2015-2016 AMS TEACHER

EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP
APPLICATION Guidelines
I.

Application Process
Applicant completes the application packet and mails 2 completed applications (original and one copy) to:
American Montessori Society
Attn: Abbie Kelly
116 E 16th St, 6th floor
New York, NY 10003
Each complete packet of application documents includes the following, and must be organized in this order:
1)
Application Form (Section 1)
2)
Personal Statement (Section 2)
3)
Verification of TEP Acceptance (Section 3)
4)
Financial Statement including 2014 IRS Income Tax Form (Section 4)
5)
3 original letters of recommendation (Section 5)
Applicant mails two copies of the application to AMS in one envelope: the original application and one copy.
Application documents must be stapled together. Keep an extra copy for yourself.
Scholarship Selection Timeline
Applications must be received in the AMS office by May 1, 2015 every applicant will receive an email confirmation
of receipt of the application. Scholarship recipients will be informed by email on May 23, 2015.

II.

Application Submission Information

Applicants must use this application form for the year 2015-2016. Provide only the information and
documentation requested; send no additional information.

AMS guidelines are for use by applicants in preparing the application; they are not to accompany the
scholarship application.
Applications must be completed as a WORD document and must be typed; handwritten applications will
not be accepted.

International applicants must follow the guidelines exactly as set forth on the Financial Information page (Section 4).

All communications between applicants and the AMS office are handled through email; therefore a valid
email address must be included in the application.

AMS awards partial tuition scholarships only.

AMS scholarships are granted for unpaid tuition only. For scholarship applicants already enrolled in an AMSaffiliated Montessori teacher education program, scholarships are for outstanding tuition only. Awards may
not be applied to tuition already paid. Expenses beyond tuition (books, materials, fees, travel, room & board,
etc.) may not be included.

The scholarship award is paid to the teacher education program in which the applicant is enrolled.

If a scholarship recipient withdraws from the program prior to receiving an AMS credential, unused funds are
returned to the AMS Scholarship Fund in accordance with the tuition refund policies of the teacher education
program.

Applications become the property of the American Montessori Society upon receipt.

III. Selection Criteria

1. Any aspiring Montessori teacher is eligible to apply for an AMS Teacher Education Scholarship, if the
applicant has been accepted, is in process of acceptance, OR is enrolled, in an AMS-affiliated teacher
education program. Applications are not accepted for teacher education programs that are not AMS
affiliates.
2. Applicants are considered on the basis of financial need, a compelling personal statement, three letters of
recommendation, and official verification of acceptance into or enrollment in an AMS-affiliated teacher
education program.
3. No applicant is denied consideration of an AMS scholarship because of gender, race, creed, color, national
origin, or sexual orientation.
4. To be considered, applicants are responsible for compiling and sending the completed materials in
accordance with printed guidelines.
AMS 2015-2016 Scholarship Application

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5.

Incomplete applications (those missing any documentation listed above) will not be considered for a
scholarship award.

2015-2016 AMS TEACHER

EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP

APPLICATION
SECTION 1

Applicant Information

This form was designed to be completed in WORD. Place your cursor at the beginning of each gray box to begin
typing; click on the box to enter an X. The shading will disappear in the printing process. The application may
not be handwritten.

I. Applicant INFORMATION
Name (last name, first name, middle initial)

Date

Address :
Zip

Street
Country

City

State

Valid email address

Telephone number where you can be reached in

the daytime

Have you previously applied for an AMS scholarship? Yes

No
If so, what year:
How did you learn about the AMS scholarship opportunity? Teacher Education Program
Montessori school
Other
If other, please explain where:

If you are a new applicant: COURSE LEVEL IN WHICH YOU ARE ENROLLING
Infant & Toddler (0-3)
Early Childhood (2.5-6)

Elementary I (6-9)
Elementary I-II (6-12)

Secondary I (12-15)
Secondary I-II (12-18)

If you are already enrolled: COURSE LEVEL IN WHICH YOU ARE ATTENDING
Infant & Toddler (0-3)
Early Childhood (2.5-6)

Elementary I (6-9)
Elementary I-II (6-12)

Secondary I (12-15)
Secondary I-II (12-18)

MONTESSORI CREDENTIALS YOU CURRENTLY HOLD

Infant and Toddler
AMS
Other
Elementary II (9-12)
Other
Early Childhood (2.5-6)
AMS
Other
Secondary I (12-15)
Other
Elementary I (6-9)
AMS
Other
Secondary I-II (12-18)
Other
Elementary I-II (6-12)
AMS
Other
Administrator
Other
None
If your credential was not issued by AMS, from what organization was it issued?

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AMS
AMS
AMS
AMS

TRUTHFULNESS OF INFORMATION
contained herein is true.

The applicant attests that all information

Signature of Applicant

Date

CONFIDENTIALITY
All information provided in this application is confidential and used solely for the
purpose of selecting the scholarship recipients.
The Scholarship Fund was established in 1988, through contributions in memory of
HENRY H. SWEET.
In 2002, support was continued in memory of BESSIE S. SWEET.

2016-2016 AMS TEACHER

EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP

APPLICATION
SECTION 2

Personal Statement

PERSONAL STATEMENT
Write a compelling personal statement, not to exceed 1,000 words, explaining
your reasons for requesting financial assistance. The following points should be
included in the personal statement within the context of the age range you
expect to study:
1. An explanation of your financial need
2. Why you want to become a Montessori teacher
3. A description of yourself as someone able to relate in developmentally
appropriate, caring ways to children/students, including ways in which a
teacher builds relationships
Attach personal statement to this page.

