Jenna Pollack
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Allison Reyes
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About Me
How to apply to Teach For America’s tutoring program - and let your passion and purpose fit your life.
Check Your Eligibility
Before you start your application, check to see if you qualify:
- Have at least a 2.5 undergraduate GPA (or 3.0 high school for first year college students)
- Be at least 18 years of age, authorized to work in the U.S. and complete an online background check
- Be available to work up to 5 hours per week on a consistent schedule
- Be a current undergraduate or graduate student, renewing fellow, accepted corps member, TFA alum, or previously accepted new fellow (deferral)
If you check all these boxes, you can get started and create an account.
Ignite Application Windows
Review our application deadlines and choose when you’re going to apply.
| Ignite Deadlines | Spring 2026 Cohort | Fall 2026 Cohort |
|---|---|---|
| Application Opens | Aug. 20, 2025 | Jan. 28, 2026 |
| Application Deadline | Nov. 19, 2025 | Apr. 29, 2026 |
| Admissions Notification | Dec. 17, 2025 | May 21, 2026 |
| Ignite Deadlines |
Application Opens |
Application Deadline | Admissions Notification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 Cohort | Aug. 20, 2025 | Nov. 19, 2025 | Dec. 17, 2025 |
| Fall 2026 Cohort | Jan. 28, 2026 | Apr. 29, 2026 | May 21, 2026 |
Fill Out an Online Application
If you're ready to help students succeed and gain hands-on tutoring experience, here’s what you need to do to apply:
Create an Account
- Set up an applicant account on the application portal
- Register with the email address you check most frequently
Confirm Eligibility
- Answer the eligibility questions
- You may need to click “My Account” to update your eligibility profile
Fill Out Application & Upload Documents
- Contact information and leadership roles or community involvements (in lieu of a resume)
- Four short answer essay questions (300 words or less each)
- Disclosure of misdemeanor or felony charges and/or convictions in the last 7 years
- Record and upload two video reflections, following the application prompt
- Demographic Information (optional)
- Click complete for all tasks AND final submit button
Note: There is a shortened application for renewing fellows, accepted corps members, TFA alums, and previously accepted new fellows (deferrals). You will be able to identify yourself in the eligibility questions and the system will transfer you to the shortened application with approximately one short answer question.
In the majority of cases, renewing fellows, accepted corps members, TFA alums, and previously accepted new fellows (deferrals) will be automatically accepted into Ignite. However there may be some instances where we hold your application for further review and may reach out to you to learn more (i.e. due to your response to the short answer question or your previous experience in Ignite).
Tips & Tricks
Check out these resources as you put together your application.
Your Acceptance and Finding a Placement
Yay, you’re accepted!
Acceptance into Teach For America Ignite means you will have a window prior to starting your tutoring experience to review student schedules across different communities and time zones and sign up for the student sessions that will work best for your schedule on a consistent basis. Not all fellows will find a time that works for them. If you find this is the case, you're still accepted and may defer to the following term.
In the weeks leading up to your Ignite semester, you will receive an email with specific instructions about how to view and sign up for a student learning group, along with a designated time to log in and link when the window opens. Once you have signed up, you are officially in Ignite! More instructions will follow to prepare you for training and tutoring.
Signing up for placements is first come, first served. You’ll receive up to a $1,200 (pre-tax) stipend upon successful completion of your Ignite term. If you are unable to find a placement that works with your schedule, you may defer to a future term.
If you aren't yet ready to apply or have more questions, you can…
Emma Clark
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About Me
Are you a university representative or employer partner interested in partnering with TFA?
Teach For America seeks partnerships with graduate schools and employers across the country that can help advance the careers of our growing network of 70,000+ alumni. You can view our current Graduate School Partners on the Alumni Hub for examples of benefits offered to our alumni such as admission deferrals, tuition discounts, scholarships, fee waivers, and more.
School Leadership Learning Lab
This six-month leadership cohort empowers school leaders to reimagine classrooms and campuses, better meeting both current and future student needs.
About the School Leadership Learning Lab
Teach for America (TFA) seeks to build a coalition of educators and school leaders prepared to meet the current needs of students while also preparing students to live, learn, and thrive in their communities. In partnership with Transcend, TFA Texas is excited to continue our state-wide School Leadership Learning Lab (SLLL), the next cohort will launch in November 2025!
