Stipend

Emergent Literacy Micro-Credential

Congratulations on successfully completing the Emergent Literacy Micro-Credential! Complete the secure form below to facilitate payment of your $1,000 completion stipend. Please be sure to provide accurate information as soon as possible so your stipend can be processed quickly!

Stipend eligibility and budget are being determined for the 2025-2026 academic year. Information will be shared as it becomes available. The information below is for learners completing stipends in the FY24/25 (July 1, 2024 – June 1, 2025).

Stipend Eligibility

If you are not a child care personnel, PreK/VPK Instructor, early learning instructional staff, or select ELC personnel you are not eligible for the stipend at this time.

Micro-Credential Completions officially ending between October 23, 2024 and May 27, 2025:

Prekindergarten instructors as specified in ss. 1002.55, 1002.61, and 1002.63, F.S.; and child care personnel as defined in ss. 402.302(3) and 1002.88(1)(e), F.S., who work at a private child care facility licensed under s. 402.305, F.S., family child care home licensed under s. 402.313, F.S., large family child care home licensed under s. 402.3131, F.S., public or nonpublic school exempt from licensure under s. 402.3025, F.S., faith-based child care provider exempt from licensure under s. 402.316, F.S., before or after-school program described in s. 402.305, F.S., or a child development program that is accredited by a national accrediting body and operates on a military installation that is certified by the United States Department of Defense. Including prekindergarten instructors and directors of facilities and providers holding a VPK and/or SR contract and child care personnel who work at DCF licensed, registered, or exempt from licensure providers.

Early Learning Coalition Personnel, prioritizing early learning personnel physically working with a provider such as instructors, directors, and coaches employed by an Early Learning Coalition defined in s. 1002.83, F.S., or RCMA; including subcontractors and designees of an Early Learning Coalition or RCMA providing coaching or technical support to an early learning provider as verified by the Early Learning Coalition or RCMA.

Submit the stipend application to the Lastinger Center within 30 days of course completion and no later than June 1, 2025, whichever comes first.

Successfully complete mastery of the Emergent Literacy Micro-Credential between October 23, 2024 and May 27, 2025.

Check Eligibility

Stipend Application Steps

Micro-Credential stipend applications for programs completed between October 23, 2024 and May 27, 2025:

The application for stipends will close at midnight on June 1, 2025. Submit stipend application to the Lastinger Center within 30 days of course completion.

All submissions will be reviewed in the order they are received.

Learners can only earn one (1) stipend for completing one of the three Literacy Micro-Credentials (Emergent, Elementary, or Secondary).

Learners who have already received one (1) Micro-Credential stipend, will not receive another stipend. Those who have been previously paid a Literacy Micro-Credential stipend for courses will not be eligible to receive a second stipend for the completion of an additional Literacy Micro-Credential.

Stipends are not guaranteed and are dependent upon budget availability and eligibility. Stipend processing may take up to 8 weeks to process after the official course end date, grading period, final grade, mastery completion, and submitting an accurate stipend application. Please understand stipend timelines are an estimation and processing times vary by participant.

Stipends are only available for courses officially ending between October 23, 2024 and May 27, 2025.

All submissions will be reviewed in the order they are received.

Stipend processing may take up to 8 weeks to process after the official course end date, grading period, final grade, mastery completion, and submitting an accurate stipend application. Please understand stipend timelines are an estimation and processing times vary by participant.

Stipend Applications are now closed for fiscal year 2024-2025.

Stipends Application & Employment Verification

All applications will be reviewed in the order received by our Financial Services Team for eligibility determination according to the requirements. Our team will then reach out with next steps as needed.

At the end of the application, you must upload your most recent pay slip as verification of your employment at an eligible early learning workplace, provider, school, or facility.

Contact your supervisor, director, or school administration if you need help downloading your paystub. Please carefully follow the file upload instructions on the form closely to ensure your application can be processed.

Recommended paystub file types: PDF, PNG, JPG.

To be eligible for the stipend, you must successfully complete mastery of the micro-credential and submit your stipend application within 30 days of course completion and no later than June 1, 2025, whichever comes first. Stipends are only available for courses officially ending after October 23, 2024. Please note, courses are only considered complete, and grading is only considered final, after the official end date of the course. If the official end date of your course is not between October 23, 2024 and May 27, 2025, you may not be eligible for a stipend at this time.

By completing the application, you agree to the terms of payment and eligibility upon completion of all requirements, aiding in verifying your eligibility, and that your employer must be eligible at the time of completion.

Payment Distribution

The primary stipend distribution method will be via Zelle (direct deposit) or JP Morgan Concourse (ACH/Zelle – Coming Soon).

For Zelle, you must have access to online banking through your financial institution to receive the stipend. You must provide an email address or mobile number that’s already connected to your bank profile with Zelle; or you can connect your bank account later. The University of Florida is not responsible for any erroneous payment information. You will not be asked to share your banking information with UF.

To get started with Zelle, please visit https://www.zellepay.com/.

Note: JP Morgan Concourse, and information on using it, is coming soon. The University of Florida is transitioning to JP Morgan Concourse in May/June 2025. On the stipend application you will provide your email for receiving payment via Concourse and Zelle. Concourse supports both Zelle and ACH payment options and requires only an email for transactions.

The University of Florida will enforce a Fiscal Year-end pause on all financial activity in June/July 2025. This means stipend payment distributions are expected to pause on June 16, 2025 and return with the new fiscal beginning. If you are not paid the stipend by this pause, your stipend will be distributed once the University resumes financial activity, estimated in mid-July 2025.

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