Prospective Educator Scholarships

Educators Rising is an initiative of PDK International. One of the many ways that PDK supports Educators Rising and fulfills its vision of cultivating great educators for tomorrow is through the PDK International Scholarship Program. PDK International awards more than 30 scholarships each year to prospective educators who have a connection to PDK through membership in Educators Rising. Scholarship awards range from $500–$2,000. Students must be paid, Active-level members of Educators Rising in order to qualify.

Scholarship applications for 2025 closed on April 2, 2025.

ELIGIBILITY

High school seniors intending to attend college and major in education who are members of Educators Rising can apply through the online application. Students must be paid, Active-level members of Educators Rising in order to qualify. You might want to check out our Scholarship FAQs before you start to learn more about our policies.

PDK International offers more than 30 scholarships, but — good news! — you only need to fill out one application to apply for all Prospective Educator Scholarships! A few scholarships have specific eligibility criteria designated by the donor(s). You will be able to indicate that you meet specific criteria on the application; only applicants who indicate that they meet the special criteria will be considered for those specific awards. The additional opportunities include scholarships for students:

With demonstrated financial need. If you select this option, you must upload a copy of your FAFSA;

Studying journalism or English who will teach;

Who are high school seniors and the child of an active or retired member of the United States Army and majoring in music or art with the objective to teach;

Who are current undergraduate students already attending an HBCU (Historically Black College or University) or high school seniors who plan to attend an HBCU. For high school seniors, PDK will confirm enrollment later;

Who are members of one of the following Catholic parishes: St. Patrick’s, Cairo, Illinois; St. Pius X, Chula Vista, California; St. Vincent’s, Bedford, Indiana; St. John the Apostle, Bloomington, Indiana; Holy Spirit Parish at Geist, Fishers, Indiana, OR is a high school senior at: Bedford North Lawrence HS, Bloomington HS North, or Bloomington HS South;

Who are current female undergraduate students who have overcome adversity and have maintained a B+ or higher GPA. If you select this option, you will be asked to write a short paragraph detailing how you meet the criteria.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
You don’t need to complete the application in one sitting and you’ll be able to save your progress, but before you start, you might want to gather these components of your application:

You must be paid, Active-level  member of Educators Rising.

Transcript(s) as evidence of your academic success. Transcripts should include the fall semester and do NOT need to be official. Please save it with a file name starting with your last name, e.g., Jones_transcript.pdf.

Personal Statement, no longer than 500 words, sharing a story about yourself that relates to why you want to become a teacher. Consider sharing a personal challenge you’ve overcome, an experience with a teacher or other adult who inspires you, or other experience that supports your decision to become an educator.

A description of your involvement, including any leadership roles you have held, with Educators Rising.

A description of your other extracurricular activities, especially those in which you have worked with others in a teaching or learning capacity, service activities or clubs, and employment and sports. Please note any leadership roles you have held.

Letter of recommendation written by a person not related to you who is familiar with your academic abilities and school activities, and who can address your interest in teaching and the qualities that will make you a successful educator. Please ask for this letter early, as we cannot extend the application deadline. The letter does not need to be sealed. Please save it with a file name starting with your last name, e.g., Jones_letter.pdf.
Questions? Check out our Scholarship FAQs! If you still have questions, email us at scholarships@pdkintl.org.
Many PDK Chapters administer scholarships at the local level. To explore additional scholarship opportunities for which you may eligible, contact your local Phi Delta Kappa Chapter.