The deadline for completed applications is May 6, 2024! Apply now!

What is Project REACh?

  • Project REACh is a teacher residency project funded through a matching grant from the United States Department of Education Teacher Quality Partnership. The Project is only open to new Alt. A educators majoring in these programs:  Early Childhood (P-3), Elementary (K-6), Early Childhood/Elementary (P-6), Collaborative Special Education (K-6), Collaborative Special Education (6-12), Dual Collaborative Special Education (K-6) and (6-12), Biology (6-12), English/Language Arts (6-12), Mathematics (6-12), General Science (6-12), General Social Science (6-12), History (6-12).    
  • Project REACh is only available to applicants currently holding a Bachelor’s Degree in a major that is NOT education and having a minimum 3.0 GPA.   Applicants can never have received any teacher certification prior to this program completion.

Does Project REACh pay for my tuition?

Project REACh does not pay for tuition, books, or any other university costs. Residents receive a living wage stipend each month. Residents will personally decide how to allocate their funds. The living wage stipend is decided upon each budgeting year. Applicants will be notified of the amount for the chosen cohort.

What are the terms of the Project?

Project REACh is a contracted project. If a resident does not complete all of the project requirements, the resident must pay back all money awarded within thirty-six (36) months. 

How do I apply?

Step 1: 

  • Apply for and be accepted into the UWA School of Graduate Studies. An enrollment counselor will help you with this. For more information, please go to:
  • Graduate Admissions-Alt-A Programs
  • Please let your enrollment counselor know you are applying for Project REACh.
  • There are several requirements to become admitted into the Alt. A graduate program. Interested applicants must meet all university graduate school admission requirements before applying for Project REACh.  
  • Please apply for Summer I as the semester of your attendance. If this semester is not yet available, please let your advisor know you are applying for Project REACh and have them advise you of the latest semester for registration if Summer I is not available.
  • Applicants may contact us at projectreach@uwa.edu for code information to waive your admission application fee. 

Step 2:

Please email us at projectreach@uwa.edu to let us know you are interested in the Project and are applying for graduate school. We keep a list of applicants to follow their progress through the application process.

Step 3: 

  • UWA must receive a passing score from your required Praxis II testing for you to be admitted to our graduate school. You can find out more about your required testing by selecting this link:
  • UWA’s Certification Testing Requirements
  • Project REACh can provide study assistance to help applicants prepare for Praxis II testing. Please contact us at projectreach@uwa.edu for more information.

Step 4:

  • When you are notified of your admission into UWA’s graduate school, please complete your Project REACh application. Applications are accepted from September through early May. The deadline for a completed application is May 6th, 2024. To access the application, please use this link:
  • Project REACh Application

Step 5:

Applicants meeting all requirements and deadlines will be notified of interview dates in the month of April.

When does the next cohort begin?

Selected residents begin the program on May 1. All UWA coursework is online. Residents co-teach with a mentor teacher full-time at specified schools within our partner school districts for an entire school year. Our partner districts are Baldwin County Public Schools, Demopolis City Schools, Mobile County Schools, Tuscaloosa County Schools, and University Charter School. Click here to see a full list of all partner school districts and schools. 

Need help?

If you have any questions along the way or would like to learn more about the Project, please email us at projectreach@uwa.edu. We will happily speak with you and help you through the process.

The United States Department of Education, Teacher Quality Partnership program, funded $6.5 million (50%) of the $13 million UWA Project REACh grant award; UWA and other non-Federal funds match this funding.