Frequently Asked Questions
The ideal candidate is a future STEM teacher who is a double major in an eligible STEM major (Math, Biology, Physics) and an Educational Studies major who is pursuing a teaching certificate. Further, the ideal candidate is committed to becoming an exemplary educator who will make STEM content relevant and engaging for K-12 students.
For every year you accept the scholarship, you need to teach for 2 years in a high needs school. If you accept the scholarship for 1 year, you have to teach for 2 years in a high needs school. If you accept the scholarship for 2 years, you have to teach for 4 years in a high needs school. If you do not fulfill the teaching requirements, the scholarship becomes a student loan that needs to be repaid to Illinois Wesleyan University. All scholars sign a promissory note which details this financial agreement with the funding agency, the National Science Foundation.
No, you have up to 8 years post-graduation to complete your teaching commitment.
A high-needs school has specific characteristics. Specifically, the National Science Foundation uses the definition of high-needs school districts found in section 201 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021). Briefly, a school district qualifies for the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Noyce teaching commitment if one or more school in the district meets the following criteria:
- A high percentage of individuals from families with incomes below the poverty line
- A high percentage of secondary school teachers who are not teaching in the content area in which they were trained to teach
- A high teacher turnover rate
*If one school in a district qualifies as high-needs, all the schools in the district qualify for the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Noyce teaching commitment according to the National Science Foundation.
The majority of schools and districts in Illinois are classified as high-needs. If you have any questions about what specific schools qualify for the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Noyce Program teaching commitment, please contact Dr. Maggie Evans (mevans@iwu.edu).