Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers

The Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers – one component of the Raising Texas Teachers initiative – is designed to encourage the best and brightest students to consider a future in the teaching profession. Scholars receive up to $8,000-$10,000 in annual funding for up to four years, as well as ongoing professional development opportunities, mentorship from sitting public school educators, and participation in a statewide aspiring teachers network facilitated by the Raise Your Hand Texas Foundation.

Approximately 100 new scholarships are awarded through teacher preparation programs at 10 partner universities each year, with the cohort growing to include 500 scholars annually. The competitive selection process includes an application, pre-screening by university teams, and a daylong event consisting of a group activity, mock teaching lesson, and panel interview.

The Charles Butt Scholarship application opens on October 1, 2020. More information, eligible universities and programs, and application close dates can be found below.

Eligibility The Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers is available to prospective teachers who are currently in, or plan to enter, an eligible teacher preparation program at a Raising Texas Teachers partner university. Aspiring Teachers can apply in the fall of any year between their senior year of high school and junior year of college. See below for the list of eligible programs at each university and the application deadline for each university.

To be eligible for the scholarship, students must be committed to teaching in a majority-economically disadvantaged school or in a shortage subject area (in a school where more than 50% of students are eligible for free or reduced lunch, or as a math, science, bilingual, or special education teacher) in a Texas public school. Preference is given to Texas residents with the partner universities listed below:

Our Lady of the Lake University February 1, 2021 UT Austin College of Education February 5, 2021 Texas A&M University January 8, 2021 Rice University March 15, 2021 Southern Methodist University April 15, 2021 Trinity University January 22, 2021 University of Houston February 1, 2021 University of North Texas-Dallas December 18, 2020 UT-Rio Grande Valley February 12, 2021 UT Austin UTeach Natural Sciences February 17, 2021 Texas Tech University December 18, 2020