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 Vanderburgh County legislators.
State Rep. Tim O’Brien (R-Evansville) said this renewable scholarship, established in 2016 through legislation passed by the Indiana General Assembly, pays $10,000 per year for up to four academic years for students who commit to teaching in Indiana for at least five years.
“These scholarships are direct investments in our teachers, students and communities,” O’Brien said. “Anyone who wants to pursue a career in education should consider applying.”
State Rep. Matt Hostettler (R-Patoka) 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 a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
“Indiana’s continued educational strength relies on having great teachers leading our classrooms,” Hostettler said. “Future generations will benefit from having the best and brightest teachers right here in Indiana.”
State Rep. Wendy McNamara (R-Evansville) said the 2026-2027 application is available online atscholartrack.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.
“It is hard to overstate the role teachers play in students’ development and progress, so we should want the best educators working in our state,” McNamara said. “The Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship helps fulfill this need by providing funding for prospective teachers’ education while ensuring our state retains top talent.”
In 2023, the legislature passed a law that increased the scholarship award amount from $7,500 to $10,000 and removed the annual 200-recipient cap. Last year, more than a thousand students applied for the scholarship, a new record, with nearly 300 scholarships awarded.
To learn more about the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship, visit in.gov/che.
