Instructional Leadership, emphasis: K-12 School Leadership (MEd)
N A U students walking on campus.

Learn more about the Arizona Teachers Academy (ATA), including applicant eligibility, how to apply, and how the program works.

Students are eligible if:

Once you’ve completed these eligibility requirements, you must submit an ATA agreement form, which will be available in your LOUIE portal on the To Do List.

Please note: Participation in the Arizona Teachers Academy is first-come, first-served for students who complete all eligibility requirements, up to the allowable funding provided by the state. We cannot guarantee that all students will receive a scholarship since it is always possible that we will have more eligible participants than we have funds to be disbursed. If funds run out, consider applying for the Federal TEACH Grant. Further, NAU offers multiple scholarships. Applications open in the spring semester, and information about these and other NAU scholarships can be found through the ScholarshipUniverse search engine.

N A U student sitting at a table, working on a laptop.

How to join

Learn more about how to join the Arizona Teachers Academy.

Am I eligible if I am a senior who will be student teaching?

Yes, if you meet the eligibility criteria above.

People talking at There is a Reason I am a Teacher conference.

Can I apply for the ATA Scholarship if I am admitted to a dual certification program?

Yes, any graduate program at NAU that will enable you to complete requirements to teach dual-enrollment courses is eligible. You can also complete just a few credits as a non-degree-seeking student if you just need a few additional graduate credits. Students who are already certified and are interested in building more math and science skills can apply for the Arizona Get SET with STEM grant. NAU offers multiple scholarships. Applications open in the spring semester, and information about these and other NAU scholarships can be found through the ScholarshipUniverse search engine.

Can I student-teach out-of-state and still get the ATA Scholarship?

Yes, but you must return to Arizona to fulfill your teaching commitment in an Arizona public school postgraduation. The federal TEACH Grant program might be a good option for you since the teaching commitment for this program is not limited to Arizona schools.

Can I use the ATA Scholarship for a master’s degree that leads to an additional teaching credential?

Yes, some master’s degree programs are eligible.

N A U student posing for photo with her friends and family at commencement.

Does the ATA Scholarship cover tuition costs if I am enrolled in the Student Teaching Intern Certificate (STIC) pathway option for completing student teaching?

Yes, it will cover any remaining balances for tuition and mandatory fees when enrolled in student teaching and utilizing the STIC pathway. The teaching commitment will begin following graduation.

 

Additional fee descriptions

Is there a deadline to apply?

ATA Scholarships will be awarded until they have been exhausted. Deadlines will be posted each semester. There is a limited amount of funding available for scholarships for the year, so students are encouraged to submit the ATA Agreement ASAP.

When will I know if I am eligible to apply for ATA and have been accepted?

The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA) will review your application and account to determine an award amount based on any remaining tuition and fee charges once all gift aid (i.e., grants and tuition waivers) have been applied.

Can I receive an ATA Scholarship for both an eligible undergraduate and graduate program? For example, if I receive an ATA Scholarship for a BSED Elementary Education degree then would I  qualify for the ATA Scholarship again while completing a MEd Special Education – Mild/Moderate Disabilities Certified degree given both programs are eligible for ATA?

Yes, you could receive the ATA Scholarship for each degree. You would need to complete requirements for the undergraduate program prior to starting the graduate program.

Can I apply for the ATA Scholarship if my immigration status is Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)?

At this time, students with a DACA immigration status do not qualify for federal or state financial aid or scholarships.

Can I apply for the ATA Scholarship if I am on financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Suspension?

Students with a SAP suspension can be considered for an ATA scholarship if their cumulative GPA is a 2.0 or higher for undergraduate students and a 3.0 or higher for graduate students.

What are the academic requirements for me to remain eligible for the ATA?

Undergraduate students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and graduate students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher to be eligible for the ATA.

What is the ATA application form called on the LOUIE To Do List?

AZ Teachers Academy Agreement.

Agreement form questions

How do I submit the ATA agreement form?

Electronically via the link provided in the ATA agreement item in your LOUIE To Do List.

What do I do if I don’t see the form in my LOUIE account?

Make sure that you have completed all required steps to be eligible to apply for ATA which include: 

  • a. be a student in good academic standing, 
  • b. be enrolled in an eligible education program (see listing of eligible programs below), and 
  • c. have a current FAFSA on file at NAU (if selected for verification, your file must be verified). 
N A U student posing with her family in her cap and gown after commencement.

How many ATA Scholarships are available?

Students will be offered a scholarship once eligibility is confirmed and the ATA Agreement form is completed, submitted, and reviewed by OSFA. Funding for the ATA program is dependent upon continued appropriation of funds set by the state of Arizona.

Additional fee descriptions

What does the ATA Scholarship cover?

The ATA Scholarship covers any tuition and mandatory fees in a student account after all gift aid (i.e., grant and tuition waivers) has been applied. The ATA also provides vouchers to cover the cost of required licensure exams. It does not cover the IVP fingerprint clearance card. It does not cover housing, food, books, etc.

