The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant is one of the most anticipated federal student aid programs for current and future teachers. Passed as a part of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, the TEACH Grant will provide financial assistance to students who agree to spend time teaching in low-income areas.
The new program will go into affect during the 2008-2009 school year, and, as with other federal aid programs, the exact details and award sums may change in the future. For now, students who are eligible for the program may receive a grant of up to $4,000 per year. Like other teaching scholarships and grants, the TEACH Grant will encourage qualified students to spend time teaching in areas that are frequently underfunded and understaffed. The eligibility criteria and additional details are as follows:
Eligibility: 1. Students who receive a TEACH Grant must agree to work full-time at low-income elementary or secondary schools for at least four years. 2. TEACH Grant recipients must agree to teach a high-need subject. 3. Recipients must be US citizens or eligible non-citizens. 4. Although the TEACH Grant is not a need-based award, applicants must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). 5. The TEACH Grant recipient must be enrolled as an undergraduate, post-baccalaureate or graduate student in a college or university participating in the TEACH program. 6. To continue receiving the award, a student must remain in good academic standing. This will usually mean either scoring in the 75th percentile on a college admissions test or maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.25. 7. The recipient must sign a TEACH Grant service agreement.
Before applying for this grant, students should be aware that the TEACH Grant is only awarded to students who complete the service requirement. If the student does not comply with the teaching agreement, the TEACH Grant will be turned into a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. The loan charge will include both the grant sum and the interest the student would have accumulated had they been charged from the date of each TEACH Grant disbursement.
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