Becoming a Teacher is Possible with Residency Awards & Financial Aid
We’re committed to making your journey to the classroom possible.
The AUSL Teacher Residency helps you access scholarships, grants, loan opportunities, and support to make your training year attainable.
Upon graduation, you’ll begin your career as a master’s level teacher. Chicago Teacher Residency graduates are qualified to become an official Chicago Public Schools teacher and union member, with a starting salary of over $70,000.
Financial Cost Estimator
Use the calculator below to estimate the total cost of the program. Reach out to a recruiter if you’d like to discuss specific questions about your personal circumstances!
Funding and Support
AUSL Resident Scholarship
AUSL provides Residents with a $22,100 Resident scholarship that is paid directly to you. You can choose to use this living allowance to pay for tuition costs or to cover living costs you will incur throughout your training year. Non-AmeriCorps members receive monthly payments of $1700 for 13 months starting in June 2025. AmeriCorps Members receive bi-weekly payments totaling $1780.96 each month and have access to additional benefits.
AmeriCorps Segal Award (AmeriCorps Participant)
The Chicago Teacher Residency is an AmeriCorps grantee and receives funds from its State and National program. Residents can access financial support, healthcare coverage, and childcare support. Residents who become AmeriCorps Members are eligible for the $7,395 AmeriCorps Segal Education Award.
TEACH Grant
The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant is administered through DePaul University. Residents are eligible to apply for the TEACH grant but must be accepted into the program after an interview with DePaul staff. The amount varies, but the maximum is $4000 a year, paid by quarter. CTR Residents who enter the program with a GPA of 3.25 or higher will also be eligible for the Summer 2022 term, for an additional $1,300 (approximately) for the program. The grant requires four (4) years of teaching in a high needs school, or the grant must be repaid. Information on DePaul’s TEACH grant is available here.
Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program
The Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program offers financial support of up to $7,500 per year to minority students pursuing a teaching career in Illinois. This scholarship helps cover tuition costs for teacher preparation programs and is designed to increase the number of minority educators in Illinois, particularly in schools serving diverse and underserved communities.
AmeriCorps Healthcare & Childcare Benefits
The Chicago Teacher Residency is an AmeriCorps grantee and receives funds as part of their State and National program, allowing Residents that become Segal AmeriCorps Members to access healthcare coverage and child care support. Connect with a recruiter to learn more!
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FAQ: The AUSL Resident Scholarship
What is the AUSL Resident Scholarship?
Each Resident in the program will receive a $22,100 scholarship to help cover the cost of completing the program. This scholarship can be used to cover DePaul tuition costs, living expenses, or educational expenses. Some of this scholarship is recoupable if the conditions of the resident contract are not met in full.
How often will I be sent a scholarship payment and how much will it be?
A scholarship payment will be made each month, generally, starting in July when courses begin with 13 payments totalling $22,100.
Why would I have to repay my scholarship or scholarship advance?
The terms for repayment are spelled out in the Resident Contract. The repayment specifics are worked out on a case-by-case basis, but generally the cause of repayment is that the Resident doesn’t fulfill the terms of their placement. The contract calls for a residency year and four years teaching in an AUSL Residency-approved school, a CPS Opportunity School, or a high needs CPS school approved by the AUSL Residency. The repayment schedule is prorated for years of service in approved schools.
Will AmeriCorps make an interest payment for me on the loans that are in forbearance while I serve in the program?
In many cases, yes, upon completion of service, Residents will be eligible for a payment made directly to loan servicers to cover the interest on the loans that have been in forbearance. That must be done through the MyAmeriCorps portal.
More information on AmeriCorps and the Segal Award are available here.
FAQ: AmeriCorps Segal Education Award (AmeriCorps Participant)
What is the AmeriCorps Segal Education Award?
The Segal Award is a grant given to residents upon completion of their year of service in AmeriCorps as part of the AUSL Residency program. Residents must be eligible to enroll for AmeriCorps service (terms of enrollment below) and complete the necessary timesheets and paperwork to be enrolled in the AUSL Residency AmeriCorps Program. Important to note: the Segal Award is granted at the end of the program. It can be used to cover the cost of attendance at DePaul or be paid directly to a student loan servicer.