Does the ATA Scholarship cover books?

No.

If I receive the ATA Scholarship, am I still responsible for room, board, and books?

Yes, the ATA Scholarship will ensure that tuition and all mandatory fees are covered.

If I have other grants (i.e., university grants, TEACH Grant, employee tuition reduction program, etc.) that cover all or part of my tuition, should I still apply for the ATA Scholarship?

We encourage every student pursuing an ATA-eligible degree who plans to teach in Arizona in a public school to apply for the ATA Scholarship. The ATA offers the following benefits: (1) tuition costs not covered by other gift aid; (2) mandatory fees which may not be covered by other grants; (3) coverage of licensure exam costs; (4) coverage of teaching certification licensure fees upon graduation; and (5) induction/mentoring services for graduates during their first year of teaching. Students enrolled in teacher preparation programs are eligible for the ATA  for 8 semesters as an undergraduate and 4 semesters as a graduate student. If you are an undergraduate student receiving the Lumberjack Scholarship and the education program you have selected requires a 9th semester for student teaching, you may be eligible for an ATA scholarship to help cover costs not covered by the Lumberjack Scholarship.

What can I do if funding for ATA scholarships runs out before I receive an award?

Funding for the ATA is dependent upon continued appropriation of funds set by the state of Arizona and is on a first-come, first-served basis. We cannot guarantee that all students will receive a scholarship since it is always possible that we will have more eligible participants than we have funds to be disbursed. If funds run out, consider applying to the Federal TEACH Grant, which is available for students completing an undergraduate or graduate program that leads to teacher certification. The College of Education distributes over $500,000 in scholarships each year: applications open in the spring semester, and information about these and other NAU scholarships can be found on the ScholarshipUniverse search engine. Students who are already certified and interested in building more math and science skills can apply for the Arizona Get SET with STEM grant.

Will the ATA Scholarship cover tuition for summer semesters?

ATA summer scholarship funding varies from year to year. If funding is available, ATA members from the current academic year will be notified via their NAU email address during the spring semester. Please watch for the email notification to sign up for summer session ATA scholarships. Make sure to enroll in all summer courses that you plan to take, no matter which summer term, by the stated deadline

Will the ATA Scholarship cover classes that have a late start?

Yes. However, you should be registered in all courses prior to submitting your ATA Agreement Form, and you are encouraged to register for classes prior to the start of the semester even if the start date is later in the semester. 

Is the ATA Scholarship a needs-based scholarship?

No. ATA is not a needs-based scholarship and is open to all students enrolled in an eligible program and are US citizens or permanent residents.

Can I use the ATA to cover NAU tuition and mandatory fees while I am in a study abroad program?

 Yes, in some instances but we recommend that students who want to study abroad contact the Center for International Education (CIE) at studyabroad@nau.edu and let them know you want to participate in the ATA while conducting a study abroad experience. CIE representatives can advise students on their best options. Tuition and mandatory fees will be covered by the ATA if the word “Exchange” is used on the study abroad program page but not if it says “Direct” or “Provider” – Mandatory fees are charges such as college/academic fees, ITS fee, and financial fee but not program fees. Program fees are the student’s responsibility. For clarification, anything charged to the tuition line in a student’s LOUIE account will be covered by the ATA, but anything charged to the department line will be your responsibility. Contact the CIE Office for a breakdown of study abroad charges.

Other ATA Benefits Questions

What are the other benefits (in addition to the ATA Scholarship) of being part of ATA at NAU?

In addition to being considered for an ATA Scholarship, the other benefits of ATA include: 

  • professional development opportunities during your program
  • coverage of licensure exam costs
  • coverage of teaching certification costs upon graduation
  • first-year teacher induction and mentor support provided by the Arizona K12 Center

Am I eligible to receive ATA vouchers for licensure exams?

This benefit became available to ATA students starting in fall 2021. If you were an ATA participant in fall 2021 or later, you can receive vouchers for your licensure exams.

Federal TEACH Grant questions

Is the ATA Scholarship different from the TEACH Grant?

Yes, there are separate applications for the ATA Scholarship and the TEACH Grant. The ATA Scholarship is an Arizona state-sponsored scholarship and the TEACH Grant is a federal grant program. Students can be awarded both the ATA Scholarship and TEACH Grant depending on financial need.

Do I have to apply for the TEACH Grant in order to get the ATA Scholarship?

No, you do not have to apply for the TEACH Grant in order to be eligible for the ATA Scholarship, but students are encouraged to apply for both the TEACH Grant and the ATA Scholarship.

Would I have to serve additional years teaching if I accept both the TEACH Grant and the ATA Scholarship?

No, the years of service can be served concurrently, as long as you select a high-need public school in Arizona.

Does the TEACH Grant require a student to teach in Arizona?

