Longhorns in Residence: Teacher Preparation Program
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Designed For
This program is designed for those who already hold a bachelor’s degree and are ready to transition into a career in teaching. It’s ideal for aspiring educators seeking a structured, immersive pathway into the classroom with real-world experience in Texas schools.
Career Objective
Graduates are prepared to launch successful careers as elementary, bilingual elementary or special education teachers in Texas. The program equips participants with the credentials and hands-on experience needed to meet certification requirements and thrive in diverse classroom settings.
Register for an Information Session
At a Glance
Program Starts: Summer 2027
Deadline to Apply:
February 15, 2027
Time to Complete: 12 Months (June-May)
Modality: Hybrid, in-person and online
Location: Austin area or district partner school
GRE Required? No
Launch Your Teaching Career with Real-World Experience—From Day One
Longhorns in Residence is a dynamic, one-year graduate certificate and teacher preparation program from The University of Texas at Austin. Designed to bridge theory and practice, the program begins with online summer coursework, followed by a paid, full-time teacher residency in partnership with Austin-area and other partner districts.
Throughout the academic year, participants work side-by-side with experienced educators while receiving guidance from UT Austin’s College of Education faculty. This integrated approach ensures that students not only build foundational teaching knowledge but also apply it in real classroom environments, accelerating both confidence and competence.
With continuous mentorship from both university faculty and district staff, residents gain the support they need to succeed from their first day in the classroom through their transition into a full-time teaching role. The program aligns with UT Austin’s academic calendar and local district schedules, providing a seamless, yearlong pathway into the profession.
Project Manager-Teacher Education Residency Programs
Sarah Johnson
Program Details
Eligibility
You are eligible to apply if you:
- Will have completed any bachelor’s degree from an accredited university by June 1 of the year you apply.
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. GPAs below 3.0 will be considered holistically.
- Are seeking your initial teaching license.
- Are able to work in a district partner school for the duration of the program.
- Have advanced academic proficiency in reading and writing in Spanish that is comparable to a native speaker who has completed higher education coursework in Spanish, if applying for the bilingual certification program.
Bachelor’s degrees earned outside the United States are accepted as long as the degree is from a comparable foreign academic institution. Visit the Graduate School’s website to learn about TOEFL requirements and more.
Already certified to teach?
Those who have completed an educator preparation program in Texas or already hold a teaching certificate from another state or another country may already be eligible for a teaching certificate in Texas. Learn more on TEA’s website:
Coursework and Schedule
Longhorns in Residence offers an 18 credit hour graduate certificate. At least six hours can be used toward a graduate degree in education if the teacher resident would like to apply for a master’s degree or Ph.D.
Coursework includes online asynchronous independent learning modules as well as online synchronous coursework in a cohort model with an instructor. All courses are online; however, teacher residents will receive face-to-face coaching and field support in their district residency placement.
EC-6th Grade Generalist and EC-6th Grade Bilingual Education
EC-6 Generalist and EC-6 Bilingual Education students complete the same coursework unless otherwise noted. Bilingual education students will be taught in Spanish.
Online Coursework
- EC-6 Generalist: Foundations of Teaching Diverse Learners
- EC-6 Bilingual: Theoretical and Pedagogical Foundations of Teaching in Bilingual Classrooms
- All: Literacy Assessment, Development, and Instruction
Residency Experience
- Complete 50 hours of Field-Based Experience and 60 hours of Independent Learning Modules
- Resident Orientation with assigned district (late July/early August)
Teacher Certification Activities: Science of Teaching Reading preparation and exam
Online Coursework
- Holistic Approaches to Elementary Teaching
- STEAM Content and Methods
Residency Experience
- Four days per week in the classroom
- One day per week for UT coursework
Teacher Certification Activities
- EC-6th Grade Generalists: take the TExES Core subjects (EC-6) prep and exam and English as a Second Language exam
- EC-6th Grade Bilingual Education: take the Bilingual Education Spanish Supplemental Exam
Online Coursework
- Practice-based Reflective Teaching of Diverse Learners
- Early Childhood and Elementary Methods of Social Inquiry
Residency Experience
- Four days per week in the classroom
- One day per week for UT coursework
All-level Special Education
Online Coursework will be announced soon.
Residency Experience
- Complete 50 hours of Field-Based Experience and 60 hours of Independent Learning Modules
- Resident Orientation with assigned district (late July/early August)
Online Coursework will be announced soon.
