Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society Scholarship
Before you spend hours on this
Will this scholarship actually lower your cost?
Not always. Many colleges reduce your financial-aid package when you win an outside scholarship — sometimes dollar-for-dollar — so the money can end up saving the school instead of you. It's called scholarship displacement. Two free tools tell you where you actually stand:
General guidance, not financial advice — your school's financial aid office is the only authority on how they treat outside awards. Always confirm with them before deciding.
Best fit for
Current education majors (KDP membership requires you to already be in an education program). HS seniors planning to major in education: bookmark this for sophomore year of college, but ALSO apply to the Future Teachers Scholarship Foundation now (different organization, accepts HS seniors).
What they actually look for
Kappa Delta Pi is THE national honor society for education majors — and the best scholarship pipeline for future teachers. Awards range from $500 to $5,000 across 30+ named scholarships, ONE application qualifies you for all matching awards. About 100 winners/yr. KDP also pipelines you into education conferences and Teacher of the Year award nominations — strong network for kids planning education careers.
What you'll need
- Education major OR planning to teach (early childhood, elementary, secondary, special education)
- Kappa Delta Pi membership at your college (~$60 one-time + chapter dues — joined after 3.5+ GPA in education coursework)
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- Essays on teaching philosophy and goals
- Two recommendations (one from an education professor or cooperating teacher)
- Some KDP awards require completion of one full year of education coursework
When to start
Join KDP at your college in sophomore year (once you've completed enough education coursework). KDP scholarship applications typically open in fall (October-November), close in spring (March-April).
Watch out for
KDP requires you to be in an EDUCATION major — not 'planning to teach with a Math degree.' If you're teaching-bound but not formally enrolled in an education department, look at TEACH Grants (federal) or state-level future-teacher programs instead. Also: KDP's renewal requirements include maintained 3.5+ GPA — drop below that and you lose the funding.