The AUSL Teacher Residency is a one-year teacher training program for talented professionals who passionately believe that all students deserve a quality education. Individuals who join the program receive a scholarship to obtain a master's degree from DePaul University and obtain in-classroom experience with guidance from expert coaches and mentors.

The programs offered in partnership with AUSL are: early childhood education (PK-2), elementary education (grades 1-6), middle grades (5-8), physical education, special education (K-12), and visual arts (PK-12). Resident teachers take classes together as part of their unique residency cohort but the practicum experience will differ; resident teachers will be placed in either a traditional classroom or a special education classroom during the residency year. Upon completion of the resident year, all resident teachers are eligible to receive an Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) and a master’s degree education from DePaul University.

The cohort begins in June, starting with graduate coursework. Field experience in a classroom begins in late August, coinciding with the beginning of the academic school year. The field experience will last the duration of the academic year, while university coursework is completed by the following summer.

Placing AUSL Teacher Residency graduates in high-needs schools is part of AUSL's mission. Graduates of the residency program sign an agreement committing to teach in a high-needs school for a minimum of four years after graduation. Nearly all resident teachers get an early offer from CPS in January guaranteeing their teaching position. Then the AUSL Teacher Residency hosts job fairs and facilitates tours and career coaching to help resident teachers interview with schools that are a great match for them. 

In order to be eligible for the AUSL Teacher Residency cohort, applicants must be a U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident, and hold, or expect to hold, a bachelor’s degree prior to the start of the program. Since program graduates will be taking graduate-level coursework at DePaul, a GPA of 3.0 or above is preferred. A holistic application review is conducted, those with a GPA under 3.0 are still encouraged to apply but might be required to submit additional application materials.

Participants take a total of 56 quarter hours of graduate coursework, leading to both the initial teaching license and the master’s degree. At the end of the residency year, participants will earn their Professional Educator License (PEL) from the Illinois State Board of Education. In addition, the master’s degree coursework is designed to develop the skills and dispositions of teacher researchers, teacher leaders and social change agents in high priority and urban schools.

All Chicago Teacher Residency courses are held at DePaul’s Lincoln Park Campus or online.

All Lake County Teacher Residency courses are held at the University Center of Lake County (UCLC) in Grayslake, Illinois or online.

DePaul does not provide housing, although DePaul’s Department of Housing Services is available for advice and assistance with housing and transportation questions.

All test requirements for teacher licensure are established by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). To obtain teacher licensure, all resident teachers must pass the Illinois content area test that corresponds to their subject area. Information about your required content area and a schedule for test completion will be provided to you upon acceptance to the program.

After applicants complete an interview with AUSL, they must submit a DePaul online application at go.depaul.edu/apply. On the online application, answer “yes” to the second partnership question “Does your current employer or professional association have a partnership agreement with DePaul which qualifies you for tuition reduction benefits?” Select “Academy for Urban School Leadership” from the drop down options.

In addition to the online application, applicants must submit supplemental materials:

• Two letters of recommendation.
• A personal statement in which the applicant discusses why they are interested in further study and articulates an issue or problem of interest or concern.
• Résumé
• Official transcripts from every college/or university attended. If you submitted an official transcript(s) to AUSL as part of your selection process, these official transcripts may be used for the DePaul application portion.
• Writing sample (special education applicants only). Preferably a term paper, seminar paper, or senior thesis or portion thereof from the applicant’s undergraduate program.

All supplemental materials can be uploaded as part of your online application, emailed to edgradadmissions@depaul.edu or mailed/hand delivered to The Office of Graduate Admissions. 

The application deadline is in the spring at the end of the academic year.

Upon submission of your application, you will be directed to DePaul Grad Gateway: your application and next steps portal where you'll find your personal checklist of everything that needs to be completed to move forward with your admission process. You may also request the status of your application through email at edgradadmissions@depaul.edu or by calling our office at (773) 325-4405.

After all materials are submitted to the Office of Graduate Admission, a decision is typically made within two to three weeks following a committee review. You will be notified through email that an update to your application has been made. The admission decision will be viewable through the DePaul Grad Gateway portal.

Conditional admission is an admission with some stipulation that must be completed within a certain period of time. This type of admission is often used if a program has concerns about the applicant’s ability to do well in the program and allows the program to monitor the student’s progress for the first 8-16 quarter hours or first two quarters. Those that do not maintain a certain GPA, or achieve a certain academic performance as specified in their conditional admission, may be dropped from the program.

Provisional admission means admission is based on the successful completion of coursework currently planned or in progress. For example, the most common provisional admission requires the student to prove that they have earned a bachelor’s degree. Students that are admitted prior to finishing their bachelor's degree will be put on hold and will need to submit by the required deadline a final transcript that shows proof of a bachelor’s degree before they are allowed to register for courses. Those that do not meet the provisions of their admittance may be withdrawn from the College of Education.

This is not typical; however, the admission committee may accept candidates “provisionally” with outstanding materials. Applicants provisionally accepted will be placed on a “hold” status. A letter will be sent to the applicant stating they have been recommended for admission, but that their file lacks certain credentials. In order to be officially accepted, they must send these missing credentials by a specified date. If the materials are not received by the date specified, the applicant will be denied admission.

Resident teachers receive a discounted rate on DePaul tuition. They can expect to pay approximately $21,000 in tuition for the entire program.

As enrolled graduate students at DePaul, resident teachers are eligible to apply for student loans and loan deferment through the university. Many resident teachers choose to supplement their training salary to cover the cost of their master’s degree and other living costs by applying for student loans. Resident teachers enrolled in a high-needs masters program may be eligible for the TEACH Grant. AUSL provides resident teachers with a $22,100 AUSL Resident Scholarship, paid directly to them, to cover costs throughout the training year.

For additional information on financial aid, payment plans, loan forgiveness and scholarships, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at (312) 362-8610 or finaid1@depaul.edu.