Funding Your Teaching Credential: The Golden State Grant and SCU’s SEMILLA Program

According to a 2025 report published by the Learning Policy Institute in Palo Alto, CA, about 60% of teachers borrow money to finance their education, and the average loan cost is around $38,230 for a master’s degree.¹ Any support that helps teaching candidates reduce debt while earning their credentials and expanding their learning opportunities can make an impact. Santa Clara Online is committed to stretching that impact as much as possible.

Two key programs at Santa Clara University—the Golden State Teacher Grant (GSTG) and the SCU SEMILLA Program—help reduce these financial barriers. The combination of grant funding with Santa Clara’s quality online education can give you the financial and personal flexibility to advance your career while learning to mentor and shape youth in your community.

Keep reading to learn more about these funding programs and how each one can affect your education.

What is the Golden State Teacher Grant?

The GSTG is a funding program from the California government that helps finance education for future teachers. The grant aims to create more teachers who specialize in high-need fields and directly support underserved communities.²

Through the GSTG, the state of California will provide funding toward your education if you commit to teaching in one of these fields for at least four years after you complete a preparatory program:

• Science
• Technology
• Engineering
• Math
• Transitional kindergarten
• Bilingual education
• Special education
• Career and technical education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
• Multiple fields

You must also commit to teaching these subjects at a priority school in the state. These schools serve student populations in which at least 55% are one or more of the following:²

• Eligible for free or reduced-price meals
• Foster youths
• English learners

Who Can Receive the Grant; How Much it Covers

The California Student Aid Commission will provide up to $20,000 in grants through the GSTG if you commit to the requirements noted above.² The grant is available for those nearing the end of their teacher education and preparing for their careers.

To be eligible, you must:²

• Be enrolled in a teacher preparation program at an approved school
• Teach at a school approved by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)
• Commit to teaching for four years at a priority school in a high-need field
• Complete the four years within five years of finishing teacher prep

The teacher prep can be a residency program or internship as long as it is approved by the CTC. Additionally, you must submit a federal student aid or California Dream Act application as part of your application process.

How to Use the GSTG at Santa Clara Online

Santa Clara University offers two key graduate programs for future teachers: an Online MA in Teaching and Teaching Credential (OMATTC) and an Online Catholic MA in Teaching and Teaching Credential (OCatMAT). These programs prepare you to teach in Catholic, public, or private schools in California and earn your preliminary teaching certificate. Santa Clara Online programs are approved by the California CTC, which means registration in one of these programs meets one of the grant eligibility requirements.

SCU’s SEMILLA Program for Aspiring Educators

SCU’s education pathways are designed with all learners in mind. The Online MA programs focus on inclusive learning practices, creating equity in classrooms, and respecting diversity to drive academic excellence across all communities. That mission involves creating opportunities at SCU itself. One of those initiatives is the SCU SEMILLA Program.

Fellowship Program to Support Latinx Communities

The SCU SEMILLA Program is a fellowship for future teachers. Santa Clara provides a 50% discount on tuition for teaching students who have a passion for social justice and commit to serving Latinx communities.

To be eligible, you must agree to the following:

• Complete the MATTC program for a teaching certificate in the State of California
• Teach for two years in a high-need school with a mostly Latinx student population
• Complete the two-year commitment within four years of finishing teacher prep
• Attend quarterly meetings with the program director

The program aims to encourage teachers to pursue social change through education and to support underserved students. Through this program, SEMILLA Fellows gain access to additional funding for teacher credentials and in-depth education in a culturally responsive pedagogy.

Mentorship and Community Support Opportunities

Their mutual focus on Latinx communities allows SEMILLA Fellows to develop strong peer relationships, witness key issues firsthand, and apply real-world strategies. The program includes a practicum, in which you'll have opportunities to mentor young children and assist students and families with relevant education.

Making a Teaching Career More Accessible

California has a significant shortage of teachers in high-need subject areas.³ To encourage more individuals to pursue teaching and create more affordable teacher credential programs, the state invests millions of dollars in grant and scholarship options.

Financial Aid for Teacher Education Reduces Debt

Roughly 87.3% of first-time college students utilize financial aid.⁴ Most programs, however, are underused. Reports show that $4 billion in federal student grants alone were unclaimed in the 2023-2024 academic year.⁴

Taking advantage of grants and financial aid programs makes teacher credential programs more affordable and lowers your student debt. Don't hesitate to use additional education scholarships and private or federal loan and grant programs to help fund your education. The federal TEACH grant and U.S. Department of Education grants and loans, for example, are funding options that pair well with the GSTG and the SCU SEMILLA Program.

Increasing Opportunities for New Teachers and Career-Changers

The most important attribute of these opportunities is that the scholarship and grant programs help make training opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise be available accessible to more committed future teachers.

The same is true for those who want to shift direction and explore a new career in teaching. Programs such as the SCU SEMILLA Fellowship and the GSTG help fill a demand for teachers, while allowing you, as a career-changer, to develop a new and meaningful career that creates lifelong impact.

Launch Your Teaching Career at SCU

Investing in youth and education is vital to building strong communities, but it can be challenging for those who want to make a positive change in students' lives to pay for their own training. The GSTG and SEMILLA programs can change that, lowering your costs so you can focus on pursuing social justice in education.

With small classes and full- or part-time options, Santa Clara Online MA in Teaching programs offer personalized education and teacher prep for work in complex classrooms. Contact the university to learn more about teacher-focused funding and financial aid.