The College of Education and Human Development at the University of Montevallo has committed to increasing the number of highly qualified teachers to serve in targeted rural public schools by offering the new Rural Recruitment Scholarship to support and prepare students to teach in rural schools.
The Rural Recruitment Scholarship is available for Graduate and Undergraduate students enrolled in the following programs:
- Education of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing Bachelor’s degree
- Elementary Education Bachelor’s degree
- Elementary/Collaborative Education Bachelor’s degree
- Education of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing Alternative Master’s degree
- Elementary Education Alternative Master’s degree
- Provisional Certification in a Teaching Field (PCTF) program (must take all classes at UM)
- Secondary Education Alternative Master’s degree
- Temporary Special Education Certificate (TSEC) program
Scholarship awards are based on the program in which the student is enrolled AND the number of years of required service in a rural school after program completion.
PCTF and TSEC Candidates
| Scholarship Amount | Required Service Teaching Term |
| $1,200 | One (1) full calendar year |
Undergraduate and Alternative Certification Candidates
| Scholarship Amount | Required Service Teaching Term |
| $2,500 | One (1) full calendar year |
| $5,000 | Two (2) full calendar years |
| $10,000 | Three (3) full calendar years |
Eligibility Requirements
Undergraduate Students
Approximately 60 hours of General Studies coursework completed OR beginning Professional Studies coursework.
Alternative Master’s Students, PCTF and TSEC Students
Admitted, either conditionally or unconditionally, to a qualifying program.
What qualifies as a rural school/area?
Schools in cities with populations of approximately 16,000 people or under (based on 2020 Census data), AND with low surrounding population density. (Examples include the following: Bibb County Schools, Chilton County Schools, Talladega County Schools, and select areas of Shelby County, including Elvin Hill Elementary, Shelby Elementary, Vincent, Wilsonville, Columbiana, and Montevallo.)
Additional Opportunities and Requirements
Recipients will be provided with opportunities for additional training and activities to support their understanding of the unique challenges and strengths that rural schools possess. Full award recipients are also required to participate in community service. Scholarships are structured according to a sliding scale where the amount of scholarship received determines the required teaching service time after the program’s completion.
In addition, all recipients must begin the required teaching service within 12 months of certification and receive Alabama State Department of Education certification within six months of the originally expected graduate date.