Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, you must:
- be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen
- be a member of the incumbent workforce, currently working or having worked in the early childhood field, including family child care and center-based care settings, Preschool for All school-based settings, and Head Start, that serves children from birth to age 5 and includes teachers, assistant teachers, directors, family child care providers and assistants. Applicants must provide documentation confirming their current membership in the Gateways to Opportunity® Registry.
- be enrolled or accepted for enrollment on a full- or part-time (at least 3 credit hours) basis at a public or non-profit private 2- or 4-year Gateways-entitled and Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) member institution, as an undergraduate student, pursuing an early childhood education major
- if attending a 4-year institution, be at the junior level or above, or hold an Associate of Applied Science, Associate of Arts, or Associate of Science degree focused in early childhood education.
- be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a course of study which, upon completion, qualifies you to receive:
- a postsecondary credential or undergraduate degree in the field of early childhood education, or
- a Professional Educator's License in early childhood education.
- maintain satisfactory academic progress as established by your college
- complete the online application process by submitting a complete Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity Scholarship Program application and a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) on or before by the ISAC-established date in order to receive priority consideration.
- be certified as meeting eligibility requirements by the college at which you will use the scholarship.
- not be in default on any federal student loan, nor owe a refund on any State or federal grant. If you are in default, you may re-establish your eligibility.