TEACH Grant

The TEACH grant which Congress created (the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education) may be of interest to you if you meet the qualifications and are willing to provide the services requested upon granduating. This program provides grants up to $4,000 per year to students who intend to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families.

n exchange for receiving a TEACH Grant, you must agree to serve as a full-time teacher in a high-need field in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves low-income students.

You must teach for at least four academic years within eight calendar years of completing the program of study for which you received a TEACH Grant.

IMPORTANT: If you fail to complete this service obligation, all amounts of TEACH Grants that you received will be converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan and you must then repay this loan to the U.S. Department of Education. You will be charged interest from the date the grant(s) was disbursed. Do not apply for this grant unless you plan to follow the guidelines.

To receive a TEACH Grant you must meet the following criteria:

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), even though you do not have to demonstrate financial need.
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
• Be enrolled as an undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, or graduate student in a postsecondary educational institution that has chosen to participate in the TEACH Grant Program.
• Be enrolled in coursework that is necessary to begin a career in teaching or plan to complete such coursework.
• Meet certain academic achievement requirements such as maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25.
• Sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve

If you are interested in learning more about the TEACH Grant Program, you should contact the financial aid office at the college where you will be enrolled to find out if they will participate.