Residency Experience
- Four days per week in the classroom
- One day per week for UT coursework
Teacher Certification Activities: take the STR and SPED EC-12 Specialist exams.
Online Coursework will be announced soon.
Residency Experience
- One day per week for UT coursework
- Four days per week in the classroom
After successfully completing the program and passing the required certification exams, candidates will earn a graduate certificate from the College of Education and may be recommended to the Texas Education Agency for one of the following certifications:
- Early childhood – 6th grade certification with an ESL supplemental certification
- Early childhood – 6th grade certification with Bilingual Education supplemental certification
- Early childhood – 12th grade Special Education certification
Program Requirements
Longhorns in Residence teacher residents are required to complete:
- 50 hours of field-based experience in the summer (first semester) of the program.
- 60-100 hours of independent online learning.
- 18 semester hours of online coursework – one course each in Summer I and Summer II semesters, two courses in the fall semester and two courses in the spring semester.
- Resident orientation with their local school district as well as planning and preparation prior to the first day of school. This will likely take place in late July and early August depending on the district’s schedule.
- 750 hours in clinical teacher residency experience from the first day of school to the last day of school in the partner school district.
- Pass all required exams for your program:
- Science of Teaching Reading (all students)
- TExES Core Subjects (EC-6th grade students)
- Bilingual Education Spanish Supplemental Exam (bilingual students only)
- English as a Second Language (generalist students only)
- SPED EC-12 Specialist (special education students only)
Background Checks
Teacher resident candidates are required to pass a criminal background check before starting the clinical teacher residency experience. Additionally, candidates are required to complete a fingerprinting process and national criminal background check when applying for teacher certification with TEA. Learn more.
International Students
TEA also has specific TOEFL requirements for students pursuing teacher certification. Please visit the TEA website for more information.
Since our students enroll as non-degree seeking and work towards a certificate rather than a degree, we are unable to issue visas for the program.
Residency (Student Teaching)
A residency is a type of educator preparation program. Residents in our program will work four days a week in an Austin-area school under the guidance of a host teacher who supports the resident’s learning and practice. Residents also receive face-to-face coaching and field support from UT Austin personnel.
Potential residents will be placed in a local partner school district. After placement, the resident will apply for the role and pass a criminal background check.
Residents are required to be on campus at one of our district partners’ schools for 50 hours of field-based experience in June/July at the beginning of the program and for four days a week during the school year.
Residents will be required to attend their school district’s new staff orientation at the beginning of August. Additionally, residents will start working at their assigned campus one week before the district school year starts and continue in their placements until the last day of school for the district.
How to Apply
Applications for Longhorns in Residence are managed by UT Austin’s Graduate School and are accepted between August 1 and Feburary 15 each year. If accepted, you will begin the program in June.
Be sure to:
- Complete all of the necessary information and answer all of the required questions.
- Supply names and email addresses for three letters of recommendation. The letters can be academic references or letters related to community-based or education/youth-related employment or volunteer experience. Be sure to include at least one academic reference and at least one reference related to your experience with youth.
- Press the Submit button and pay the application fee. Only then will you be moved to the next stage.
You will receive an email from the Graduate School within 48 hours directing you to the MyStatus website where you will be asked to upload important additional application materials including your resume/CV, statement of purpose, transcripts and letters of recommendation.
Learn more about the application process.
Faculty will review all applications. Afterward, you may be selected to participate in a Zoom interview. Faculty will select candidates based on their applications and the Zoom interview.
We encourage you to attend an information session prior to applying to the program. Please sign up to receive program updates, including information session details.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition for the Longhorns in Residence program is the same as the College of Education graduate tuition rates. The program is 18 credit hours. A tuition calculator is available.
The Longhorns in Residence program is eligible for federal financial aid. The College of Education also has scholarship opportunities.
Additionally, partner school districts will pay teacher residents at least $20,000 for the August through May assignment.
Faculty
Researches civic education, early childhood/elementary education, and teacher education to examine the role of relationships, community, and justice to make classrooms democratic and equitable spaces.
Studies the ways culturally and linguistically diverse groups of people use core ideas, frameworks, and practices of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to explain phenomena or to solve problems that are meaningful and consequenti...
Longhorns in Residence
Make a difference. Texas needs qualified teachers now more than ever before, and Texas kids can’t wait!
Learn from the best. You will be prepared in a cutting-edge, research-based transformative teacher residency program and experience the richness of UT Austin College of Education’s teacher preparation coursework.
