How does the application process work?
There are three steps.
Read more about the application process and timeline.
When are the four deadlines?
The final application deadline for the 2008 corps has passed. The online application for the 2009 corps will be available in late summer 2008. If you are interested in applying to Teach For America in 2009, please continue to explore our website and subscribe to our applicant newsletter.
If I'm accepted to the corps, can I get an extension on my decision to join the corps?
Matriculation extensions are granted on a case-by-case basis. To request an extension, an accepted applicant should send a detailed e-mail to admissions@teachforamerica.org explaining the reason for the request.
My parents have questions about my decision to join Teach For America. What resources can I share with them to help them understand my decision?
Send your parents, friends and family to our resources for parents section. On these pages you will find interviews with parents of corps members and alumni, as well as safety details and a variety of other information.
If I'm not accepted, can I apply again?
You cannot apply more than once in the same academic year, but we welcome you to reapply anytime thereafter. During that time, we encourage you to seek out challenging leadership opportunities.
Can I defer my acceptance?
Accepted applicants may submit a request for a one-year deferral. Members of the selection committee will review and evaluate requests on a case-by-case basis. Though uncommon, deferrals are typically granted for accepted applicants who have serious family emergencies or have offers to pursue one-year opportunities that cannot be deferred (e.g. the
Fulbright Program). Candidates granted deferrals are recommended for acceptance for the following year, but are not guaranteed the same regional and subject assignment they were offered in the year they originally applied. Learn more here.
Can I teach for only one year?
No. Teach For America corps members make a two-year commitment to Teach For America, as well as to their students, communities, and schools. Corps members that do not complete their two-year commitment do not become Teach For America alumni.
I'm still an undergraduate and not graduating this year. What can I do to be involved in Teach For America?
Teach For America offers internships, part time, term-time, and summer employment opportunities for undergraduates. In addition, Teach For America is a placement site for the Public Service Internship Program (www.everettinterships.org). For more information, contact staffing@teachforamerica.org or visit our current job opportunities.
I graduated from college a few years ago and I am in a graduate program/working professional. Can I still apply to Teach For America?
Absolutely. Teach For America is primarily a corps comprised of recent college graduates and we’re actively seeking graduate students and professionals to join our movement. If you have already graduated from college or graduate school you are still eligible to apply and join the 2009 corps, you will follow the same application procedure as all other applicants.
Who we're looking for
Frequently asked questions
Corps and Alumni