No. Any graduate of an accredited college or university with a Bachelors degree and 2.5 GPA may apply for the Norman C. Francis Teacher Residency and is eligible for admissions to Xavier University of Louisiana’s graduate program.

The selection process is designed to allow NCFTR to get to know you and you to get to know NCFTR. While we accept applications at several deadlines throughout the year, we encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure that they receive their preferred placements. We are accepting application at the following deadlines this year:

Apply today for 2024-25 cohort

Complete our General Interest Form to connect with a team member

At each application round, candidates will receive an update no more than three weeks after the deadline about any next steps in the interview process. This process includes at least two interviews, as well as submission of any relevant documents that ensure candidates meet the admissions requirements for the Norman C. Francis Teaching Residency, as well as for Xavier University’s Division of Education and Counseling.

Residents will receive a $25,000 stipend during the residency year to assist with living expenses and pay for Xavier’s student health insurance, if needed. In addition, the first year of graduate school expenses is covered by the program.

The selection process is competitive, and we are looking for exceptional people who have the drive and potential to be highly effective teachers in public schools across New Orleans. There are multiple stages between submitting an application and matching with a school.

Residents who successfully complete the residency year and Xavier University coursework will be eligible to become a full-time teacher of record in their second year, and they will earn a first-year teacher salary within their school’s salary scale.

Norman C. Francis Teacher Residents have been placed at schools within the New Orleans charter management organizations, as well as some private and parochial schools. During the residency year, a resident is a full-time graduate student with a teaching placement at a partner school. Schools provide residents with on-going support and coaching from mentor teachers, while Xavier University provides a pathway to a Master’s Degree coursework and teacher certification.

Note that specific partner schools are subject to change from year to year.

After being selected into NCFTR, residents are matched with schools within the the school systems mentioned above. This matching process is similar to the medical school matching process, and it takes into account a resident’s certification area, a school’s needs, and resident and school preferences. Once residents are matched with schools, they are paired with mentor teachers. Typically residents are clustered with a small number of other residents at a school. Mentors are chosen by charter school networks and NCFTR through a selection process that considers their coaching and teaching abilities.

Residents commit to teach for three consecutive years immediately following the residency year. After Year 1, Residents are highly likely to remain in the same school or CMO for their additional three-year commitment. Participants who leave a NCFTR partner school before their four-year commitment ends may be responsible for paying back a portion of funds received in their residency year.

Tuition and fees for Year 1 are covered by the program. Year 2 residents will receive a discounted tuition.

Residents are encouraged to explore applying for Financial Aid. In addition, residents are strongly encouraged to apply to the federal TEACH Grant. More information can be found here about the TEACH Grant, a federal grant that can provide up to $4,000 per year to teachers who commit to teaching four years in a school serving low-income students.

Residents have the option to apply part of their stipend towards graduate student health insurance from Xavier University. Recognizing that residents may have other options for insurance (i.e. with their families), we leave the choice to enroll in student health insurance up to each individual resident.