This program enrolls every summer. The next cohort enters summer 2025 (session dates July 7-25). Begin the application process.
Entrance Requirements
Eligibility
Sunbridge’s Waldorf Elementary Teacher Education program welcomes applications from both “in-service” students (individuals who are already working as class or subject teachers in AWSNA-affiliated grades 1-8 classrooms) and “pre-service” students (all other individuals).
Educational Background
Applicants must have completed a minimum of 60 credits at an accredited college or university (or the equivalent for international study) or be enrolled in a bachelor’s program and on track to complete those 60 credits before their Sunbridge graduation. Foundation Studies coursework is embedded in our program curriculum and therefore not a separate prerequisite for admission; however, you are expected to have some familiarity with Waldorf education.
Fieldwork Experiences
Accepted students must be able to complete requirements for practical experiences working in a Waldorf classroom during the course of the program.
In-service students must complete six weeks of pedagogical observation and teaching practice, while pre-service students must complete twelve weeks of pedagogical observation and teaching practice. Students have an additional one-year post graduation grace period for fieldwork completion.
Technology
Sunbridge students must have regular access to a device with internet connection, camera, and microphone; an email account; and enough technological skill to join virtual classes, communicate by email, complete assignments electronically, and navigate the Sunbridge learning management system.
Prior Experience
We are happy to accept transfer credits from another Waldorf teacher education program. Highly experienced Waldorf elementary teachers with both significant prior relevant coursework and substantial Waldorf lead teaching experience looking to complete their teacher training may qualify for our Completion Track. Please contact us to discuss your educational background and determine whether our full program or our Completion Track is the right fit for you.
Application Process
Regular application deadline is June 1. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible, especially those individuals seeking financial aid.
- A completed application includes:
- Completed application form
- Current résumé
- Two letters of recommendation (accompanied, if required, by signed letter-of-recommendation forms) and sent from your recommenders directly to the Sunbridge Institute Admissions Office
- Official transcripts bearing the signature and seal of your degree-granting institution/s, or indicating 60 bachelor credits earned, sent directly to the Sunbridge Institute Admissions Office. If your university attendance was outside the US and you are having difficulty obtaining an official transcript, please contact the admissions office.
- Non-refundable $50 application fee. Applications received after June 1 must include a $50 late fee.
If mailing any materials, please send to:
Sunbridge Institute Office of Admissions
285 Hungry Hollow Road
Chestnut Ridge, NY 10977
Once your application is filed and processed by our admissions office, you’ll receive a checklist in your account of all the items (still) needed. When your file is complete, it will be forwarded to the program director who will contact you for an interview. Admissions decisions are sent out soon thereafter, on a rolling basis.
BEGIN THE APPLICATION PROCESS
Contact [email protected] if you need assistance with our application form or [email protected] for general application questions.
International Students
Sunbridge is approved by the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) to invite the transfer of foreign students into the United States to study at our Institute. We welcome students from all over the world to join our student body and engage in the pursuit of becoming a Waldorf teacher.
Please click here to learn about the step-by-step process of applying for a visa with the support of Sunbridge Institute.
NOTE: All applicants whose first language is not English or who have taken their prior education in a non-English-speaking college or university must demonstrate oral and written proficiency in English during the admissions process (through a hand written personal statement and phone conversation). Taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) may be required.
Transfer Admission
Applicants requesting transfer credit evaluation must show that their previous courses were taken at an AWSNA-recognized Waldorf teacher education institute, and must provide transcripts and course descriptions. The transfer course hours may not exceed 50% of the courses required for completion of the Sunbridge program. For further information, contact our admissions coordinator, Barbara Vitale, at [email protected]/845-425-0055 x20.
Provisional Admission
Occasionally, applicants are admitted to Sunbridge provisionally with the stipulation that they meet specific conditions as indicated in their letter of acceptance.
Enrollment Deferral
Accepted students who have paid a non-refundable registration fee (which is applied toward tuition) may defer enrollment for up to one enrollment cycle. Individuals interested in seeking an enrollment deferral should contact the Admissions Office to begin the process.
Before returning, the student must submit an updated personal statement and résumé including a listing of their current teaching experience. If significant changes in life circumstances have occurred, the director of education and organizational culture or the program director will have a follow-up conversation with the student. Students must then complete a new enrollment agreement, along with all enrollment documents, including meningitis and photo release forms (unless previously signed), before being considered officially enrolled.
Deferments may not be extended; if the student chooses not to matriculate in the next enrollment cycle, they must re-apply to be considered for admission in a future cycle and pay all pertinent fees (including application and registration fees).
Deferring enrollment does not secure the older tuition rates. When students enroll, they will be paying tuition rates of the current cycle.
For Assistance
Contact the admissions office at [email protected] / 845-425-0055 x20
Non-Discrimination Statement
In all of its dealings, including its admissions, educational, and employment practices, it is the policy of Sunbridge Institute, its Trustees, officers, employees and other duly authorized agents not to discriminate against any individual or group for reasons of race, color, creed, gender, age, culture, ethnicity, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation or identification, or mental or physical disability.
