Admissions Process
1. Get to Know Us

Attend a webinar and/or connect with a recruiter to know if we are a right fit. There are many opportunities for you to get to know Alder Graduate School of Education.

Find out all about the residency year by reading ‘A Day in the Life of a Resident’, ‘A Year in the Life of a Resident’ and FAQs on our Program Page.

Learn more about what we look for in candidates by reviewing the Alder Key Competencies.

Email us at admissions@aldergse.edu to request more information or connect with a recruiter.

2. Confirm Your Eligibility

All interested applicants for the class of 2025-26 should meet the following requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited institution completed by the end of June 2025.
  • Eligible to work in the U.S.
  • GPA of 3.0 or higher on the last 60 semester units or 90 quarter units is preferred. We believe GPA is one of multiple indicators of program readiness. If your GPA is under 2.65, you’ll have the opportunity to appeal and provide more context. Candidates with below a 2.0 GPA are not eligible for the program. See the Alder GPA Guide for more information.
3. Select Your Partner TK-12 Campus

Our residency programs are uniquely different and are located throughout California for the class of 2025-26. Take a moment to learn about each one of our partner residency programs by visiting our school partner locations page.

4. Identify Your Subject Area Preferences

Alder GSE supports teacher residents in obtaining their Teaching Credential in subject areas that vary by TK-12 partner. The credentials we offer include Elementary/Multiple Subject (grades TK-8); Bilingual/Dual Immersion Elementary/Multiple Subject (grades TK-8); English (grades 6–12); Math (grades 6–12); Science (grades 6–12); Social Studies (grades 6–12); and Special Education – Mild/Moderate (grades TK-12).

5. Complete Your Residency Application

Begin your application at aldergse.edu/apply. You will need to submit a resume and a short 250-500 word personal statement when completing your application in addition to your residency and teaching preferences.

If you are interested in learning more about all our programs, please email admissions@aldergse.edu.

6. Attend an Interview & Submit References

All top candidates will be invited to a follow-up screening by phone and an interview. Interviews are typically 2-4 hours in a group setting, and will take place in the weeks following the seasonal deadlines. Most interviews are held virtually on the Zoom platform.

At this stage, applicants will also order their official transcripts to Alder GSE and submit 3 professional and/or academic references. The references will be asked to complete a 5-10 minute reference form. We ask that you order official transcripts from all institutions you have attended to support with meeting testing and Subject Matter Requirements (SMR).

7. Receive Residency Placement

Conditional offers will be extended to candidates pending mentor match and acceptance to Alder GSE. Once a candidate accepts the offer, they will be matched with a mentor teacher and encouraged to connect with current residents. At this time candidates will also be sent their official Alder and Partner Commitments. Upon signing, candidates will move the enrollment as members of the new enrolling class. 

9. Pass State Exams

Continue to register and/or submit score reports to Alder GSE. Please see below for important testing resources:

10. Complete Enrollment Documents

Once accepted, candidates should:

  1. Sign and submit the Alder GSE Commitment
  2. Within four weeks of acceptance, please complete the Alder Enrollment Requirements outlined in this checklist, including background check through CTC and negative TB test. You can see the full timeline on our Enrollment Page.
  3. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – see our Financial Aid page for more information
  4. Apply for Alder GSE and partner financial support (optional)