No, there are eligible schools across the United States for students who ONLY accept the TEACH Grant.

Once awarded, the ATA Scholarship will be applied to tuition and mandatory fees after all other federal, state, and institutional grants and tuition waivers are applied and no sooner than 10 days prior to the first day of classes. Your eligibility for the ATA Scholarship will be evaluated by Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA) once your ATA Agreement is received, tuition and fee charges are posted to your account for the term, and you have been awarded all other tuition waivers and grants.

You can choose to accept your loan to help cover non-tuition and fee costs, such as books, housing, or other costs of attendance. You can also choose to decline the loan.

No. If you have already accepted a federally funded loan, please contact your NAU financial aid officer to request the loan be reduced or canceled.

A student’s ATA scholarship can ONLY be increased based on enrollment changes before the semester’s Census date regardless of which class session a student is enrolled in (i.e., an ATA Scholarship will NOT be increased based on enrollment changes after the semester’s Census date regardless of which class session a student is enrolled in). For more information regarding academic deadlines, please visit the Office of the Registrar’s Important Dates & Deadlines website.

A student must reapply for every academic year and summer term separately, meet the eligibility requirements, and agree to the postgraduation service commitment. Funding is dependent on legislative appropriation.

Your eligibility for ATA scholarship will be determined once your ATA agreement is received, your FAFSA has been approved, tuition and fees are posted to your account, and all other tuition waivers and grants have been awarded for the term. If an ATA Scholarship is not on your account by the tuition payment due date, you should make other arrangements to ensure your tuition is covered. For payment options, please visit: https://in.nau.edu/sdas/. 

  • If a student pays tuition and mandatory fees with a loan, payment plan, or personal payments and then receives an ATA Scholarship, the loan payment or personal payments will be reallocated to other charges in the student’s account and/or reversed/refunded. The only amount that will not be refunded is the payment plan fee. NAU’s Student & Department Account Services is considering petitions for refund requests related to this fee.  Students may submit a petition to request a refund of the fee:  https://in.nau.edu/sdas/auto-tuition-payment-plan-enrollment-fee-petition/
  • The ATA Scholarship has a higher priority than loans and personal payments, so when it disburses, it will push out those types of payments so that it can apply to tuition. If the student owes other charges on the account, the personal payment will move to those other charges. If no other charges are owed, then the loan or payment will refund to the student directly.

One year of service in an Arizona public school (i.e., district, charter, or Bureau of Indian Education school located in Arizona) is required for every year a student receives an ATA Scholarship. To further clarify, for any portion of an academic year that a student is a member of the ATA, the student will be required to complete a full year of teaching in an Arizona public school to fulfill the service obligation of the ATA program  (i.e., see explanation below). 

  •       1-2 Semesters Enrolled in ATA = 1 year of teaching commitment
  •       3-4 Semesters Enrolled in ATA = 2 years of teaching commitment
  •       5-6 Semesters Enrolled in ATA = 3 years of teaching commitment
  •       7-8 Semesters Enrolled in ATA = 4 years of teaching commitment

NOTE: Semester is defined as Fall or Spring. Summer scholarships do not add to the teaching commitment, but the funding amount will convert to a loan if a teaching service commitment is not fulfilled.

If a student accepts the TEACH Grant, there are additional restrictions on the type of public school a graduate must teach in (i.e., low-income, high need; click the link to see a list of Arizona qualifying schools: https://nau.edu/office-of-scholarships-and-financial-aid/teach-grant/).

Students who begin a graduate program after completing an undergraduate program can defer their teaching commitment as follows:  The Arizona Board of Regents will consider deferment requests for the teaching commitment based on full-time enrollment in a master’s degree program. ATA program completers may submit a deferment request for consideration to postpone the full-time teaching requirement to one year following completion of master’s degree program or two years post-bachelor’s degree, whichever is less.

Graduates choose the school in which they are employed post-graduation. An eligible school to meet the ATA Scholarship requirement is any Arizona public school (including publicly funded charter schools). Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools located in Arizona are also eligible, click here for listing of BIE schools https://www.bie.edu/Schools/index.htm.

How long do I have to fulfill this teaching commitment?—To fulfill the post-graduation teaching commitment, ATA program completers must begin teaching within one year after graduation. The Arizona Board of Regents will adopt rules providing for a deferral request option, along with parameters, but that has not yet occurred. More information will be provided as it is available.

What happens if I don’t fulfill the teaching commitment?—The Arizona Board of Regents has developed policies regarding compliance with program and service obligations and conditions of repayment. In relation to repayment, as of November 2019, the approved policy is “The Board staff shall provide to each person in repayment an amortization schedule. There shall be no interest charged and the repayment duration shall be no more than 10 years” (see https://public.azregents.edu/Board/2019-11-Final-Board-Meeting-Book.pdf, p. 407). The policies also address deferment of the service obligation and cancellation of the service obligation.

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