OSPI National Board Conditional Loan

The OPSI conditional loan is awarded to select applicants in Washington state who express written intent to enroll in and complete the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification process. The application is based, in part, on a series of essay questions and several federal-and-state required demographic considerations.

Applicants may not have the information requested on student population readily available - please answer these questions to the best of your ability. It is recommended to save essay responses on a separate document as the online application will timeout after 20 minutes.

Conditional Loan Application

OSPI will begin accepting conditional loan applications for the 2025-2026 National Board assessment cycle on June 30, 2025. The application is completed through the Education Data System under "NBPTS Scholarship."

The online application will close on November 30.

NOTE: The conditional loan is not a scholarship

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the OSPI conditional loan cover?
  • Three initial component purchases: $1,425 toward the $1,900 assessment fee (no more, no less)
  • Loan recipients pay $475 for their first component (candidates may opt to use NBPTS payment plan for this component)
  • Loan recipients pay the $75 annual enrollment fee to NBPTS
What are the requirements for receiving the conditional loan?

Prior to applying for a conditional loan, a candidate must:

  • Verify their own eligibility for NBPTS candidacy
  • Read and accept the loan commitments in the online application
    • Be employed in a Washington state K-12 public school during the 2025-2026 school year
    • Read the NBPTS standards
    • Agree to fully participate in all cohort meetings and complete all registered components
  • Submit a letter of support from a building or district administrator (specifying the resources the candidate will be allowed to access e.g., time, money, equipment, expertise, building access on weekends, release time, copier, video camera, help with videotaping, postage, etc.)

Upon receiving a conditional loan, a loan recipient must:

  • Accept the loan through the online application
  • Complete and mail in an original signed promissory note to OSPI
  • Register with and fully participate in an OSPI-approved cohort.
    • Cohort participation is required for each component. This includes attending a National Board Foundations course offered through an OSPI-approved cohort or WEA Jump Start
  • Register with NBPTS and pay for one component prior to December 31. Please note that for purposes of the conditional loan, this is earlier than the NBPTS payment deadline. Candidates who have already purchased one component in a previous assessment cycle may still be eligible for loan funding, though the loan cannot cover any more or any less than three component purchases nor retake components or renewal.
How is the conditional loan repaid?
  • Recipients who certify as a NBCT will have the total loan amount ($1,425) deducted from their first NBCT bonus check
  • Recipients who choose to no longer pursue candidacy, exhaust the candidacy window to certify, or certify but are not eligible for the NBCT bonus will be placed on a three-year repayment plan ($50 per month minimum). The loan may also be repaid in full.
  • The conditional loan is interest-free