FollowStudent loan forgiveness | TEACH Grant
What is TEACH?
The Teach program stands for Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher education. This is a grant, which is different from a loan forgiveness program. A grant is monies given up front to pay for schooling and as long as you follow certain guidelines you will never have to pay that money back. This is a program designed to find teachers to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families.
How do I qualify?
You must be a teacher meeting the requirements above for at least 4 complete academic years within an 8 year span.
Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
Be enrolled as a student in a school that participates in the TEACH Program
Be enrolled in courses that pertain to your career
Score above 75% of all others on your admissions test or maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher
Sign a TEACH Agreement to serve in a high-need field such as:
Bilingual Education
English Language Acquisition
Foreign Language
Mathematics
Reading Specialist
Science
Special Education
Teacher Shortage Areas – click here for a listing of shortage areas
Serve in a low-income family area– click here for a listing of qualified low-income family areas
How much can I get?
The teach program grant offers up to $4000 per year towards the cost of your schooling.
How many times do I need to apply?
You will need to apply once a year to get it for the following year.
Do I have to prove I need a grant?
No. You do not have to prove a financial need to qualify for the grant.
What if I don’t complete the requirements?
If you don’t fulfill the teaching requirements for the grant it will convert to a Federal Direct
Unsubsized Stafford Loan. Interest will be calculated from the date of the grant disbursement.
Ouch!
Here’s a tip: Call up the financial aid office at the college you will be attending and find out whether or not it participates in the TEACH grant program
Click here to see the full TEACH program on the ED.Gov site.
