Eligibility
No matter your professional background, this work will be your most important job yet.
Our Fellows understand that teaching is a privilege, and a tremendous responsibility. Using the skills and experiences that brought them success in college or their first careers, our Fellows ignite students’ imaginations—and challenge them to dream big.
We are committed to recruiting a teaching force that reflects the diversity of students in New York City public schools. In our 2019 Summer Cohort, 68 percent of Fellows self-identified as a person of color and 59 percent attended a NYC public school. Additionally, 46 percent of Fellows are recent college graduates, 54 percent are career changers, and 14 percent completed advanced degrees in their field prior to joining the Fellows program.
While each great teacher is unique, Fellows are united by a shared commitment to high standards and the desire to make a profound difference for NYC’s students. More than 10,000 Fellows currently work within the NYC public schools, serving as teachers, principals, and administrators. Join our team and help over 100,000 students each year reach their potential.
Program Eligibility
Before applying to our program, make sure that you meet basic program eligibility requirements:
- Bachelor's degree by the start of training
- Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0*
- Fluent in written and spoken English
- Authorized to work in the United States
- Never been certified to teach or completed a program that would lead to certification in the U.S. or Puerto Rico
- Never started pre-service training in any of the following alternative certification programs: NYC Teaching Fellows, NYC Teaching Collaborative, Pathways to PE or Teach for America (TFA)
*GPA minimum is required by our university partners, as per NY state regulations. Applicants with an undergraduate GPA between a 2.5 and 3.0 ARE ELIGIBLE to apply to the NYC Teaching Fellows. If you are in this situation, you will be asked to submit a GPA statement in the application to provide more context about your GPA. The GPA statement should outline any factors that may have impacted your undergraduate GPA and why you feel you will be able to succeed in a rigorous master’s degree program.
Further exemption made to those whose undergraduate GPA is below a 2.5 but they have completed a master's degree and earned at least a 3.0 GPA.