Applying As An Immigrant or Refugee
Teach For America Supports Immigrants and Refugees
There are countless children living in the shadows in our country, being denied the opportunity to pursue an excellent education.
A teacher is often the first adult an undocumented student will ask for help. As an immigrant or refugee, you know first-hand the concerns that (undocumented) immigrant and refugee kids face, whether or not you choose to share your background with students.
Every TFA corps member can be an ally for children, but you can be an additional inspiration and offer guidance based on your background. That’s why we actively recruit immigrants and refugees who are authorized to work in the United States and do not require sponsorshipDACA recipients for our corps.
In 2013, we recruited our first two DACAmented educators into the corps. Since then, we have grown to a community of over 300 leaders who entered our program as DACA recipients. Beginning with our 2022 corps, we are proud to expand this opportunity to other immigrants and refugees beyond DACA and mirror the support we have been able to provide DACA recipients over the past eight years.
Where You'll Teach
Corps members who are not Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) or U.S. Citizens (USCs) can teach in the following Teach For America regions:
- West: Bay Area, Colorado, Los Angeles, Las Vegas Valley, Hawai’i
- Southwest: Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, Phoenix, Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio
- Midwest: Greater Chicago–Northwest Indiana, Ohio
- Southeast: Memphis, Metro Atlanta, Nashville, Jacksonville and Central Florida
- East: New York, D.C. Region, New Jersey
- New England: Massachusetts
“Throughout education, teachers are always asked, ‘why?’ Why do we do this work? My ‘why’ is to provide an outlet of comfort and openness to students—to ensure that students know that someone outside of their home is in their corner. ”
Application Information For Non-Lawful Permanent Resident Immigrants and Refugees
Since 2013, Teach For America DACA corps members have done incredible work in classrooms across the country. They serve not just as classroom leaders, but as role models to their students. The work they do every day is important and we stand with our DACAmented teachers.
We were devastated by the September 5, 2017, announcement to rescind DACA and the negative impact it has had on thousands of young people, including the students of about 300 DACAmented corps members and alumni. While it is unknown whether Congress will take action to maintain a pathway for DACAmented individuals to work, Teach For America will continue to be open to DACA recipients. On December 4, 2020, a federal judge ordered the federal government to fully reinstate DACA. At Teach For America, we are heartened by this court order, but we understand that a legislative solution with a pathway to citizenship is still necessary.
As we prepare to welcome immigrant and refugee applicants beyond DACA, it is not lost on us that the example above illustrates just how complex and nuanced immigration policy is—and that it has the potential to impact our students and educators in different ways.
We are monitoring policy impacting our corps members and alumni as well as the students we serve. If you have questions regarding our policies for DACA recipients or our expanded eligibility for other immigrants and refugees please contact DACASupport@teachforamerica.org.
We will continue to accept and review applications until our final application deadline of March 4, 2022, unless it becomes apparent there is no viable employment pathway for DACA recipients or other applicants.
All applicants will have the option to work closely with a member of our staff, ensuring they have the necessary support and resources to complete the admissions process for the 2022 corps. This includes resources and support regarding:
- Regional assignment
- Making the decision to join the 2022 corps
- Any other questions that may occur during the application process
If the pathway for employment and certification is still uncertain by April 27, 2022, admitted applicants will be given the option to defer their offers to the corps. Please see “Deferrals to the 2022/2023 Corps” for more detail.
Upon admission to the corps, you will be able to share with our assignment team your preferred region(s) and any need you have to be assigned to one particular region (for example, your hometown region or a region close to family).
Assuming your preferred region is able to accept you we will prioritize this region for you.
Learn more about our Placement.
If you have been assigned to the Las Vegas Valley or any region in Texas, you have until March 23 to accept your offer; if you’ve been assigned to any other region, you will have until April 27.
Regardless of regional assignment, all admitted applicants are welcome to confirm their offers earlier, but will not be required to do so. There are benefits to confirming offers earlier, such as accessing financial and legal support for DACA/EAD renewals, preparing for certification exams, connecting with other corps members, beginning pre-work, etc. Ultimately though, this decision will be up to you. If you opt to confirm your offer earlier and circumstances change, you will not be penalized and this will not impact your offer to the corps.
Due to the current uncertainty regarding DACA and other immigration policy, applicants admitted to the 2022 corps will be able to defer their offers, with a guaranteed spot in 2023. Their regional assignments will remain the same whenever possible. Applicants who defer their offer will not need to take any actions until they are able to join the corps (the earliest possible date being May/June 2023).
TFA is committed to supporting applicants who are immigrants or refugees join the corps when possible. You can check our Admissions FAQs page for more detailed information. If you still have questions, please email our contact our DACA support team.
Resources for Creating Safe Spaces
Creating safe spaces for students is a priority at Teach For America.
All students deserve to attend schools where their intellectual, emotional, and social needs are met and where learning thrives.
To support safe learning environments, we’ve compiled a list of resources for educators who work with students in marginalized communities. Please also see the #HomeIsHere Toolkit for PreK-12 Educators, Leaders, and Policymakers.