Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Noyce teacher scholarship program?

This National Science Foundation program provides grants to STEM majors to become teachers in high-need school districts. Shippensburg University was awarded $1.4 million towards this mission. For each year Scholars receive an award, they are required to teach two years in a high-needs school district.

Robert Noyce? Why does he want to help pay for my education?

Check out his biography from PBS.

What counts as a high-need school district?

A “high-need local educational agency” is one in which one or more of the following conditions is met:

• a high percentage of individuals from families with incomes below the poverty line (search the national directory for schools of interest at the TCLI website);
• There are MANY regional schools on this list!
• a high percentage of secondary school teachers not teaching in the content area in which the teachers were trained to teach; or
• a high teacher turnover rate.

More specifically, a “high-need” school district has at least one of the following criteria:

• The district has at least one school in which 50 percent or more of the enrolled students are eligible for participation in the free and reduced lunch program established by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42U.S.C.1751 et seq.)
• The district has at least one school in which:
• More than 34 percent of the academic classroom teachers at the secondary level (across all academic subjects) do not have an undergraduate degree with a major or minor in, or graduate degree in, the academic field in which they teach the largest percentage of their classes.
• More than 34 percent of the teachers in two academic departments do not have an undergraduate degree with a major or minor or a graduate degree in, the academic field in which they teach the largest percentage of their classes.
• It has at least one school whose teacher attrition rate has been 15 percent or greater over the last three school years.

What regional school districts are "high-need"?

According to the 2019-2020 data from the TCLI website, the following public secondary schools in our region qualify as “high-need”:

• Bermudian Springs
• Biglerville (Upper Adams)
• Big Spring
• Carlisle
• Central Dauphin East HS
• Chambersburg Area
• Gettysburg Area
• Greencastle-Antrim
• Hanover
• Harrisburg
• Northern York
• Shippensburg Area
• Susquenita
• Upper Adams
• Upper Dauphin
• Waynesboro Area

What if the high school is categorized as high-need but the middle school isn’t? Does it still count as a high-need placement?

If at least one school in the school district meets the high-need definition, the entire district is considered high-need for purposes of the Noyce program.

*** Note: Only the school district you teach in must be high-need NOT the school itself. 

What are the benefits of being a Noyce scholar?

• A $12,750 scholarship each year for the Junior and Senior years of their secondary education certification program.
• Mentoring by Shippensburg University alumni in the same discipline.
• Immersion in both rural and urban high-need school districts while paired with seasoned mentors teaching in those schools who will also act as cooperating teachers during field experiences.
• Opportunities to participate in professional development and to build social capital both while at the University and for two years post-graduation.
• An annual luncheon plus three meetings per semester in a cohort-based learning community, working with leaders in working with high-needs students.
• Post-graduation, the professional development activities include credit for Act 48 hours.

Does the Noyce program give me teaching certification?

At Shippensburg University, math majors who want to teach math in middle or high school earn both a Math degree and Certification to teach in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. All within four years! If you want to earn Dual Certification in Secondary Mathematics and Special Education can be completed in 4.5 years with special planning. Please refer to Shippensburg’s web site for Mathematics Secondary Certification or the Mathematics and Special Education Dual Certification programs.

Who is eligible to be a Noyce scholar?

• Undergraduate junior and senior Mathematics Secondary Certification Majors, as well as Dual Certification in Mathematics and Special Education Dual Certification, at Shippensburg University.
• 3.3 GPA after completing 30 credits,
• C or higher in content specific courses: MAT 211, 212, 213, 217, 225
• Completion of the Basic Skills Requirement
• Valid appropriate Clearances
• Certification by an advisor that the candidate has a positive professional disposition
• Meet citizenship requirements of the National Science Foundation (U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, aliens admitted as refugees, or aliens with lawful permanent residence)

How do you select Noyce scholars from the applicants?

This is a competitive scholarship multi-step process. Your interest in teaching in a middle or high school mathematics classroom, as well as within high-needs school districts, will be addressed. You will complete an application that includes information about your educational experiences, extra-curricular activities, and work experience. You will also be asked to submit letters of recommendations and an essay describing personal and professional goals, commitment to teaching, personal philosophy of teaching, how you will further your professional development once you become a teacher, and any experiences you have had working with diverse populations.

When is the application deadline?

Applications for the Noyce scholarship are accepted anytime throughout the school year.

How much is it going to cost me to attend?

The scholarship is intended to cover the majority of costs for the junior and senior years, including teaching certification course work. Here's a link to Shippensburg University’s tuition and fees.

What financial assistance does the program offer?

Scholarship recipients will receive $12,750 their junior and senior years.

Can the scholarship cover licensure exams?

