Welcome to the Relay Chicago Candidate Guide! For quick information on our programs and the application schedule, read below. For more detailed information, including eligibility requirements and academic year schedule, click here to read the full guide. Email us at chicago@relay.edu with any questions, or set up an appointment to speak with us on Calendly.
Please visit this Support Center article for the most up-to-date information regarding Relay Chicago’s COVID-19 response for prospective students.
PROGRAMS
We offer two graduate programs at Relay Chicago, known as the MAT and the Residency. All graduate students are employed at a K-12 school full-time while attending graduate classes part-time for two years to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching and a Professional Educator License.
MAT
The MAT (Master of Arts in Teaching) is a two-year program for individuals who have secured lead teaching jobs in the city of Chicago* for the 2020-2021 school year, or have been admitted into one of our partner programs (e.g. Teach for America, Noble SPED MAT) that will provide lead teaching placement.
*Relay Chicago is launching a new online-only MAT option this school year for Illinois teachers outside of the city of Chicago. You must secure a lead teaching job at a school in Illinois and meet all eligibility requirements outlined in our Candidate Guide in order to apply.
Residency
The Residency is a two-year program for aspiring teachers. This pathway is similar to the MAT above, but includes a gradual on-ramp into the teaching profession and additional supports, including a school-based mentor and three hours of class focused on teaching practice each week. Residents take on more lead teaching responsibility throughout the first year, and then are prepared to be hired into lead teaching roles in year two.
SCHEDULE FOR APPLYING
Applying for the MAT Program
[Note: if you are applying to the MAT through a partner program (e.g. TFA, Noble SPED MAT), please follow application instructions and timelines from the partner org instead of applying directly to Relay on your own.]
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Before February, 2020 |
Check your eligibility for our MAT program by reading the Licensure section of the Relay Chicago Candidate Guide. Email chicago@relay.edu if you have any questions about your eligibility. Work on studying for and passing your state licensure exam(s) outlined in the Relay Chicago Testing Guide. |
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February - May, 2020 |
Click here to apply to Relay Chicago. Applicants for the MAT program must already have a lead teaching job lined up for the 2020-2021 school year at a school in the city of Chicago. Click here for a walkthrough of our application. Begin studying for your state licensure exam(s). |
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June 1, 2020 |
All pieces of your Relay application are due, which includes ordering official transcripts from all previous academic institutions, 1-2 letters of recommendation, and teaching employment information for the 2020-2021 school year. |
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June 21, 2020 |
Last date to pass your state licensure exam(s) in order to be enrolled for the start of the 2020-2021 school year. [Deadline subject to change due to COVID-19. See this Support Center article for more information.] |
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July, 2020 |
Year 1 at Relay Chicago launches with a mandatory, in-person*, intensive Summer 1 Term during July 13 - 18, 2020*. Applicants should plan to be available this week from 9AM - 5PM Monday through Saturday plus time for at-home coursework in the evenings. *Online-only MAT students’ summer term schedule is TBD. Note: This Summer 1 schedule does not apply to incoming Teach For America corps members, whose Relay summer coursework schedule will be communicated as part of Summer Institute. |
Applying for the Residency Program
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Fall 2019 - Spring 2020 |
Apply for a Residency position directly through our partner schools. The application review will include checking your unofficial transcripts for eligibility into Relay’s program and you may be invited to interview with the partner school/network/district. Partner school applications typically open in the fall or winter for the upcoming school year. Check the links below for available programs: Open Applications:
Applications Closed for 2020 Residency: Noble Network of Charter Schools (SPED, High School Math or Sciences) LEARN Charter School Network (High need in SPED and Middle School Math; low need in Elementary and Middle School General Science or Language Arts) Great Lakes Academy (Special Education, Elementary, Middle School Math and Science)
If you are moved forward in the process, partners will invite you to begin studying for and passing your state licensure exam(s) outlined in the Relay Chicago Testing Guide. |
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February - May, 2020 |
Once you are accepted into a Residency position, we will send you a unique link to fill out the official Relay graduate school application. Do not apply to Relay on your own before then, because you will not have access to the correct application. Click here for a walkthrough of our application. Begin studying for your state licensure exam(s). |
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June 1, 2020 |
All pieces of your Relay application are due, which includes ordering official transcripts from all previous academic institutions, 1-2 letters of recommendation, and residency acceptance information for the 2020-2021 school year. |
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June 21, 2020 |
Last date to pass your state licensure exam(s) in order to be enrolled for the start of the 2020-2021 school year. [Deadline subject to change due to COVID-19. See this Support Center article for more information.] |
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July, 2020 |
Year 1 at Relay Chicago launches with a mandatory, in-person, intensive Summer 1 Term during July 27 - August 1, 2020. Applicants should plan to be available this week from 9AM - 5PM Monday through Saturday plus time for at-home coursework in the evenings. Residents will also have a mandatory retreat day on Monday, August 10. |