Healey-Driscoll Administration Opens Applications for $5 Million in Scholarships for Future Teachers
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced that applications are open for $5 million in scholarships through the Tomorrow’s Teachers Scholarship Program (TTSP), to help students at Massachusetts four-year public colleges and universities pursue careers as teachers. The program is part of the administration’s efforts to grow and diversify the state’s educator workforce and reduce financial barriers to entering the teaching profession.
Eligible students enrolled in approved educator preparation programs at the state’s public four-year colleges and universities can receive scholarships of up to $25,000 through TTSP. Applications for the Tomorrow’s Teachers Scholarship are open through November 20. TTSP also provides $7,500 in student loan repayment assistance to eligible educators, with applications for that portion of the program opening in April.
“Our teachers do incredible work every day to help students learn, grow and succeed, and we need to make it easier for more people to enter this important profession,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We’ve made historic investments to lower the cost of higher education, and the Tomorrow’s Teachers Scholarship builds on that work by helping aspiring teachers afford their education, get into the classroom and serve students across Massachusetts.”
“Teachers are at the heart of strong schools and strong communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “We want more people to see a future for themselves in education and have the support they need to get into the classroom. The Tomorrow’s Teachers Scholarship Program is helping us build that pipeline and prepare more talented teachers to serve students in communities across Massachusetts.”
In total, $10 million is available this year through TTSP for scholarships and loan repayment assistance for current and future educators. Since the program launched in 2023, Massachusetts has awarded scholarships to more than 700 students preparing to become educators and provided loan repayment assistance to more than 100 educators.
“There are talented people across Massachusetts who want to become teachers, and we need to make it easier for them to get into the classroom,” said Education Secretary Steve Zrike. “The Tomorrow’s Teachers Scholarship Program removes one of the biggest barriers by helping students afford the education and preparation required to become a teacher. It’s one part of our broader work to create more accessible pathways into the profession and build an educator workforce that reflects the students and communities we serve.”
TTSP is available to eligible students enrolled full time in approved, undergraduate or post-baccalaureate educator preparation programs at Massachusetts’ public colleges and universities. Scholarship funds can help cover expenses included in the cost of attendance, such as tuition, fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, child care, and personal expenses.
TTSP is a repayment-through-service scholarship program. Recipients commit to becoming licensed educators and teaching in a Massachusetts public school after completing their education. Each year of scholarship funding received requires one year of teaching service, and recipients must become employed as a teacher of record, with primary responsibility for students’ learning in a subject, grade or course, within 12 months of completing their degree or eligible post-baccalaureate coursework.
“Massachusetts is making historic investments to ensure that cost does not stand in the way of students pursuing the careers our communities need most,” said Commissioner of Department of Higher Education Noe Ortega. “The Tomorrow’s Teachers program makes a career in education more accessible for the next generation of teachers while providing tangible financial support to educators who continue to do this essential work in classrooms across the Commonwealth.”
“Great schools depend on great teachers, and we need to provide aspiring educators with a clear and affordable pathway to enter and stay in the profession,” said Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Pedro Martinez. “When we help people become teachers, we’re investing directly in our public schools and students.”
The Tomorrow’s Teachers Scholarship Program is part of the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s broader efforts to make higher education more affordable and strengthen the educator workforce. Massachusetts has doubled state financial aid in recent years, investing more than $400 million annually in programs, including one of the most comprehensive free community college programs in the country, as well as free tuition and fees at public two- and four- year colleges and universities for low-income students, and allowances for books and supplies.
The administration is also expanding pathways into the teaching profession and working to diversify the educator workforce. Earlier this year, Massachusetts launched its first Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Programs, providing aspiring educators with no-cost paid, on-the-job training, coursework and mentorship. In August, the administration awarded an additional $250,000 to 10 school district partnerships to develop new teacher apprenticeship programs serving 16 districts. The state has also made alternative assessments to the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) permanent, providing aspiring educators with additional ways to demonstrate their knowledge and skills while maintaining state standards for licensure.
TTSP is one of several Massachusetts financial aid programs supporting current and aspiring educators. This year, the administration also launched the first-ever Early Childhood Educator Loan Repayment Program, which included nearly $1.8 million in student loan repayment awards for 248 early educators and staff across Massachusetts. The state also offers scholarships to paraprofessional educators who want to continue their education and become teachers, as well as In Demand Scholarships for students in behavioral health fields.
Massachusetts students interested in applying for a scholarship through TTSP should first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid (MASFA) and then create or log in to their MASSAid Student Portal account to complete the TTSP application. Additional eligibility requirements, program details, participating institutions, and application information are available through the Massachusetts Office of Student Financial Assistance. Information about financial aid programs offered to current or aspiring educators is available at OSFA’s Quick Guide for current or aspiring educators.
“If public education is the fertile ground where our Commonwealth's success takes root, then our teachers are irreplaceable as the ones who tend and nurture that growth every day," stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “I'm proud that the Legislature dedicated Fair Share funding to support the Tomorrow’s Teachers Scholarship Program, which is a direct investment in our educators. By removing financial barriers to entering the classroom, we are building a stronger, more diverse educator workforce and ensuring Massachusetts schools continue to thrive.”
“The House is proud to have led the effort establishing and funding this vital teacher pipeline program," said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). "As a former teacher, I know how important it is to support students who want to enter the profession and make sure talented educators have the support they need to succeed.”
“It has never been more crucial to incentive quality applicants to become teachers in the Commonwealth. By making these investments we will not only make higher education more affordable, it will also strengthen the Commonwealth’s educator workforce,” said Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means (D-Boston). “I’m grateful to Governor Healey and her administration for the commitment to this critical program, and to Speaker Mariano and my colleagues in the Legislature for their leadership and commitment to making it a reality.”
“The Legislature is using Fair Share revenue from the state’s wealthiest earners to fund the Tomorrow’s Teachers Scholarship Program to encourage more young educators to stay and work in Massachusetts,” said Senator Jason Lewis, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. “These scholarships and loan forgiveness repayments will help promote a larger and more diverse group of educators to join the workforce.”
“A strong and diverse educator workforce is essential to the success of our schools and the students we serve across the Commonwealth,” said Representative Ken Gordon, House Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. “This scholarship program is important because it invests in the next generation of teachers and helps ensure our students have the dedicated, talented educators they deserve.”
“Massachusetts’ state universities have a long history of preparing outstanding teachers who go on to serve students and communities across the Commonwealth,” said Mary Grant, Chair of the Massachusetts State Universities Council of Presidents and President of MassArt. “This key financial support makes that pathway more affordable and accessible, helping students turn their commitment to education into a meaningful career.”
