The requirement for unpaid student teaching has long been a barrier to entry into the teaching profession. Aspiring educators cannot afford months of unpaid work, and adults entering the profession as a second career are asked to
give up a full-time income to meet the student teaching requirement—a major deterrent for many qualified professionals.
Thanks to a law that passed last legislative session, educators who recently completed their student teaching are now entitled to student loan reimbursement up to $5,000 a year for 50 or more hours of uncompensated work necessary to earn their degree.
“We continue to work toward a comprehensive paid student teaching requirement for aspiring educators,” says CEA President Kate Dias, “but this is a good first step.”
Applicants must
- be current Connecticut residents and have lived in the state for a minimum of five consecutive years prior to their application
- have an outstanding student loan balance, and during 2024 have paid toward a federal direct loan, federal direct PLUS loan, federal Perkins loan, CHESLA loan, or other state-sponsored student loan
- have graduated from a Connecticut public or private college or university with a degree or have earned an occupation/professional license or certificate from an accredited, non-degree granting program or withdrawn due to hardship
There are also income eligibility requirements.
