Application period open for Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship

Indiana high school seniors and college students planning to pursue a career in teaching can now apply for a Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship, according to State Representatives Jack Jordan (R-Bremen) and Jake Teshka (R-North Liberty).

Jordan said this renewable scholarship, established in 2016 through legislation passed by the Indiana General Assembly, pays $10,000 per year for up to 4 academic years to students who commit to teaching in Indiana for at least 5 years.

"We want the very best teachers growing the minds of young Hoosiers, and that means keeping them in the state," Jordan said. "By supporting these students, we will continue to grow our education workforce and invest in Indiana."

Teshka said scholarships will be awarded to high school and college students who have graduated or will graduate from an Indiana-accredited high school or non-accredited nonpublic high school. Applicants must also rank in the top 20% of their high school graduating class, have a top 20% ACT or SAT score, or have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

"This scholarship helps identify and award some of our brightest and most talented students, encouraging them to invest their talents in Indiana and in educating the next generation," said Teshka, a member of the House Education Committee. "Teaching is a critical job, and I hope to see more Hoosiers pursue it as a career."

The 2026-2027 application is available online at scholartrack.che.in.gov through Jan. 31. Applicants will be notified of their scholarship status by April 2026. For questions, email the Indiana Commission for Higher Education at NextTeacher@che.in.gov.

In 2023, the legislature passed a law co-authored by Jordan that increased the scholarship award from $7,500 to $10,000 and removed the annual cap on 200 recipients. Last year, more than 1,000 students applied for the scholarship—a new record—and nearly 300 were awarded scholarships.