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

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.

Emergent Literacy Micro-Credential Completions officially ending between July 1, 2025 – May 26, 2026:

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, 2026, whichever comes first.

Successfully complete mastery of the Emergent Literacy Micro-Credential between July 1, 2025 – May 26, 2026.

Mastery of the Emergent Literacy Micro-Credential requires successful completion of ALL modules (Part 1, Part 2, & Part 3).

Check Eligibility

Stipend Application Guidelines

Micro-Credential stipend applications for programs officially completed between July 1, 2025 and May 26, 2026:

The application for stipends will close at midnight on June 1, 2026.

Learners must submit their 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 July 1, 2025 and May 26, 2026.

Payment Distribution

The stipend distribution method will be via JP Morgan Concourse (ACH/Zelle), using the email address you provided in your application.

The JP Morgan Concourse payment system supports both ACH (Direct Deposit) and Zelle payment options and requires only an email for transactions. There is no pre-payment account creation for Concourse. Once your stipend is sent, you will receive an email from donotreply@jpmorgan.com with instructions to register and accept the payment.

You will have 14 days to claim your payment once it is sent before the registration link expires. If the link expires, we will attempt to resend the payment to the same email address you provided. To avoid delays, please accept your payment promptly.

The University of Florida is not responsible for any erroneous payment information. You will not be asked to share your banking information with UF.

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

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, 2026, whichever comes first. Stipends are only available for courses officially ending after July 1, 2025. 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 July 1, 2025 and May 26, 2026, 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.

Application link coming in Fall 2025!

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