Applicants

Jaffe Peace Corps Fellows receive full tuition scholarships for a master’s degree in education that takes two to three years to complete. Jaffe Peace Corps Fellows are committed to teaching in high needs New York City schools for at least four years, the first of which begins the fall that they enroll in the program. Most Jaffe Fellows teach in New York City for far longer than that. Jaffe Fellows who do not fulfill their teaching commitment must repay their tuition scholarship.

Yes! Both the Jaffe family and Teachers College are providing the resources to cover all tuition costs. Jaffe Fellows are responsible for paying the Teachers College fee each semester, the Columbia Health Service Fee, as well as any course fees, and any other insurance fees (if applicable) as well as the costs of New York State certification. 

As full-time teachers of record, Jaffe Fellows who teach in the NYC Department of Education receive a starting teacher's salary of approximately $64,789 depending on experience and prior academic credits, in addition to full health coverage, pension benefits, and, upon completion of the master’s degree, professional teaching credentials. Once the Jaffe Fellows earn a master’s degree, their salary rises to around $72,832.

Jaffe Peace Corps Fellows begin full-time teaching in the fall of the year that they begin the Jaffe Peace Corps Fellows Program. That school year will be the first year of the four year commitment. Most Jaffe Fellows teach in New York City schools for far longer than four years. 

Yes, and you may be eligible to enter a professional certification track if your undergraduate area of certification was elementary education or secondary science, English, social studies or mathematics. 

Note: All Jaffe Fellows become professionally certified after they complete their course of study at Teachers College. The advantage of being in a professional certification program is that there will be no duplication of coursework that was already taken during the undergraduate years of study. 

The Alternative Teacher Certification Program for the Jaffe Peace Corps Fellows Program leads to a Transitional B Certificate that is valid for 3 years during which candidates are expected to complete their master's degree program.

Jaffe Peace Corps Fellows are held to New York State standards, requiring the completion of the following:

• Three workshops: Child Abuse and Maltreatment, Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) and School Violence Prevention

• New York fingerprint clearance.

• Two certification exams: Educating All Students (EAS) and the Content Specialty Test (CSTs)

The Peace Corps Fellows Program requires:

• 200 hours of pre-service preparation (ISI) and fieldwork observations

• Employment as a full-time teacher of record

• Completion of coursework leading to a master's degree from Teachers College within 3 years

Completion of the program leads to Initial Certification and then Professional Certification.

To qualify for the Program, applicants must have satisfactorily completed their Peace Corps service and must meet the admissions requirements of Teachers College. A Volunteer is considered to have satisfactorily completed Peace Corps service if they: have completed the full two-year tour of Peace Corps service, or the full tour minus up to 90 days, if returned home on emergency leave; have been granted an “Early Close of Service” or an “Interrupted Service” due to circumstances beyond the Volunteer’s control; or have been medically separated as a Volunteer.

Prospective students can request to be e-introduced to current Jaffe Fellows or recent alumni who are teaching in the content area that interests you. Please email pcfellows@tc.columbia.edu with this request. 

Jaffe Fellows are responsible for finding their own full-time teaching positions with support from the Jaffe Peace Corps Fellows Program Director, program alumni and the TCNext (TC's Career Services team).

The Jaffe Fellows are not placed in teaching positions. The Peace Corps Fellows Program has a strong reputation among NYC schools, so principals send along job postings that are shared with the Jaffe Fellows. Though the process is challenging, all Fellows in the recent past have found teaching positions.

• The Mathematics Program recommends the GRE.
• All other programs will accept the GRE or MAT but do not require either.

No. Applicants to the TESOL program do not need to be fluent in a second language. They will, however, need other language experiences or coursework to be eligible for this program. Experiences include Peace Corps language training and living and working in a country where another language is spoken.

Yes, BBE teachers are elementary school teachers who are teaching in both English as well as Spanish or Chinese. 

Jaffe Fellows use Peace Corps connections, the Columbia University housing board, craigslist and other ways to find apartments. Most of the Jaffe Fellows sublet during their first few months of study. After they find out where they are teaching, they often choose to move to a neighborhood close to their schools. 

No. Jaffe Fellows earn starting teaching salaries of $64,789 plus benefits during their first year of teaching that adequately cover their living expenses. Prior to teaching, during the first months of study, Jaffe Fellows draw on savings and/or loans to support themselves. 

No. The Jaffe Peace Corps Fellows Program, the very first Coverdell Program established in 1985, prepares and supports talented, creative and bright Returned Peace Corps Volunteers as they become classroom teachers in New York City classrooms. We are still fulfilling our original mission.

Many RPCV's study in a multitude of programs at Teachers College. Please reach out to the Teachers College Admissions Office (admission@tc.columbia.edu) to learn more. 

Teachers College does not permit students to defer. In this case, the candidate would need to reapply. 

Explore different educational ideas through reading extensively, listening to podcasts, watching videos, talking to your colleagues, reflecting on the complexities of your own education, and teaching a variety of students using different methods. 

The more you know, the more your future students will benefit from what you have absorbed. 

No, the Jaffe Peace Corps Fellows Program’s two starting times are mid-January for social studies, English or special education. For those who begin their studies in January, the application due date is November 15th. 

Those three programs as well as TESOL, mathematics, science and bilingual/ bicultural education and elementary or secondary professional certification begin their studies in May. For those who begin their studies in May, the application due date is January fifteenth.

For those in English, social studies or special education, beginning the Program in January offers the advantage of being a full-time student and completing around one-third of the master's degree coursework before the summer begins. This allows the January Fellows to potentially complete their studies earlier and take fewer classes while full-time teaching. The disadvantage of starting in January is the need to pay rent and other expenses without a full-time salary. Some Jaffe Fellows get part-time jobs to help cover expenses. 

The majority of Jaffe Fellows begin their studies in May. With a May start, Jaffe Fellows have a shorter window of time covering living expenses before their first paycheck in September. So often the decision is based on what Jaffe Fellows can afford, as well as their content area. 

Each Jaffe Fellow has a mentor who supports them monthly during the first two years of teaching. The mentor is a seasoned teacher who observes the Jaffe Fellows as they teach and provides helpful feedback. Please feel free to read the profiles of our mentors on the "Our Program" page. 

Graduates of the Jaffe Peace Corps Fellows Program are invited to continuously engage so that they can foster a lifelong relationship with the Program. Alumni are invited to attend professional development conversations, and the annual barbeque. Alumni support the Jaffe Fellows' fieldwork observations, share their thoughts about the Program with prospective students, and communicate about teaching opportunities in their educational communities. Alumni also facilitate workshops for the Jaffe Fellows’ Intensive Summer Institute.