Graduate Student Grants and Loans
Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program
Type of Aid
Grant does not have to be repaid provided that the service commitment is fulfilled.
Program Details
Eligibility Requirements:
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
- be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
- be enrolled as an undergraduate or a graduate student in a postsecondary educational institution that participates in the TEACH Grant program
- be enrolled in coursework necessary to begin in a career in teaching
- be enrolled in an eligible, state-approved program
- meet specific academic achievement requirements (e.g., score above the 75th percentile on a college admissions test, maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25, be a current or former teacher, or qualify under the "retiree" provision)
- sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve and Promise to Pay, as well as complete initial, annual subsequent, and exit counseling
- Students enrolled in the following state-approved NSU programs may be eligible to receive the TEACH Grant:
- Master of Science in Education Programs with Specialization in: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Exceptional Student Education (with or without ESOL endorsement), Reading Education, Spanish Language Education with or without Bilingual Endorsement, Mathematics and Middle Grades Mathematics Education, Science Education and Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology Program
Annual Award Limits/Deadline Dates
- The TEACH Grant provides up to $1,858 per semester (up to $8,000 total) to students who intend to teach full-time in a high-need field in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves low-income students.
Fulfilling the Agreement to Serve Requirements
Within 120 days of ceasing enrollment in the program for which TEACH Grant funds were received, students must notify the Direct Loan Servicing Center in writing that they are either employed as full-time teachers in accordance with the terms and conditions of the TEACH Grant service obligation or that they are not yet employed, but intend to meet the terms and conditions of the service obligation.
After ceasing enrollment, TEACH Grant Certification must be completed annually unless a subsequent TEACH Grant is received, the TEACH Grant is discharged, or a temporary suspension for completing the service obligation is granted. The form and instructions are located online and can be viewed annually. If this is not completed, all TEACH Grants funds received will convert to Direct Unsubsidized Loans with interest charged from the date of each initial disbursement.
The TEACH Grant program address is:
U.S. Department of Education
TEACH Grant Program
P.O. Box 3900
Greenville, TX 75403-3900
Phone: 1-800-848-0979