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  • 1

    What’s a Teaching Program?

  • 2

    Teacher Training Costs

  • 3

    Financial Aid Vocab

  • 4

    Financial Aid Guide

What’s a teaching program?

A future Connecticut teacher smiles at the camera. She is wearing a red hoodie and carrying a bookbag on campus for her teacher training program.

A teaching program is where you’ll train to become a classroom teacher. This is also sometimes called an educator prep program!

Most teaching programs are through a college or university, but you can also find them through community organizations or school districts. Some teaching programs get you in the classroom right away, so you’ll get paid. Others are part of a degree program, so you’ll be able to use financial aid.

What costs should I expect? 

Teaching programs vary, but tuition will generally be your biggest expense. Other common costs include books and supplies, background check fees and any required test fees. 

We’ll break down costs more in the next section!

 

How much will my teacher training cost?

There’s no one answer to this question, but we’ll look at what you can generally expect. Click on the tabs to learn more about each program type.

If you don’t have a degree, a bachelor's + teacher certification program is probably your most cost-effective option. You'll earn your degree and certification at the same time.

Tuition Cost Range: $0–$52K per year 

Typical Expenses

  • Tuition & other costs for a four-year degree
  • Potential application and test registration fees. (We can reimburse you for those! Find out how.)

Ways to Pay

  • Many people pay for their program with a combination of scholarships, grants, work-study and student loans.
  • Some programs may offer paid internships.
  • You could qualify for loan forgiveness if you commit to teaching in a shortage area subject or high-need school. Loan forgiveness means you don’t have to pay back the loan, and can add up to thousands of dollars! 

Other Things to Know

  • Some programs let you add a master’s degree during a fifth year—which can save you money on your master’s AND give you a higher starting salary! 

“Post-baccalaureate” or “post-bac” just means you already have a bachelor’s degree. Most post-bac programs include a master’s degree + teacher certification—but a few are certification-only. 

Tuition Cost Range: $0–$36K per year

Typical Expenses

  • Tuition and other costs for 1–2 years of teacher training. 
  • Potential application and test registration fees. (We can reimburse you for those! Find out how.)

Ways to Pay

  • Many people pay for their program with a combination of scholarships, grants and student loans.
  • Some programs may offer paid internships.
  • You could qualify for loan forgiveness if you commit to teaching in a shortage area subject or high-need school. Loan forgiveness means you don’t have to pay back the loan, and can add up to thousands of dollars! 
  • If you get certified in a state-designated shortage area, you may qualify to teach under a Durational Shortage Area Permit, or DSAP. A DSAP lets you start teaching right away and earn a salary while you finish your program. 

Other Things to Know

  • A master’s degree is more expensive than an alternate certification or certification-only program. However, a master’s will also lead to a higher starting salary!
  • Most standard teaching programs include an unpaid student teaching component, so you’ll need to plan for that as well. 

In an alternate certification program, you’ll complete a practicum or residency in a classroom alongside experienced mentors. You’ll take classes outside of school hours, and you’ll usually earn a stipend during your program. 

Tuition Cost Range: $0–$7300 

Typical Expenses

  • Tuition & other costs for 1 year of teacher training. 
  • Potential application and test registration fees. (We can reimburse you for those! Find out how.)

Ways to Pay

  • Because you’ll be working during your program, most alternate certification programs offer low- or no-cost tuition. 
  • If you do have tuition costs, you can pay for your program with a combination of scholarships, grants and student loans.

Other Things to Know

  • Alternate certification programs typically do not include a master’s degree. In Connecticut, you’ll need to earn a master’s degree eventually—but you can also do this later, after you start teaching.

Financial Aid Vocab

Once you have a sense of your program costs, you can start thinking about financial aid. We know money talk can get confusing—so here are a few key terms to get you started.

The application process is the set of steps you’ll need to complete to be considered for a scholarship, loan forgiveness program or other opportunity.

An application process usually involves a form or collection of forms. Many applications require other materials as well, such as a personal statement or essay response, recommendation letters, school transcripts or other documents.

Eligibility refers to the basic criteria you must meet to be able to apply for a financial aid opportunity, such as a scholarship, grant, internship or loan forgiveness program. 

Financial aid opportunities all have their own eligibility requirements. Some common eligibility criteria include GPA, work experience, age or racial or gender identity. 

A grant is free money you don’t need to repay! Grants generally come from the federal or state government (like the Pell Grant), or from local organizations or universities. You get automatically considered for most grants when you fill out the FAFSA. 

Grants are often awarded based on income or family size, but some grant providers have other specific eligibility requirements. Ask your program’s financial aid office if there are any other forms you need to fill out

A loan is a sum of money you can use to help pay for your education. You will need to pay back your loan with interest after you graduate.  

Many students first take loans from the federal government, because interest rates tend to be lower. (You’ll need to fill out the FAFSA to get a loan offer.) You might take out private loans from a bank or another provider if you max out on federal loans and still need additional funds.

When looking at loan options, make sure you know whether your loans will be subsidized or unsubsidized. Subsidized loans will not accrue interest while you are still in school. Most federal loans are subsidized loans.

 

Loan forgiveness (sometimes called loan cancellation) means you won’t have to pay back some or all of your student loans. In exchange for forgiven loans, you’ll commit to teaching for a set period of time—often in a high-need geographic or subject area.

Loan forgiveness can cover substantial amounts of money! That said, loan forgiveness programs vary. Make sure you understand the specific types of loans and amounts that can be forgiven, as well as any teaching commitments you’ll need to fulfill.

Like a grant, a scholarship is money you don’t need to repay! Scholarships can come from the federal or state government, your college or university or outside organizations. 

Most scholarships have specific eligibility requirements, such as financial need, academic success, achievements in an area of interest, or racial or gender identity.

A stipend is a payment to help you with your education costs and living expenses. Most teaching programs don’t offer stipends—but if yours does, you can think of your stipend as a paycheck or allowance.

Unlike a scholarship or grant, you typically won’t need to use your stipend for a specific thing, like tuition. You’ll receive your payment directly and can spend it however you need! You might receive your full payment all at once, or you might receive your stipend on a biweekly or monthly basis.

Get the Financial Aid Guide

A future Connecticut teacher standing in his campus library. He’s wearing a white T-shirt and holding books in one hand and a backpack on his shoulder with the other.

Now that you’ve gotten an overview of what to expect, you can explore ways to pay for your program.

Check out the TEACH Connecticut Finances Guide for tips and resources to maximize your financial aid! You’ll find in-depth information about grants and scholarships, loan forgiveness opportunities, how to earn a paycheck while you get your teaching license and more.

Get the Guide

What’s next

Choose a Teaching Program in Connecticut

Learn what to look for in a program to get your Connecticut teaching certificate.

Read More

Career Coaching in Connecticut

Have questions about becoming a certified CT teacher? Talk to an expert. Attend a group info session or get 1-on-1 advice on what to teach and how to choose and apply to the right program. It's all free.

Read More

All About the Durational Shortage Area Permit

if you have a bachelor’s degree, you may be able to start teaching right away with a DSAP.

Read More

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Teacher Training Costs & Financial Aid

What exactly is a teaching program? And how much does one cost? Learn what to expect and how to cover your costs.

Get the Financial Aid Guide
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