The term cost of attendance is defined in section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ll). Cost of attendance should only include the cost of tuition and fees, ousing and food, books, supplies, and transportation for a full-time student enrolled at the institution. Other expenses, such as licensure exams and internship placement fees, are not included in cost of attendance.

Is the Noyce scholarship taxable?

The National Science Foundation (NSF) does not consider scholarships or stipends to be income. You should check your state and local statutes.

Is the Noyce scholarship a loan?

The Noyce Award is technically a forgivable loan; so, it falls between being a loan and a scholarship. When you fulfill your teaching obligation after graduation, your loan is 100% forgiven. The teaching obligation is two years in a high-need school district  for each year of scholarship funding provided.  

If I am a Noyce scholarship recipient, will that affect my financial aid package?

Yes. The scholarship is considered part of the total financial aid package allocated to each student through the Financial Aid Office. Once we notify the Financial Aid Office that you are receiving a scholarship, they will send you a revised financial aid package. This Scholarship would cover any unmet need you have; if there are additional funds, it will replace other work-study or loans that you have.

Is the Noyce scholarship a full-ride?

While this is not a full-ride, it is very close to it!

Are there other financial requirements?

For each year that you receive an award, you will be required to sign a Promissory Note to receive that award. This document includes agreeing to teach for two years in a high-need school district for each year you receive an award. You will be required to submit verification of employment in a high-need school district for each of those years.

I was told that I am a Noyce scholarship recipient. Now what?

While you are completing your degree requirements you and other Noyce Scholars will participate in a variety of professional development opportunities aimed at helping you develop the skills that you will need to be effective teachers in high-needs schools.

• Mentors – Each Noyce Scholar will be paired with two Mentor (cooperating) Teachers (one urban, one rural / one middle, one high school) and one Alumni Mentor. Programming will be geared towards encouraging monthly interactions.
• Annual Luncheon – A gathering of all Noyce Scholars, their Mentor Teachers and Alumni Mentors, as well as other area teachers, in a celebration of service in the classroom. Special speakers will focus on serving high-need students and how to build a strong set of skills for serving diverse students.
• Monthly Workshops – A time for additional professional development for our Noyce Scholars in collaboration with all Mentors; in addition to a time for sharing challenges and successes, special speakers will provide an opportunity for all attendees to explore mathematics in a new way, invigorating their love of math to take back to their classrooms in the high-need school environment.
• Junior Fall Experience - Scholars will spend 5 to 10 hours per week in the classroom with their Mentor Teachers, half the semester with each, giving each Scholar time to get to know their Mentor Teacher and to acclimate themselves to work in the urban/rural and middle/high school high-need school environment.
• Junior Spring Experience – In conjunction with the first mathematics teaching methods course, Scholars will spend 5 to 10 hours per week in the classroom with their Mentor Teachers, half the semester with each, giving each Scholar more work in the urban/rural and middle/high school high-needs school environment.
• May Immersion Experience – In addition, at the end of the Junior Spring semester, Scholars will have an immersive experience in a high-need district through the Philadelphia Urban Seminar.
• Senior Fall Immersion Experience – In conjunction with the second mathematics teaching methods course, Scholars will spend 6 to 10 hours per week in the classroom with their Mentor Teachers, half the semester with each, giving each Scholar more work in the urban/rural and middle/high school high-need school environment.
• Senior Spring Professional Semester – Scholars will experience the student teaching experience with their Mentor Teachers with whom they have been working, half the semester with each in the urban/rural and middle/high school high-need school environment.
• Conference Attendance – Scholars and their Mentors will receive support to attend the annual Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics (PCTM) conference for professional development and to prompt further conversations around mathematics teaching.
• Service Component – All undergraduate Scholars will serve the University mathematics community in one of the following Math Department initiatives: ESTEEM, a STEM career outreach to regional 7-th grade young women; Math & Computer Science Day, an outreach to regional high school students; or, outreach to area secondary schools for recruitment into STEM.
• Math Classroom Assistant – Tied to a specific math course, Scholars will assist in the classroom and tutor outside the classroom.
• Post-graduation – Noyce Scholars will join the network of alumni, mentor teachers and faculty who meet a couple times per year; continued mentorship by Noyce Mentor teachers and faculty; observations of teaching.
• Pre-Noyce Scholars – Funded by Shippensburg University, these Freshmen and Sophomore pre-service math teachers are invited to participate in the Annual Luncheon and the Monthly Workshops, giving them early training in serving high-needs students prior to entering the classroom.
• Course Field Work – As part of required courses, Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors will be in the field for observations. Pre-Noyce and Noyce Scholars will be assigned to high-need school districts.
• Funding – Funded by both the NSF and Shippensburg University.
  1. Juniors – $12,750 scholarship, requires 2-year post-graduation teaching commitment in a high-need school district
  2. Seniors - $12,750 scholarship, requires 2-year post-graduation teaching commitment in a high-need school district
• Act 48 Hours – As a provider of Act 48 Hours, the University is in a unique position to offer professional development for area cooperating teachers, Mentors, secondary math teachers, and Scholars upon graduation. These will be available to participants for the Annual Luncheons and the Monthly Meetings.

