The SC Teaching Fellows application is hosted by Kaleidoscope and serves as the first step in the rigorous identification process for Teaching Fellows. The application submission window is open from October 1st until December 1st. Test scores, transcripts, and reference surveys must be submitted by December 7th. Students must apply for Teaching Fellows during their final year of high school.
Eligibility
To apply for Teaching Fellows, you must be:
a U.S. citizen or will be an eligible non-citizen under State Residency Statutes at the time of high school graduation (Please note - students categorized as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) are not eligible for Teaching Fellows.)
a legal resident of South Carolina (Please note - Residency will be verified by the Teaching Fellows Institution after a student has been offered an award.)
a high school senior or junior graduating early
Important Dates
October 1, 2024 - The application window opens.
December 1, 2024 - The application window closes.
December 7, 2024 - Deadline to submit supplemental materials (high school transcript with class rank included, test scores, and two reference surveys) through the Kaleidoscope system.
December 2024 - The Teaching Fellows Initial Scoring Committee will score all complete applications.
No Later Than January 9, 2025 - Letters are mailed to all applicants; up to 500 students will be invited to participate in the second stage of the application process, the interview.
February 24, 2025 - Regional interviews will be conducted with a selected group of applicants. Additional information will be provided to students who are selected to advance to this stage of the identification process.
The final number of students awarded a Teaching Fellowship is dependent upon the Program budget, which is set by the General Assembly. Award notifications will be made in early spring 2025.
Once you begin the application process, you will have access to a personalized Kaleidoscope dashboard. It is your responsibility to monitor this dashboard and ensure your application, transcript, test scores, and reference surveys are submitted by the deadlines. Incomplete applications will not be scored.
If you have questions or issues with the online application, please contact Kaleidoscope by phone at 800-278-8762 or by email at Email Kaleidoscope or Email Kaleidoscope.
Start Your Application
Apply for the SC Teaching Fellows Program
Teaching Fellows Institutions
The Teaching Fellows program is available at the following institutions:
Anderson University
Charleston Southern University
Clemson University
Coastal Carolina University
College of Charleston
Columbia College
Francis Marion University
Lander University
Newbery College
North Greenville
USC-Aiken
USC Columbia
USC Upstate
Winthrop University
Visit the Teaching Fellows Institutions page for more information about each individual program.
While not a requirement for Teaching Fellows, our partner, TEACH South Carolina (TeachSC), is a program that provides free support to anyone who’s thinking about becoming a teacher. When you sign up, you get perks like one-on-one coaching and up to $100 back in fee reimbursements towards expenses related to applying to your preparation program (including testing and fingerprints).
To get your application fee paid back, you just have to create a TeachSC account here before you apply to a college or university. Once you have subscribed to TeachSC and applied to your selected school(s), you can submit your application fee reimbursement!
Regional Screening - "Interview Day"
Qualifying applicants are invited to a regional screening and all applicants are notified as to whether they have been selected for this second phase of the identification process. The regional screening includes an interview, a presentation, and an assessment of writing ability. The purpose of the interview and presentation is to assess the following: communication skills, commitment to education, knowledge of educational issues, leadership potential, originality in responses, and problem-solving ability.
Interview
A diverse team of professionals from the business and education communities conduct interviews with Teaching Fellows applicants. The interview questions are pre-determined by CERRA and are not shared with applicants. Students who have been invited to participate in a regional screening should refer to their “Student Packet” for more information about the interview.
Presentation
Applicants who have been invited to participate in a regional screening will prepare and share an oral presentation on a topic determined by CERRA. These students should refer to their “Student Packet” for more information about the presentation.
Writing Assessment of Writing Ability
Applicants who have been invited to participate in a regional screening also will be scheduled to complete a 30 minute assessment of writing ability. Students who have been invited to participate in a regional screening should refer to their “Student Packet” for more information about the assessment of writing ability.
Scoring
Scores from the interview, presentation, and assessment of writing ability will be combined with the initial application score to create a total cumulative score. Up to 230 of the top scorers will be offered Teaching Fellowships. Other qualifying applicants will be placed on an alternate list.
Interview Day Tips
Here are some tips to help you prepare for the interview and presentation:
Review the information provided in the “Student Packet.”
Watch the informational videos about interview day.
Ask a professional what you should wear.
Research current educational issues.
Practice answering education-related questions.
Prepare a presentation that addresses all identified topics and/or questions within the allotted time. Please note that the interviewers will NOT ask questions during the presentation and will not offer any additional time.
Review the rubric for the written response.
Get a good night of rest before the interview.
Plan to arrive early in case you run into traffic. It is important that you arrive on time.
Click Here to Download Tips for Interview Day