What are the eligibility requirements?
A resident must have valid citizenship standing and a social security number. You must also meet all Chicago Public School (CPS) safety requirements for entry to schools, (fingerprinting, drug convictions, etc.) to be eligible for AmeriCorps service. If a resident has had past issues, they will be reviewed by CPS and AUSL Human Resources on a case by case basis. Also, a resident may not collect more than two Segal Awards. If you previously served and received more than two Awards, you are not eligible.
How much is the Segal Award worth?
The Segal Award is worth the maximum amount for a Pell Grants offered in the same academic year. For SY2023, residents who served full-time, 1,700 service hours (which is what the CTR serves), earn $7,395 when completing their entire term of service.
The Segal Award is prorated if you leave the CTR program early – once you are in service, you will earn some portion of your Award after you’ve completed at least 20% of your hours.
Is it true my other student loans will be eligible for forbearance during my term of service?
Yes. If you are in the AUSL Residency AmeriCorps program, your federal student loans are eligible for forbearance during your period of service. Being a full time graduate student at DePaul also automatically puts your loans in forbearance as well.
Will AmeriCorps make an interest payment for me on the loans that are in forbearance while I serve in the program?
In many cases, yes, upon completion of service, Residents will be eligible for a payment made directly to loan servicers to cover the interest on the loans that have been in forbearance. That must be done through the MyAmeriCorps portal.
More information on AmeriCorps and the Segal Award are available here.
FAQ: Federal TEACH Grant at DePaul University
What is the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant program?
The TEACH Grant is administered through DePaul. Residents are eligible to apply for the TEACH grant but must be accepted into the program after an interview with DePaul staff. The amount varies, but the maximum is $4000 a year, paid by quarter. Residents who enter the program with a GPA of 3.25 or higher will also be eligible for the Summer 2022 term, for an additional $1,300 (approximately) for the program. The grant requires four (4) years of teaching in a high needs school, or the grant must be repaid. Information on DePaul’s TEACH grant is available here.
What are the steps for applying and receiving the TEACH Grant?
To be eligible for the TEACH Grant, Residents must:
- Complete a FAFSA Form
- Complete, sign, and submit the TEACH Grant forms at DePaul University to DePaul Financial Aid
- Complete, sign, and submit the online Agreement to Serve (ATS). FSA login required.
- Complete TEACH Grant Entrance Counseling requirement. FSA login required
- Watch the TEACH Grant Teaching Obligations webstream
- Watch the TEACH Grant Potential Repayment Obligation webstream
How much is the TEACH Grant worth?
The grant is paid out in the fall, winter and spring, with a maximum of $4,000 available per academic year.
What are the service requirements to receive the TEACH Grant?
- Residents agree to serve as a full time teacher in a high needs field in a school that serves low-income students.
- Residents agree to teach four (4) academic years within the eight (8) calendar years after graduation from your licensing program.
- Upon graduation from your licensing program, Resident TEACH Grant recipients must submit annually showing they have completed a year of qualifying teacher service or their intent to meet the requirements of the TEACH Grant.
What other requirements for application are there?
- Residents must have had a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher in your last academic degree program.
- To continue receiving the TEACH Grant during the academic year, a cumulative 3.25 GPA must be maintained.
- All courses registered for and taken in the degree program must issue a letter grade. No pass/fail course grades are allowed.
Important TEACH Grant information to consider:
Please be aware that the Federal TEACH grant has the potential of turning into a Federal Unsubsidized Loan. You need to be committed to teaching in a high-need subject area in a school serving low-income students. If you are unsure about this commitment, you should contact DePaul Central to discuss other aid resources.
IMPORTANT: If you fail to complete this service obligation, all TEACH Grant funds that you received will be converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. You will repay this loan to the U.S. Department of Education incurring interest from the date the grant(s) was disbursed.