Institutional Aid
The following information is designed to answer questions about tuition structure and financial aid options.
What are my tuition requirements?
Tuition is payable at the beginning of each term. Students are welcome to pay tuition via Relay's payment plans and/or federal financial aid when available. One-year certification/licensure-only programs are not eligible for federal financial aid.
Please note, the tuition costs linked below do not reflect pending education awards (such as Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards, or Relay Residency Scholarships), external scholarships, or employer coverage which may reduce your tuition responsibility each academic year.
Click to tuition and financial aid page
What financial aid or tuition support is available to me?
Complete the FAFSA
The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) uses your data to determine federal aid eligibility. You can apply for the FAFSA here. Relay’s school code is 042086.
Enroll in AmeriCorps
The Segal AmeriCorps Education Award can grant up to $6,895 toward educational expenses upon completion of a full service term if you are eligible. Eligible students can start the Relay AmeriCorps enrollment process here.
Partner Contributions
Partners may provide funding to Relay for students utilizing these options: School-Based Scholarship Funds or individual student payments.
Relay Need-Based Aid
Relay's financial aid will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Need-based aid is open to all eligible students and prioritized for students not receiving other scholarships or external financial support.
External Aid
You may be eligible for some of the external scholarships listed here. Please note that if you are awarded an external scholarship it may impact your need-based aid, your cost of attendance, and your federal financial aid eligibility.
In order to receive federal financial aid or need-based financial aid, prospective students MUST fill out the FAFSA during the admissions process. Student Financial Services (SFS) reviews FAFSA applications on a rolling basis. For students ineligible to complete the FAFSA form, please complete Relay’s FAFSA alternative here. Relay’s school code is 042086.
Students in the MAT or TEL Advanced Cert program may apply for federal financial aid to secure loans as needed, while ALL students can sign up for a payment plan, or pay upfront. Students seeking enrollment in eligible programs (MAT or Advanced Cert SPED) who wish to request federal aid through direct unsubsidized loans or the TEACH Grant are welcome to submit a FAFSA and complete all required federal aid documentation for review. The FAFSA form is the first part of your federal aid application.
- All additional federal direct loan forms can be found linked here.
- All additional federal TEACH grant forms can be found linked here.
Relay’s Student Financial Services Team will review all fully completed applications each term toward a disbursement and will contact you with additional next steps, if needed.
You will receive a Financial Aid Offer (including grants and scholarships) within 14 days of accepting your admission offer to Relay.
About
- Relay is a proud grantee of AmeriCorps. We receive federal funding to operate our programs, and we're able to provide a high-quality education at an affordable cost to students as a result.
- The AmeriCorps federal agency provides grants to address critical community needs in education, public safety, health, veterans affairs, senior citizen care, the environment, and more!
At Relay
- Students can earn the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award to offset out-of-pocket Relay tuition expenses if they so choose. Members are also eligible for other benefits such as loan forbearance and interest accrual payments.
- Relay is considered a Professional Corps program, which means members:
- ~must be full-time employees of their schools;
- ~receive a full-time salary and benefits from their school; and
- ~earn service hours through their work as a teacher, serving high-needs communities.
Eligibility/Application
- All Relay teachers who are invited to participate in the AmeriCorps Enrollment process are required to submit an application. Students will receive clear application instructions upon invitation to participate (June-August for most Relay locations).
- The first step in the enrollment process is to complete the AmeriCorps Enrollment Training. This virtual training will walk you through our 6-step enrollment process and provide a glimpse of the member experience should you join.
- If you are enrolling in the Relay Teaching Residency in Texas or Tennessee, you can expect to hear about this upon submitting your Relay application.
- Relay's AmeriCorps team will guide you through the remaining application steps throughout the summer. Join AmeriCorps office hours (July-September) for personalized support if you have questions along the way! Click here for details.
- Check out the Relay AmeriCorps Enrollment Flowchart for a sneak-peak of the 6-step process.
- Teach For America corps members should contact their local point of contact for AmeriCorps enrollment details.
Relay is your educator and your partner school is your employer. Students in specific programs may receive tuition support or reimbursement from their school partner. We recommend that you reach out to your school/district’s human resources department to inquire about any tuition support or reimbursement.
Institutional aid at Relay may include scholarships awarded based on need and can vary in amounts and availability by academic year. These annual awards are released in three even disbursements, at the start of the summer, fall, and spring terms. Students must be enrolled at least half-time to receive need-based aid. Students awarded an external scholarship, education award, school-based sponsorship, or other tuition payment support will be deprioritized for those with the most need.
In order to receive federal financial aid or need-based financial aid, prospective students MUST fill out the FAFSA during the admissions process. Student Financial Services (SFS) reviews FAFSA applications on a rolling basis. For students ineligible to complete the FAFSA form, please complete Relay’s FAFSA alternative.
For US Citizens and Eligible Non-Citizens
- Complete the FAFSA (School Code 042086) application
For Ineligible Non-Citizens and International Students
- Complete the FAFSA alternative application
Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) or Student Aid Index (SAI) will be used to evaluate need-based aid. Students will be notified with an updated Financial Aid Offer of any need-based aid awarded. Students initially awarded need-based aid who receive external tuition support may have their need-based aid removed.
There are a number of external aid options available to Relay students as well, including the Veterans Affairs benefits for programs that you can find listed here. We are currently in the process of applying for official VA benefits approval in other states where Relay has a campus. Please reach out to support@relay.edu if you have any questions about VA benefits.
Other options for scholarships and alternative financial aid options can be found on our support site here.