The SLLL cohort will have an opportunity to activate their visions and plans toward building extraordinary experiences and outcomes for students. During the six-month SLLL, TFA will facilitate a series of workshops anchored in Transcend’s Leaps Toward Extraordinary Learning for All that will offer resources and tools to help our community leaders actualize improvements in schools. The cohort will participate in virtual and in-person learning spaces, including school visits to Texas schools exemplifying one or more of the 10 leaps. The SLLL will provide participants the opportunity to develop leadership skills and become stronger community-centered advocates. Ultimately, TFA Texas hopes the SLLL will help catalyze a cohort of leaders who are reimagining classrooms and campuses that better meet student needs now and in the future.
Workshops
Alongside Transcend, Teach For America Texas has developed a customized series of “spark workshops” that give educators the opportunity to come together virtually and in person to explore, connect, interrogate, and dream about what is possible for students in Texas. These workshops are designed to inspire participants to join a growing coalition of community members as part of our greater collective leadership efforts toward creating 21st-century learning opportunities for all students. Throughout the six-month SLLL program participants will:
- Explore Transcend’s Leaps for Extraordinary, 21st Century Learning to deepen your understanding of the shifts that need to be made in their school community in order to realize extraordinary outcomes
- Learn how to conduct and analyze interviews and focus groups to deeply listen and engage with their communities
- Understand how to leverage Transcend’s Leap survey to assess the needs of your community
- Attend school inspiration visits in Texas to see different learning environments
- Create an action plan to enact change in your own contexts
“The SLLL to pushed me to be innovative and more collaborative within my school community. Our case for change was inspired by connecting with students and using their experiences to challenge our staff to do something different. I don't know if I would have taken this leap of faith if I wasn't able to see how feasible innovation can be.”
Participants
All educators are encouraged to apply and do not need to be a Teach For America Alumni to participate. The cohort will include approximately 20 participants from the following Texas regions: Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and the RGV. The SLLL is most applicable for current or aspiring school leaders including campus principals, assistant principals, deans, PIRs, other campus leaders, and district central office administrators.
SLLL participants will be working in small groups throughout the Spark Workshops. To get the most out of the series and learn from others, participants are expected to attend all workshops.
The School Leadership Learning Lab is an inspiring and rigorous leadership program. We understand, especially during this time, that campus leaders are extremely busy and your time is precious. We are committed to ensuring the work is both manageable and meaningful. We anticipate cohort members spending 2-3 hours a month, in addition to the monthly workshops either preparing for or following-up after each workshop. We anticipate the following total time commitment per month (including the workshops):
- November, 2-3 hours
- December, 2-3 hours
- January, 2-3 hours
- February, 12-13 hours (this includes a full day of school visits)
- March, 2-3 hours (this includes a full day of school visits)
- April, 2-3 hours
Program Costs
Thanks to our generous partners including The Lowe Foundation, The Webber Foundation, and The Powell Foundation, the School Leadership Learning Lab is free of charge for all participants. Teach For America, will provide a delivery meal credit for each participant for each workshop throughout the program. Participants will also receive a selection of items to support their participation in the program. Teach For America is approved by TEA as an approved Continuing Professional Education (CPE) provider, and participation in this program will provide you with approximately 18 CPE credit hours.
Join Us!
Eager to learn more? Please attend our informational webinar about the School Leadership Learning Lab on September 4. 2025 at 6 p.m. CT. Register here.
Applications open on August 4th. Apply today and develop leadership skills necessary to reimagine education for all Texas students.
Questions? Email Nicole Seltman at nicole.seltman@teachforamerica.org
Key Dates
- Application Opens: 8/4
- Informational Webinar: 9/4 at 6:00 p.m. CT. Register here.
- Application Deadline: 10/7 at 11:59 p.m. CT
- Participant Notification: 10/17
- SLLL 2025-26 Workshops
- Workshop 1: November 13th, 6:00-8:00 p.m. (virtual workshop)
- Workshop 2: December 11th, 6:00-8:00 p.m. (virtual workshop)
- Principal Autonomy Webinar: January 15th, 7:00-8:00 p.m. (virtual webinar)
- Workshop 3: Asynchronous session: January
- School Inspiration Visits: February 12th-13th (in person), Austin, TX
- Workshop 4: March 5th, 6:00-8:00 p.m. (virtual workshop)
- Workshop 5: April 9th, 6:00-8:00 p.m. (virtual showcase)
All times listed are in Central Time.