Expenses

Most corps members teaching in Greater Philadelphia receive their certification by completing a specialized course of study with the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (GSE). The Penn GSE/Teach For America Urban Teacher Program, open to most Greater Philadelphia corps members, is one of the few certification programs in the country focused explicitly on preparing teachers to educate students in urban environments. Corps members attending Penn also have the opportunity to pursue a master's degree in elementary or secondary education in conjunction with their certification at a total cost of about $44,000 over two years for both.

As an alternative, corps members assigned to Camden, New Jersey may opt not to attend Penn, and instead attend a one-year, state-run alternate route to certification program at a total cost of about $3,000.

Finally, while exact testing requirements vary by subject and state, all Greater Philadelphia corps members must take and pass one or more of the Praxis series of exams in order to become certified to teach in Pennsylvania or New Jersey.