T.E.A.M. Education Services
Teaching, Education, Achievement, Mastery
T.E.A.M. Education Services
Teaching, Education, Achievement, Mastery
One page for both programs — the Special Ed Master's through Adelphi and the B.A. Completion through UMGC. Start with your FAFSA (every T.E.A.M. Special Ed student gets an automatic 30% tuition reduction), then look through the grants, scholarships, and loan options below. Those programs are optional extras; apply directly to each organization, as availability and eligibility vary.
🎓 Register with T.E.A.M. – 30% Tuition DiscountStart your application at studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa, or call 1-800-433-3243. We recommend submitting as early as possible — ideally before you register for your first semester.
What does the program cost?
Tuition is reduced to $23,800 through T.E.A.M. — an automatic 30% tuition reduction (regular Adelphi tuition is $44,500), paid per semester as you go. Registration is $88.
When are classes? Do I have to attend in person?
One evening a week — Monday evenings — fully remote via Zoom, designed for working professionals. No in-person attendance is required.
Can I start teaching before I graduate?
Yes — there's no need to wait. You can earn NYS certification while you study: a Transitional-B Certificate after just the first semester, or an Internship Certificate in the first year of the program.
What certification do I get?
NYS Special Education Certification (Pre-K – High School), covering positions such as SEIT (Pre-K–2nd grade), ICT, and P-3 (grades 1–6).
Do I need a bachelor's degree?
Yes — a bachelor's degree is required to begin the master's program. No bachelor's yet? Start with our B.A. Completion program and continue into the master's from there. More answers are on the full Special Ed Q&A page.
Registration for the January 2027 cohort is open — it takes just a few minutes.
Click to registerNew York State offers this income- and employment-based scholarship to matriculated students enrolled in Early Childhood-related Master's programs. Eligible students may receive up to $2,000 annually.
Request an application and info packet by calling 800-295-9616 or emailing eip@tsg.suny.edu, or apply directly online through the New York State EIP portal.
The United Commercial Travelers (UCT) fraternal benefit society offers an annual scholarship for educators working with individuals who have intellectual disabilities. While the maximum award is $2,500, most recipients historically receive smaller awards — commonly around $300.
If you currently work with, or plan to work with, this population, you're eligible to apply. You'll need to submit a completed application along with your resume, available for download at uct.org.
Established under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, the TEACH Grant provides funding to students committed to teaching in high-need fields at schools serving low-income communities.
In exchange for the grant, recipients agree to teach full-time in a qualifying subject and school for at least four academic years within eight years of finishing their program.
To apply: complete your FAFSA first, then visit studentaid.gov/teach-grant-program to sign your Agreement to Serve (ATS) and complete the required TEACH Grant counseling.
*The standard award is $4,000/year, but a federal sequestration rule currently reduces new awards by 5.7% (to $3,772) for grants first paid between Oct. 1, 2020 and Oct. 1, 2026.
The Hebrew Free Loan Society offers interest-free loans to low- and moderate-income residents of New York City’s five boroughs, Westchester, or Long Island — regardless of religion or background. Loans can help cover education-related costs, emergencies, training, and other needs.
Relevant options include General Needs Loans (up to $9,000) and other programs that may support education or related expenses. A qualified guarantor is typically required, and income limits apply based on household size.
JELF provides interest-free loans to Jewish students from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Virginia (excluding metro DC) who are enrolled full-time in a degree-granting program at a U.S.-accredited school.
Average loans are around $5,000 per academic year (students often borrow across multiple years). A cosigner is required, applicants must demonstrate financial need, complete the FAFSA first, and maintain good academic standing.
HFLS administers scholarship programs for the UJA-Federation of New York that provide funding to students with financial need (primarily in NYC, Long Island, or Westchester).
Most T.E.A.M. students fund at least part of their program through a Federal Direct Loan, applied for through the FAFSA. Approval isn't based on income — it's based on your program's official cost of attendance, so eligibility is broadly accessible.
Keep in mind that interest begins accruing from the day funds are disbursed until the loan is paid off in full, at a rate set annually by the federal government.
Teacher Loan Forgiveness — a federal program that forgives a portion of a teacher's federal student loans after five consecutive years of full-time teaching in a qualifying low-income school.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) — a federal program that forgives the remaining federal loan balance after 120 qualifying monthly payments made while working full-time for an eligible public-service employer.
For the B.A. Completion program, UMGC handles tuition and billing directly — tuition is set by UMGC. Your $66 TEAM registration is separate: it starts your journey with us, with a full consultation and step-by-step guidance through the whole process — and if you're not accepted for any reason, it's fully refunded.
File your FAFSA with UMGC's school code 011644 (see the FAFSA card at the top of this page) — UMGC's financial aid office administers federal aid. Ask UMGC about scholarships you may qualify for, and talk to TEAM too: we'll help you explore every option to bring your costs down. The interest-free loan programs above (HFLS and JELF) may also be available to B.A. students who qualify.