VTSLP Self-Nominating Form

This is Virginia Teaching Scholarship Loan Program

The Virginia General Assembly funds the Virginia Teaching Scholarship Loan Program
(VTSLP) as an incentive for students interested in pursuing a teaching career. Subject to
available funding, these scholarship loans are for teacher candidates, including graduate students
and paraprofessionals from Virginia school divisions enrolled in an approved teacher education
program at an accredited Virginia public or private four-year institution of higher education in
the Commonwealth.

Candidates must (i) be enrolled full-time or part-time in an approved undergraduate or
graduate teacher education program or are participants in another approved teacher education
program; (ii) have maintained a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.7 on a 4.0 scale or
its equivalent; and (iii) be nominated for such scholarship by the institution where they are
enrolled and meet the criteria and qualifications, pursuant to § 22.1-290.01, Code of Virginia,
except as provided herein. Awards shall be made to candidates who are enrolled full-time or
part-time in an approved undergraduate or graduate teacher education program in one of the top
critical teacher shortage disciplines; however, minority teacher candidates may be enrolled in
any content area for teacher preparation. Teacher candidates who previously received
funding through the Virginia Teaching Scholarship Loan Program are not eligible.
Specifically, the Appropriation Act: 2024 Virginia Acts of Assembly, 2024 Special Session I,
Chapter 2, Item 136, G. 1 a-c states the following:

1. Out of this appropriation, $708,000 from the first year and $708,000 from the second
year from the general funds are provided for teaching scholarship loans. These
scholarships shall be for undergraduate students in college with a cumulative grade
point average of at least 2.7 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent, who are nominated by
their Virginia regionally accredited college or university, and who meet the criteria
and qualifications, pursuant to § 22.1- 290.01, Code of Virginia, except as provided
herein. Awards shall be made to students who are enrolled full-time or part-time in
approved undergraduate or graduate teacher education programs for the top ten
critical teacher shortage disciplines; however, minority students may be enrolled in
any content area for teacher preparation. Upon program completion, scholarship
recipients may fulfill the scholarship loan obligation by teaching in the public schools
of the Commonwealth in the first full academic year after becoming eligible for a
renewable teaching license in the appropriate endorsement area and teaching for at
least two years in a school division (i) in one of the critical teacher shortage
disciplines as established by the Board of Education; or (ii) in a Virginia public
school or program with 50 percent or more of the students eligible for free or
reduced-price lunch; or (iii) in a school division designated critical shortage subject
area, as defined in the Board of Education's Regulations Governing the
Determination of Critical Teacher Shortage Areas. Scholarship recipients who only
complete one year of the teaching obligation shall be forgiven for one-half of the
scholarship loan amount. Scholarship amounts are based on up to $10,000 per year
for full-time students and shall be prorated for part-time students based on the
number of credit hours. The Department of Education shall report annually on
Virginia's critical shortage of teaching areas.

a. The Department of Education shall make payments on behalf of the scholarship
recipients directly to the Virginia institution of higher education where the scholarship
recipient is enrolled full-time or part-time in an approved undergraduate or graduate
teacher education program.
b. The Department of Education is authorized to recover total funds awarded as
scholarships or the appropriate portion thereof in the event that scholarship recipients
fail to honor the stipulated teaching obligation.
c. Within the fiscal year, any funds not awarded from this program may be applied toward
the other teacher preparation, recruitment, and retention programs under paragraph G.

Pursuant to 8VAC 20-650-10 of the Regulations Governing the Determination of Critical
Shortage Teaching Areas, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) conducts an annual
survey of instructional personnel to determine critical shortage teaching areas in Virginia. The
identified areas for the 2024-2025 Virginia Teaching Scholarship Loan Program are as follows:

1. Elementary Education PreK-6
2. Special Education PreK-12
3. Middle Education Grades 6-8
4. English (Secondary)
5. Science (Secondary)
6. Career and Technical Education
7. Mathematics Grades 6-12 (including Algebra 1)
8. History and Social science (Secondary)
9. Foreign Language PreK-12
10. School Counselor PreK-12

For the 2024-2025 academic year, the General Assembly has appropriated $708,000 to
support the VTSLP. Scholarships are based on $10,000 per year for full-time students and shall
be prorated for part-time students based on the number of credit hours. Each institution of higher
education may nominate up to three candidates for consideration for the scholarship.

If you meet all eligibility requirements and are interested in self-nominating yourself, please read the promissory note by clicking here. After reading the stipulations of the Virginia Teacher Scholarship Loan Program and you are committed to the requirements, then please fill in the form below.

Link to promissory note: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19ADCx0zIFVNdAu-AdlQ907aAh7oPFotI/view?usp=sharing