI Fellowship award was in 2022-23, the student must have completed 24 credits in 2022-23 and maintained full-time continuous enrollment beginning 2023-24 and thereafter.  
    • If the student did not attend the full 2022-23 Academic Year, the student will not need to be evaluated for continuous full-time enrollment until the end of their first full academic year.
A teacher with her students around a table.

Commitment to Teach in Michigan

When a student receives this award, they agree to work in Michigan classrooms.

  • If you receive one year of funding from the MI Future Educator Fellowship you agree to work as a certified teacher in a public school or public preschool program* in Michigan for three years.
  • If you receive two years of funding from the MI Future Educator Fellowship you agree to work as a certified teacher in a public school or public preschool program in Michigan for four years.
  • If you receive three years of funding from the MI Future Educator Fellowship you agree to work as a certified teacher in a public school or public preschool program in Michigan for five years.
  • If you teach in a critical needs district, your service obligation is three years, regardless of the number of years you received a MI Fellowship award.

If a student does not meet this service obligation requirement and/or does not finish the teacher certification program, the fellowship converts to a 0% interest rate loan with a repayment term of 10 years, plus any deferment period as determined and approved by the Michigan Department of Treasury.

All applicants who are confirmed as eligible by their institutions must sign a Commitment to Teach in Michigan Agreement. Confirmed students will receive a request to e-sign this document from OneSpan, Michigan’s e-signature solution. Students are encouraged to check their junk mail or spam for this request and should sign as quickly as possible once the Confirmation of Eligibility step is completed by the institution, as all awards are subject to available funds. The final date to sign the current year Commitment to Teach in Michigan Agreement is July 15, 2025.

Note:  A “public preschool program” is one that requires licensure from the Great Start Readiness Program, Head Start, Early Head Start, Early On, Early Childhood Special Education, Strong Beginnings, or preschool programs funded by the B-5 Preschool Development Grant.

Program Limits

Students may receive assistance for up to three academic years and a total of $30,000. Future awards are subject to available and approved funding.

Participating Institutions

Michigan public degree-granting community college, public university; or Michigan private or independent, degree-granting non-profit institution who offer an Educator Preparation Program (EPP) approved by Michigan’s State Board of Education.

Award Amount:

Awards are restricted to tuition and required fees and pay up to a maximum of $10,000 per academic year at participating institutions. It is the responsibility of the financial aid office to coordinate all sources of aid for which a student may be eligible. Other gift aid may reduce or cancel this award.

Additional Resources

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Participating Institutions

Authority

Public Act 120 of 2024