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2015-2016 AMS TEACHER

EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP

APPLICATION
SECTION 3

Verification of

Acceptance

VERIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT IN AN AMS-AFFILIATED TEACHER EDUCATION

PROGRAM (TEP)
Applicants must have been accepted or enrolled in an AMS-affiliated
teacher education program (TEP) prior to consideration for an AMS
scholarship.
Program directors signature below verifies the applicant's acceptance and
enrollment in an AMS-affiliated teacher education program.
Following completion of the information requested from the TEP director,
this page should be returned to the applicant to be included in the
application submission (as time permits).
Information regarding tuition assistance provided by the program should
be explicit.
It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the teacher
education program (TEP) directors signature is received in the
AMS office by May 1, 2015.
Print this page and send to the teacher education program director for verification
of tuition.
To be completed by applicant before sending to the TEP director:
Name (last name, first name, middle initial)

Valid email address

Name of AMS-affiliated teacher education program

Telephone

Address :
Zip

Street
Country

City

State

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Program directors name

Program directors email

address

To be completed by TEP director:

For new adult learners:
What is the amount of the full tuition (tuition only) for the course level
this adult learner will attend? Do not include expenses for books,
materials, fees, travel, and room & board, etc.
If the adult learner is already enrolled:
What is the amount of the balance due of the full tuition (only) for the
course level this adult learner is attending? Do not include expenses
for books, materials, fees, travel, and room & board, etc.
Course level of scholarship applicant

AMS 2015-2016 Scholarship Application

Tuition:

New applicant or already

enrolled?

TEP directors signature

Tuition:

Date

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2015-2016 AMS TEACHER

EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP

APPLICATION

SECTION 4 Financial Statement

FINANCIAL DEPENDENCY
financial status.

The financial statement should accurately reflect your

Dependent on parents

Dependent on
spouse/partner

Not dependent

If dependent, complete the following information on person(s) providing

financial support: Name

Relationship to you

Address :
Zip

Street
Country

City

State

A signed and dated copy of your 2014 income tax return must
accompany this application to be considered for scholarship assistance.
Please include only pages 1& 2 of IRS Forms 1040 and 1040-A, or page 1 of IRS
1040EZ.
Do not leave blank spaces in columns, enter N/A if not applicable
Estimate income and expense if income or expense is unknown
Annual Income and Expenses

Last
Year
Actual
2014

Estimate
Current
Year
2015

Estimate
d
2016

Salary and Wage (Indicate: I-Individual; JJoint)

Dividend/Interest Income
Alimony Received
Non-profit from business/farm/other
Other taxable income
Total IRS allowable deductions
Non-taxable income: child support received
Non-taxable income: social security benefits
Other Non-taxable income (Itemize
attachment)
IRA total itemized deduction (IRS Schedule
A)
Self-employment tax paid
Total state and other taxes paid
Total medical, dental expenses
(Not covered by insurance)
Unusual Expenses (Itemize attachment)
Assets and Liabilities
Home Equity
Other Real Estate Equity
Car
(market value minus

xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx

xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx

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debt)
Bank accounts (total savings and checking)
Other investments (net value)
Indebtedness (medical, disaster, etc., not
including home, car or consumer)
Indebtedness (consumer charge cards)
Rent or mortgage payments
Employment-related child-care expenses
Face value of life insurance policies

xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx

xxxxxxx

xxxxxxx

SCHOOL SPONSORSHIP
Are you currently employed by a Montessori school?
Yes
No
Will a school or organization be sponsoring (providing financial
support) your enrollment in an AMS-affiliated teacher education
Yes
No
program?
If yes, please specify items for which assistance will be provided and the dollar amount for
each. Total these items.
Item

Estimate $$ amount of
expense

Tuition
Materials
Books
Room and Board
Travel
Other
TOTAL

Amount to be paid by
sponsoring
school/organization

Would your school consider a matching scholarship grant with AMS for
you?
If yes, what is the dollar amount of the scholarship your school would
be willing to match?

Yes

No

SCHOLARSHIP REQUEST
Amount of scholarship assistance you are requesting for tuition only?
(Cannot be full amount of tuition)
Cost of tuition only for the teacher education program in which you
are enrolling/enrolled from Section 3
Expected amount of other expenses, not including tuition

Month/Year your academic phase will begin (or began)

International Applicants: Must complete this form in US currency. If income tax

documents are not available, equivalent records and documentation must be
submitted. Conversion rate in US dollars must be supplied by the applicant at
the time of submission.
Country/Currency
The currency exchange rate on the date submitted is:

TRUTHFULNESS OF INFORMATION
I declare that the financial information reported on this form, to the best of
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my knowledge and belief, is true, correct and complete. I authorize its use
by the AMS Scholarship Committee, and the Committee has my permission to
verify the information reported.
Signature of Applicant

Date

US applicants must attach a copy of their 2014 IRS Income Tax Return to
this page: 1040, 1040-A, or 1040-EZ. International applicants must
attach documents verifying income.

2015-2016 AMS TEACHER

EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP

APPLICATION
SECTION 5 Recommendations

RECOMMENDATIONS
List below the names of three individuals who are recommending you
specifically for scholarship eligibility, including evidence of your suitability to
work with children of the age range of your choice, and reasons why you should
be a recipient of AMS assistance.

Recommendations must be written specifically for the AMS scholarship

application.
AMS will not consider recommendations for teacher education program
enrollment or those written for other purposes.

Recommendations must accompany the application and cannot be sent

separately.
1. Name

2. Name

3. Name

Position/Title

Relationship to you

Position/Title

Relationship to you

Position/Title

Relationship to you

Attach recommendations to this page.

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The American Montessori Society is committed to the principle of equal

opportunity in education. AMS does not discriminate against individuals
on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,
religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry,
national or ethnic origin, or any other classification protected by
applicable law in the administration of its scholarship programs, and
other AMS administered programs and activities

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