Scholarships for Students Whose Parents Are Teachers

As the price of a college degree continues to skyrocket, identifying resources that will help reduce costs is a major priority for parents of teens. If you are an educator, there are several scholarships for which your teen may be eligible, depending on your location, professional affiliations and your child’s career goals.

Robert G. Porter Scholars Program

If you are a member of the American Federation of Teachers, your child is eligible to apply for the Robert G. Porter Scholars Program, which, according to the American Federation of Teachers website, offers four 4-year $8,000 college scholarships to students who are dependents of members. Academic performance is the main criteria used when making scholarship decisions. The American Federation of Teachers website also lists volunteerism and activism at the school and community level as important considerations.

Scholarship Programs Depending on State

Scholarships for Children of Single Parents

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Many state teaching associations offer scholarship programs for children of members. The California Teachers Association, for example, offers 34 $5,000 scholarships to children of current or former members. Scholarships are based on academic performance. Letters of recommendation and a list of school and academic activities are also considered. For students planning to major in education, the Tennessee Education Association, through the Don Sahli-Kathy Woodall Scholarship Fund, offers one $1,000 scholarship to children of members who are high school seniors or undergraduate or graduate students. For more information regarding scholarship opportunities in your area, contact the professional organization in your state.

Union Plus Scholarship

If you belong to a union that participates in Union Plus programs, which includes both the American Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of School Administrators, your child is eligible to apply for the Union Plus Scholarship. There are many scholarships available, and scholarship amounts range from $500 to $4,000. Because the scholarship is highly competitive, the Union Plus website recommends that applying students have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Financial need, social awareness, academic performance and an appreciation of labor are all considered when making final decisions, according to the Union Plus website.

Scholarships for Students of Catholic School Teachers

Grants for Single Parents to Send Kids to Private School

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Several universities offer scholarships to children of Catholic school teachers. Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, for example, offers an $8,000 annual scholarship to students who exhibit financial need and who have a parent that is a current Catholic school teacher or administrator who has worked in a Catholic school for at least three years. Saint Xavier University in Chicago, Illinois, also offers a scholarship to children of Catholic school teachers who have taught at a Catholic school in the Chicago or Orland Park communities for at least 10 years.