More than 3,000 student teacher stipend applications have been received after the application went live on March 6
For further information contact:
Chris Lilienthal (717) 712-6677
David Broderic (717) 376-9169
HARRISBURG, PA (March 7, 2025) — In less than 24 hours, 3,062 aspiring educators have submitted applications to the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) for student teacher stipends in the 2025-26 school year. The application window for the next school year opened at 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, 2025.
With such an incredible demand for the program, the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) renewed its call for a state investment of at least $50 million for student teacher stipends in the FY 2025-26 budget.
PSEA President Aaron Chapin issued the following statement:
“Student teacher stipends are life-changing for the aspiring educators who receive them. Over the past year, I have met student teachers who are sole providers for their families and could never have completed their student teaching without the financial security that comes with receiving a stipend. Stipends allow student teachers to gas up their cars, pay their rent, and put food on the table, while getting the classroom experience they need to be qualified teachers. They ensure student teachers don’t have to take part-time jobs in the evenings while they are working full-time jobs during the day in our schools.
“Unfortunately, hundreds of otherwise eligible student teachers were denied stipends in the current school year for lack of funding. Pennsylvania has an opportunity to fix that by fully funding stipends in the FY 2025-26 budget, so that every eligible student teacher in Pennsylvania can receive one to help them make ends meet for themselves and their families.
“We estimate that at least $50 million in funding is needed in 2025-26 to ensure every hardworking student teacher who is eligible for a stipend can receive one. We believe funding at this level will also ensure that the commonwealth can provide bonus stipends to those student teachers who serve in high-vacancy schools.
“We appreciate the enthusiastic support of Gov. Josh Shapiro and a bipartisan group of state lawmakers who came together to make student teacher stipends a reality. PHEAA has done a remarkable job getting the program up and running, working in partnership with colleges and universities and the schools hosting our student teachers. They know what PSEA has been saying all along: This program can change lives.
“Seeing the incredible number of stipend applications submitted this week, we call on our elected leaders to fund student teacher stipends with at least $50 million in the next state budget, so that every eligible student teacher can count on a stipend as they gain incredibly important classroom experience.”
Noting that the application window for student teacher stipends remains open, Chapin encouraged student teachers who have not yet applied for stipends to do so as soon as possible. Applications can be submitted online at www.pheaa.org/funding-opportunities/pa-student-teacher-support-program. Chapin urged students to be sure their applications are complete before submitting.
Under the Student Teacher Support Program, eligible aspiring educators can receive $10,000 stipends while they perform their full-time student teaching experience. In exchange, student teachers receiving a stipend agree to work as teachers at schools within Pennsylvania for at least three years.
At a time when many school districts are experiencing crisis-level teacher shortages, the program is designed to remove a major barrier for students on the road to becoming certified teachers while creating an incentive for aspiring educators to remain in Pennsylvania after graduation.
Chapin is a Stroudsburg Area middle school teacher and president of PSEA. An affiliate of the National Education Association, PSEA represents about 177,000 active and retired educators and school employees, aspiring educators, higher education staff, and health care workers in Pennsylvania.
