CDA Renewal Scholarships
Financial assistance for early childhood educators in Georgia to renew their Child Development Associate (CDA) credential
When an eligible applicant in Georgia is within 6 months of their CDA renewal period (the credential must be renewed every 3 years), CDA Renewal Scholarships assists with the $250 CDA Council Renewal Exam Fee one time per applicant. Applicant should apply up to 6 months before their expiration date.
DECAL Scholars will align its CDA Renewal scholarship eligibility with the Council for Professional Recognition’s CDA® Renewal Amnesty Program. DECAL Scholars will extend renewal scholarship support to any applicant eligible under the Council’s amnesty terms. Applicants must still meet all current Decal Scholars renewal requirements. For more information please see the Council’s page on CDA Renewal Amnesty.
Apply now
Applications for CDA Renewal Scholarships will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis from October 1, 2026 - December 15, 2026. Apply within 6 months of your CDA credential expiration date.
Apply NowApplication Windows
4th Quarter 2026
Open: October 1, 2026
Close: December 15, 2026
1st Quarter 2027
Open: January 11, 2027
Close: April 16, 2027
2nd Quarter 2027
Open: May 10, 2027
Close: August 20, 2027
3rd Quarter 2027
Open: September 13, 2027
Close: December 10, 2027
Am I eligible?
To qualify for our CDA Renewal Scholarships program, you must have not received the DECAL Scholars CDA Renewal Scholarship in the past and you also meet the following criteria:
Legal Status
You’re one of the following:
- United States citizen
- Legal permanent resident
- Qualified alien
Employment
- You must be currently employed and have maintained 3 months of continuous employment with the same employer in one of the following paid roles (unpaid hours do not qualify):
- Teacher
- Assistant teacher
- Floater
- Director
- Assistant director
- Owner
- You must work a minimum of 30 hours per week if your
employer is a(n):
- Child care learning center licensed by DECAL or the Department of Defense
- Family child care learning home licensed by DECAL
- Exempt Georgia Head Start center
- Georgia Lottery-funded Pre-K program in a public school
- You must work a minimum of 15 hours per week if your
employer is an:
- After school program licensed by DECAL
Education
- You must have a non-expired CDA Credential issued by the CDA Council for Professional Recognition.
You can apply for renewal up to 6 months before the expiration date. - If you’re submitting a receipt for reimbursement, it must be submitted within 30 days of the payment date for the application fee to the Council
- You will need to document completion of one of the following:
4.5 CEUs, or
A three (3) credit hour college course from an accredited college or university, or
45 clock hours of training in early childhood education and/or child development.
CDA Renewal Scholarships
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can receive both the CDA Renewal Scholarship and Academic Scholarships at the same time. DECAL Scholars Scholarships programs are here to support you throughout your educational journey.
Visit our Academic Scholarships page to learn more about the next steps you can take to receive a college credential or degree.
The following documents must be uploaded with your application:
Proof of 45 clock hours of professional development.
- Copy of non-expired CDA credential (CDA credential must be within 6 months of expiration date and not expired).
Copies of two recent pay stubs reflecting your name, the name of your employer, and your gross (before deductions) wages. Family child care learning home providers and owners who do not pay themselves W2 wages submit a copy of last year’s Schedule C or other federal tax form documenting net business income.
- Copy of YourCouncil (CDA Council) CDA Profile page reflecting your customer ID number.
- Copy of the FRONT and BACK of a secure and verifiable document.
- Copy of your Georgia Professional Development System profile reflecting your GaPDS number, the name of your current employer, and a “Pending” or “Active” status (click here for more information).
No, you can only apply to receive the CDA Renewal Scholarship from DECAL Scholars for one CDA renewal.
Once your CDA Scholarships application is approved, DECAL Scholars will cover up to $250 of the cost of the CDA Credential Renewal, paid directly to the CDA Council.
The Georgia Professional Development System (GaPDS), offered by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, supports the early care and education workforce. It enables you to build a comprehensive profile of your career, including your employment history, training hours, and earned credentials or degrees. You must create a profile on the GaPDS website to apply for DECAL Scholars programs.
Getting started is simple! You can register even if you haven’t earned a credential or degree yet. Download your free guide to creating a GaPDS account by clicking here. To learn more or to create your account, visit gapds.decal.ga.gov.
For questions or technical assistance, contact the GaPDS team at 404-334-6461 (or toll-free at 866-258-7737 outside metro Atlanta) or email them at gapds@decal.ga.gov.
While not a college credential, the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential is an entry-level credential that is widely recognized in the industry, issued by the Council for Professional Recognition.
Earning the CDA credential is a three-step process that requires:
- 120 clock hours of CDA training covering 8 subject areas
- Experience in the classroom and compiling a portfolio
- CDA Exam and verification visit by a Professional Development Specialist (PDS)
The CDA credential must be renewed every three years. Click here to visit the Council for Professional Recognition’s website for complete information.
Several technical colleges provide programs that allow for the transfer of CDA training into college credits, although the specific rules vary among institutions. To obtain more information on this opportunity, it is recommended to contact the early childhood education department at the technical college of your preference.
It is important that you send all supporting documents at the time of completing your application to avoid any delays in processing.
DECAL Scholars accepts legible PDFs, screenshots, photo copies, scans, and photos (only in JPG format, not HEIC). Please do not send documents as links.
You cannot book your test until your formal application is reviewed and accepted by the Council. Once approved, you will receive a “Ready to Schedule Notice”. After that, you can secure your location in two ways:
- Online: Create an account on the Pearson VUE CDA Portal, enter your Candidate ID, and search for the closest testing center by entering your ZIP code.
- By Phone: Call Pearson VUE at 1-866-507-5627 (English) or 1-800-511-6951 (Spanish). An operator will help you find local testing facilities and available times.
You can look up testing locations at any time, even before you are approved. See our interactive map of CDA testing centers in Georgia, or find the center nearest you with Pearson VUE’s official test center locator.