Financial Aid
Students
Federal TEACH Grant
The Federal Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant program was created to fill the teacher shortages in high-need fields. The TEACH Grant is the first federal grant program that requires a service agreement and has the potential of converting to a loan.
Award
The Federal TEACH Grant allows up to $4,000 per year available for full-time students on both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Funds can only be used for the student’s first bachelor's or graduate degree and are not available for students in doctoral programs.
Amounts are prorated according to enrollment levels per term.
Congress passed the Budget Control Act of 2011, which has caused federal budget cuts to this program, known as a “sequester.” Therefore, TEACH grant funds first disbursed on or after October 1, 2020 and prior to October 1, 2024 will see a reduction of 5.7% from their originally approved award amount. More details about sequestration can be found here. (https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/teach)
Eligibility Requirements
Agreement to Serve and Repay
In exchange for receiving a Federal TEACH Grant, students must agree to serve as a full-time teacher for at least 4 of the 8 years following the completion of his or her program. Students must also teach in a high-need field in a school that serves low-income students.
If the service obligation is not completed, the U.S. Department of Education will convert all Federal TEACH Grant funds the student received to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Student Loan. The student will have to repay the loan and will be charged interest from the date the grant(s) disbursed.
More information about the Service Agreement can be found here. (https://studentaid.gov/teach-grant-program)
High Needs Fields
2023-2024 TEACH Grant Eligible Majors
Bachelor's Degree Programs
All undergraduate programs must lead to licensure in order to qualify.
Master's Degree Programs
Grandfathered Programs
Additional Resources
This policy is in place to ensure proper funding and management of the Federal TEACH Grant program
Federal TEACH Grant: A federal grant offered to eligible students who are completing or plan to complete coursework needed to begin a career in teaching.
Agreement to Serve and Repay: A legal contract the student reads, agrees to, and signs which outlines the service terms and conditions of the grant.
High Need Field: High need fields for the purpose of awarding and qualifying for the Federal TEACH Grant. These fields are designated and approved by the U.S. Department of Education
Apply for TEACH Grant
If the service obligation is not completed, the U.S. Department of Education will convert all Federal TEACH Grant funds the student received to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Student Loan. The student will have to repay the loan and will be charged interest from the date the grant(s) disbursed. If the grant is converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Student Loan, then Conversion Counseling will need to be completed by the student.
A TEACH Grant that has been converted to a loan can be changed back to a grant only under limited circumstances. You may request a reconsideration if you can show that you were satisfying your service obligation, or that your grant was converted to a loan in error. If you previously asked to have your TEACH Grants converted to loans, but you have now decided to satisfy your service obligation, you may request reconsideration if you would still have time to complete your required four years of teaching within your eight-year service obligation period.
If you believe you qualify, you must submit a request for reconsideration of the conversion to your TEACH Grant servicer. You may need to provide documentation to support your request.
If your request for reconsideration is approved, your loan will be changed back to a TEACH Grant and you will once again be responsible for satisfying your TEACH Grant service obligation.
6/14/2023
6/23/23
6/23/2024 (Annual)