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The University of Alaska is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educational institution. Contact information, applicable laws, and complaint procedures are included on UA's statement of nondiscrimination available at www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination.

UAS is committed to providing accessible websites: www.uas.alaska.edu/policies/accessibility.html

Preparing Indigenous Teachers & Administrators for Alaska Schools (PITAAS)

Earn your teaching degree at the University of Alaska Southeast with PITAAS.

Scholarship Overview

The PITAAS Program scholarships, in partnership with Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI), is a grant funded through the U.S. Department of Education (S356A170013). The current grant will sunset by the close of Summer term 2022. Please note a current application will not extend into Fall 2022. Please watch for updates.

The Challenge: Alaska needs more Alaska Native teachers

In Alaska schools, Alaska Natives make up 25% of the student body and less than 5% of the teaching force.
In 2000, the University of Alaska Southeast created the PITAAS Program with the help of a federal grant to address this shortage of Alaska Native teachers.
The PITAAS Program has grown to include many services designed to meet its goals: more Alaska Native teachers and administrators in Alaskan schools, preschool through high school.
In 2017, PITAAS became jointly operated between UAS and Sealaska Heritage Institute, who is our grant partner for the PITAAS program.

The PITAAS Scholarship can help you earn your teaching degree at the University of Alaska Southeast!

Eligible students receive a calculated scholarship which generally covers:

tuition and fees for courses required for eligible programs
a modest stipend each semester intended to offset book costs ($100/course for undergraduates and $200/course for graduate students)
a housing stipend ($3,000/semester) for full-time students

Students must have junior/senior undergraduate status or be enrolled in a graduate program, be pursuing an education degree program at UAS, and have and maintain a 3.0+ GPA.
The PITAAS GPA requirement is higher than UAS Financial Aid and may differ from the requirements set forth by your degree program. The conditions stated here are separate and in addition to any requirements imposed by those offices.

Eligible programs include:

Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Programs

B.A. Elementary Education
B.A. Special Education
B.A., B.L.A., or B.S. in an academic area leading toward a teacher certification (including English, Math, Science, Alaska Native Language & Studies, and other programs)

Post Graduate Teacher Certification Programs

Master's of Art in Teaching (M.A.T.)

Elementary Education
Secondary Education
Special Education

Graduate Certificates, Endorsements and Master of Education (M.Ed.) Programs

M.Ed. or Graduate Certificate in Reading Specialist
M.Ed. or Graduate Certificate in Special Education
Graduate Certificate in Elementary Education
Graduate Certificate in Secondary Education
M.Ed. Educational Leadership
Superintendent Endorsement Area

PITAAS Application

PITAAS 2021–2022 Application
PITAAS accepts students on a rolling basis based on program admission. Admitted students can apply for funding through the end of the 2021–2022 academic year (Summer 2022).

PITAAS Cultural Scholarship Opportunity

Students residing in Alaska who have freshman or sophomore standing (have taken less than 60 total credits) are eligible for funding which covers all tuition/fees for eligible courses.

Eligible students: