Pacific Alliance for Catholic Education (PACE)
Program Highlights, Admission Requirements, and Timeline:
Program Highlights:
The Pacific Alliance for Catholic Education (PACE) is a two-year graduate teaching program serving Catholic schools in the western United States. PACE program participants teach full-time in K-12 Catholic schools, live together in intentional communities, and earn tuition-free graduate degrees in education. Our teachers are currently serving in 37 Catholic schools in 16 cities in Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and Washington State.
For additional program specific information, visit the PACE program page.
For scholarship opportunities, please visit our Graduate Tuition, Financial Aid, and Scholarships page.
Graduate School Application
Admission Requirements:
- PACE essays: Please limit your response to each of the three essays to no more than 400 words and upload a Word or PDF document within the online application.
- Prompt #1: The goal of the PACE program is to, “serve the needs of Catholic schools in the West by providing dedicated teachers who are committed to service, to developing professionally and to living a simple life in a supportive community which nourishes their spirituality.” Please explain why you feel called to participate in the PACE program, touching on each of these pillars.
- Prompt #2: What are two strengths/skills that you have personally identified that will help you as a classroom teacher and as a member in an intentional living community? Name one area of growth you expect in community as well as in the classroom.
- Prompt #3: Community living is an essential pillar of the PACE program. Flexibility, resiliency, and openness are traits all PACE candidates are called to exhibit in community. Please describe a situation in which you exhibited these traits in a living situation (i.e. dorm life, off-campus housing, study abroad, service learning experience, etc.).
- Student Teaching Background Information Form (exists within the online application)
- Student Teaching Placement Request Form (exists within the online application)
- Current Resume (you will be prompted to upload a PDF within the online application)
- Video Submission
- You will be prompted within the online application to submit a 1-3 minute video introducing yourself and explaining why you want to become a teacher.
- Three Letters of Recommendation
- Academic Recommendation
- Educational or professional reference that can speak to your potential success in graduate school.
- Experience with Children Recommendation
- Reference that has direct observation of your interactions with youth and can offer insight into your promise as a classroom teacher.
- Non-peer Character Recommendation
- Someone who can attest to your personal qualities and experience that reflect an ability to assume the responsibilities of classroom teaching in a Catholic school, live in a faith-based community, and complete graduate studies.
- The online application will provide an opportunity to include contact information for your references who will then receive an email prompting them to upload a letter of recommendation for you. Conversely, letters of recommendation may either be emailed as a signed attachment to gradschl@up.edu or mailed to: University of Portland Graduate School, 5000 N. Willamette Blvd. Portland, Oregon 97203, directly by the reference.
- Official Transcripts (from all previously attended academic institutions)
- Must be submitted directly from the institution. Use this delivery address for electronic transcripts: gradschl@up.edu or physical transcripts may be mailed to: University of Portland Graduate School, 5000 N. Willamette Blvd., Portland, Oregon 97203.
- A bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university recognized by the University of Portland
- International Applicants: All foreign degrees will be evaluated by International Student Services prior to an admissions decision
- International Applicants: Transcripts from foreign universities must follow the above guideline as well as be in English or be accompanied by an English translation certified as authentic.
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale)
- Attended a K-12 school for at least one year in the United States or volunteered at least 30 hours in a K-12 classroom in the United States.
- Official Test Scores
- Testing requirements can be viewed on the PACE page.
- International Applicants: an official score from either the TOEFL (minimum score of 88) or IELTS (minimum score of 7.0) exam is required
Application Timeline:
Visit the PACE Application timeline.
International Applicants:
- Please note the additional application requirements listed above in the "Admission Requirements" section
- For additional information, visit International Student Services
Program Contact:
