Teaching Fellowship FAQs

Applications for the 2027 Cohort are now open, and will close January 19,2027. We offer three application windows between now and January 2027, but applicants may apply only once.

The ideal candidate has a strong background in physics, chemistry, biology, or mathematics, and is committed to teaching high school science or mathematics in the United States. This Fellowship is not intended to support individuals pursuing teaching on a temporary basis or as a stepping stone to another career. An ideal candidate can demonstrate leadership and achievement in past endeavors, has experience with adolescents and/or teaching, and can articulate their motivation for becoming a teacher. Please review the selection criteria for details.

The Knowles Teaching Fellowship program is for high school math and science teachers. While you can teach any high school math or science course, we look for teachers with strong content knowledge and degrees in physics, biology, chemistry, or mathematics.

Knowles Teaching Fellowships are not awarded based on need (financial or otherwise), but rather on ability and promise.

The application for the Knowles Teaching Fellowship opens annually, in August, for the following year’s incoming cohort. The application is quick and easy. All we ask for is your resume and unofficial transcripts.

After the initial application, the selection process includes a video interview, group interviews, and an individual interview. You can find more information about Fellowship eligibility and our selection criteria on our website here.

Prospective applicants interested in teaching both math and science can apply. Knowles Fellows join a cohort of teachers focused on developing pedagogical and content knowledge in science or mathematics. During the application process, though, applicants will be evaluated in part on their knowledge of the content area they choose, and their reasons for choosing to teach that subject. As such, applicants should choose the content area that most closely aligns with their disciplinary strengths.

Individuals who are not citizens or who hold degrees from outside the United States are eligible for the Knowles Teaching Fellowship. However, they must be committed to teaching science or mathematics in U.S. high schools.

No. If you are unable to accept a Teaching Fellowship for any reason, you must reapply the following year, if you still meet the eligibility requirements.

As part of the Teaching Fellowship, Knowles Teaching Fellows are required to: obtain a full-time, high school science or mathematics teaching position, participate in the Knowles community and adhere to Knowles policy guidelines. Fellowship responsibilities typically require a time commitment of four to six hours per month, in addition to time spent in in-person meetings and preparing proposals to submit for benefits.

Teaching Fellows receive financial support through stipends and grants throughout the year. Grants are available to cover classroom materials or professional learning experiences. Fellows will also have access to apply for additional communal grants to build community outside of their cohort community, or bring change to their classroom. In total, Fellows are eligible to receive more than $30,000 in financial support over the course of the four-year Fellowship.

The Knowles Teaching Fellowship is a four-year fellowship program. Years one and two focus on your classroom: making sense of how students experience your class and reflecting on your teaching decisions.

Years three and four are focused on teacher leadership and how your classroom connects to the larger education system. This focus helps teachers think about how they can influence things beyond their classroom and support all students’ learning.

Year four also has a Leadership Capstone Project—looking at something you want to change or improve in your school.

In addition to financial support, Teaching Fellows are part of a network of like-minded individuals who share a dedication to science and mathematics education. Throughout the year, Fellows participate in the Knowles community via online workspaces. At Fall, Spring and Summer Fellows’ Institute Meetings, Fellows are exposed to a variety of resources, curriculum materials, research, and experts in the field.

Throughout the program, each Knowles Fellow receives personalized mentorship from an experienced teacher. This mentor serves as a consistent thought partner—helping early-career teachers navigate the challenges they face through regular meetings and providing individual support grounded in the Fellow’s experiences, needs, and goals.

Fellows also benefit from a broader support network, including Knowles staff, coaches, and a community of other early-career math and science high school teachers. Together, these relationships give Fellows a trusted space to ask questions, work through challenges, celebrate successes, and continue developing as teachers and leaders

Teaching Fellows can use grant funds for either classroom resources or professional development opportunities. Classroom resources are anything you can use in your classroom to impact student learning, such as a 3D printer or lab equipment. Professional development opportunities include a wide variety of things, including attending conferences, courses, and classes, and professional development trips.

The Knowles community includes more than 600 Fellows in over 43 states and the District of Columbia.

No. The Fellowship is a professional development and support program for beginning teachers. It does not provide a teaching credential.

No, you do not need a teaching certificate or credential to apply for or participate in the Knowles Teaching Fellowship program.

Fellows are expected to procure their own full-time high school teaching position. Often, your teacher education program will offer guidance in this process.

Fellows can teach at any U.S. high school, as long as science or mathematics is at least half of their teaching assignment. American schools abroad, high schools in U.S. territories and Department of Defense schools abroad are not considered U.S. high schools for the purpose of the Knowles Teaching Fellowship.

If a Fellow does not find a full-time teaching position, or loses their position during the four-year program, they may be eligible to take a one-year leave of absence from the Fellowship, if you are actively searching for a teaching position and engaging in another appropriate activity in the teaching field, such as working as a substitute teacher or taking additional coursework. After the one-year leave, a Fellow will need to forfeit the Fellowship if they are not teaching full-time.

After completing the Fellowship, Knowles Teaching Fellows become Senior Fellows and can remain involved in the Knowles community throughout their careers, with support for ongoing leadership efforts. Senior Fellows are encouraged to remain involved with the Knowles Teacher Initiative in a number of ways, including designing and implementing professional development for Knowles Fellows, attending Knowles meetings, and continuing to participate in our online community. Senior Fellows are eligible to receive support while pursuing National Board Certification. They are also eligible for grants that support activities that impact education beyond their own classrooms.