Can I have another job while I am in the program?

Students can work up to 15 hours per week during the semester at another job while in the Program. The expectation of receiving the scholarship/stipend is that you can focus more on your studies and participate in required seminars and service opportunities.

Teaching Requirement

What are my obligations after I graduate?

You are required to teach two years in a high-need school district for each year that you receive an award, for a maximum of four years required. Each year you will be asked to submit verification that you are indeed teaching in a high-need school district, meeting the requirements of your Promissory Note. You will also participate in the Annual Luncheon and Monthly Meetings during your first two years in the classroom, including regular contact with your mentor. During your third and fourth years in the classroom you will maintain regular contact with your mentor.

What if I want to teach outside Pennsylvania?

You can teach in any secondary school in a high-need school district in the United States to meet the service requirement. A list of eligible schools can be found on the TCLI website.

Can I get credit towards the teaching requirement if I am a long-term substitute or teaching assistant?

No. The teaching commitment must be met through service as a licensed/certified classroom teacher of record in a high-need school district.

What happens if I don't complete my teaching requirement? 

The Noyce Scholarship is really a 100% forgivable loan – if you completed all of the requirements, your loan is completely forgiven. This means that your scholarship converts to a loan that must be repaid. All scholarship funds that were received will need to be repaid plus relevant interest until the full amount is recovered. These funds will be returned to the National Science Foundation, as required.

How long to I have to complete my teaching requirement?

When you accept the Noyce Scholarship award, you will be required to sign a Promissory Note to teach two years in a high-need school district for each year in which you receive an award. You have five (5) years to fulfill your teaching requirement. You are encouraged to read the full Promissory Note for details and the process for requesting extensions.

Financial Aid Requirement

Do I have a financial aid requirement after I graduate?

For each year that you received an award, you signed a Promissory Note to receive that award. That document included agreeing to teach for two years in a high-need school district for each year you receive an award. You are required to submit verification of employment in a high-need school district for each of those years of teaching service.

Professional Development Requirement

What support is there for me after I graduate?

Noyce graduates continue to be supported through the Noyce program once they have graduated and are in the classroom. Scholars will participate in the Annual Luncheon and Monthly Meetings during the first two years in the classroom, including regular contact with their mentors. During the third and fourth years in the classroom they will maintain regular contact with their mentor, as well. Scholars are always welcome back for events on campus such as seminars.

I've heard teachers don't make a lot of money. Couldn't I get a higher paying job with a math degree?

Yes and no. The average salary for first year math teacher with a Bachelor's degree in Pennsylvania is about $49,500. This is for teaching 9 months out of the year and does not include extra duty pay for coaching and club sponsoring. Additionally, most teaching jobs have better retirement benefits than other jobs you can get with the same degree. So while it might seem like a smaller amount it's comprable for the amount of time you're working. 

Will I be able to pay off my college debt with the money I make as a teacher?

Yes! One of the goals of the Noyce scholarship program is to alleviate some of the financial burden. For any debt you may have after graduation, there are student loan forgiveness programs for math teachers. 

It seems like teachers are always complaining about how horrible their job is. Why would I want to be a teacher?

Teachers in the United States rate their lives better than all other occupation groups, trailing only physicians. The reasons teachers state they have job satisfaction is due to the fact that they feel like they're making an impact, they have good relationships with their students and colleagues, they have a better work life balance than those with the same degree, they have financial stability.

*All information came from studies conducted by Get the Facts Out.

I'm not sure I'll be comfortable teaching in a high-need school district. Will I be ready?

The Shippensburg University Noyce Scholarship Program is specifically designed as immersive and experiential to prepare teachers for teaching in a high-need environment. In addition to field experiences in urban and rural high-need districts, the program includes program components that foster the development of rich support network, such as:

• Annual luncheon
• Monthly meetings
• Summer immersive experience
• Math teaching conference(s)
• Mentorship from specially trained teachers in high-needs school districts.

All of these experiences are will help Scholars to understand and overcome the unique challenges posed by the high-needs classroom environment.

*** Note: Only the school district you teach in must be high-need NOT the school itself. 

What clearances do I need for field work?

Scholars will need to complete a number of clearances to be able to go out into the field for observations. IF you are taking another course that requires those clearances, one set of clearances will count for both – you don’t need to do them again. In general, clearances are renewed once a year while you are at the University.

Click here to start working on your clearances.