Regions are filled on a first-come, first-served basis based on placement community selections at each application deadline. Given this, some regional placement communities may be closed to new corps members by the time someone applies at a later deadline. Applying earlier may be advantageous if you have a particular placement community you would like to teach in.

If admitted to the corps, corps members are expected to submit to any and all background checks required by their school districts, charter schools, other employers, Teach For America, and other relevant agencies.

Read more on our Admissions Policies page.

Corps members are required to attend Pre-Service training in full. Learn more about the Pre-Service training schedule.​

Though rare, deferrals are typically granted for admitted applicants who have serious emergencies or who have a unique opportunity that will significantly add to their value in the classroom or to ending educational inequity.

Candidates may only apply to Teach For America once during an admissions year but are welcome to reapply during subsequent admissions years. For example, candidates who apply for the 2026 corps will not be eligible to reapply at a later deadline during the 2025-26 school year. However, they may reapply during the 2027 admissions season, beginning August 2026.

Teach For America reserves the right to use any and all information submitted in previous applications when making admissions decisions.

If you suspect your degree-granting institution may not meet certain accreditation requirements, you are encouraged to research the certification requirements for the school district where you are interested in teaching to learn more.

Many certification programs do not accept National accreditation. 

Our accreditation requirements impacting eligibility are exclusively decided by university and/or certification partners.

Teach For America’s research shows that teachers who have helped their students achieve the most dramatic growth often possess certain qualities and characteristics. Find this and more on our eligibility page.

When thinking about when to apply, you should carefully consider the timeline associated with each deadline. You should ensure you're available to attend the interviews and able to make the decision to commit to the corps by the confirmation deadline.​

Teach For America's application process consists of a brief online application and an interview. Learn more about applying to the corps and application tips.

Yes! College juniors who have completed one semester of the Ignite Fellowship or the Breakthrough Collaborative, or have served at least one semester as a Campus Ambassador, are eligible to apply early to Teach For America. As an early admissions applicant, you'll be evaluated on the same criteria as any other applicant. Read more about early admissions.