Montessori Scholarships
Georgia’s educational assistance program for early childhood educators pursuing their Montessori program credential
Apply
Applications for Montessori Scholarships for Fall 2026 will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis beginning August 15, 2026.
Apply Here for New Application
Renew
Applications for Montessori Renewal Scholarships for Fall 2026 will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis beginning August 15, 2026.
Apply Here for Renewal ApplicationApplication Windows
Fall Semester 2026
Open: August 15, 2026
Close: October 15, 2026
Spring Semester 2027
Open: January 11, 2027
Close: April 16, 2027
Summer Semester 2027
Open: May 10, 2027
Close: August 20, 2027
Fall Semester 2027
Open: September 13, 2027
Close: December 10, 2027
Am I eligible?
To qualify for our Montessori Scholarships program, you must 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 6 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 apply and be accepted into a MACTE-accredited Montessori Program in Georgia,* in one of the following programs of study:
- Early Childhood Education
- Infant/Toddler
*At this time, only Covered Bridge Creativity Inc (CBCInc Training), Grace Montessori Teacher Education, Montessori Teacher Education Institute of Atlanta and Washington Montessori Institute meet this requirement.
Download:
Your guide to Montessori Scholarships
Our team created a handout that has all of the important details about Montessori Scholarships on one page. Feel free to download, print it out, and share it.
Download Montessori Scholarships GuideWhat is Montessori?
Montessori is a type of school founded on the Montessori method of education – a type of educational method that involves children’s natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing real-world skills.
Montessori Scholarships
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, your support stipend could be considered taxable income. If you receive an IRS Form 1099, you must report the amount as income on your tax return.
Please contact a tax professional with any questions you have about how to report this on your taxes.
You can renew your Academic Scholarship for your Montessori program if you maintain an eligible employment status and good standing with your educational institution.
No earlier than 60 days prior to the start of your next term, submit a renewal application. Please include the following documents (if there isn’t a designated upload category for any of these documents, you can upload them as “Additional Documents” under the “Documents” section of your application):
- Copy of Proof of Enrollment and Good Standing Letter from your educational institution
- Copies of two recent paystubs reflecting the name of your employer, your name, and gross and net year-to-date wages. If you are a Family Child Care Learning Home or a Director/Owner and do not pay yourself W-2 wages, you should submit a copy of last year’s Schedule C, Schedule K, or other federal tax form documenting net business income. If your paystubs do not meet these requirements, we may ask for additional information.
Montessori program terms are defined for the DECAL Scholarships program as follows: January-May, June-July, and August-December.
No. State and federal financial aid is not offered for MACTE-accredited Montessori Program Credentials.
If you meet the eligibility requirements each term you are enrolled, you will receive Scholarships funds as follows:
- A maximum of $1,500 per term (Montessori program terms are defined for the DECAL Scholarships program as follows: January-May, June-July, and August-December) toward the cost of tuition and mandatory fees not covered by other scholarships at your Montessori program
You will also receive a support stipend as follows:
- $150 per term
Only if your administrative position is as an assistant director, director, or owner.
For the full list of eligible roles, please refer to the eligibility requirements at the top of this webpage.
MACTE-accredited programs that meet the requirements for our Scholarships program are listed as follows: Covered Bridge Creativity Inc (CBCInc Training), Montessori Teacher Education Institute of Atlanta and Grace Montessori Teacher Education.
MACTE is the international standard setting and accrediting body for Montessori teacher education. MACTE was granted initial recognition by the U.S. Department of Education in 1995. The Montessori Teacher Education Institute of Atlanta and Grace Montessori hold their accredited status for their Early Childhood and Infant Toddler certification course levels from the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE). Click here to learn more.
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.
The Montessori Program Credential is a certification awarded by an eligible MACTE-accredited training program. MACTE-accredited programs that meet the requirements for our Scholarships program are listed as follows: Covered Bridge Creativity Inc (CBCInc Training), Montessori Teacher Education Institute of Atlanta and Grace Montessori Teacher Education. The credential is recognized by Montessori schools and is valuable for a teacher that is working or desires to work at a Montessori school.
Learn more about Montessori Program Credential Scholarships here.
The following documents must be uploaded with your application:
- Acceptance letter
- Copy of your Georgia Professional Development System Profile – click here to learn more about GaPDS
- Copy of the front and back of a secure and verifiable document – click here to see the list
- Copies of two recent paystubs reflecting the name of your employer, your name, and gross and net year-to-date wages. If you are a Family Child Care Learning Home or a Director/Owner and do not pay yourself W-2 wages, you should submit a copy of last year’s Schedule C, Schedule K, or other federal tax form documenting net business income. If your paystubs do not meet these requirements, we may ask for additional information.
- (Optional) Enrollment contract
- (Optional) Course schedule