Are you planning on becoming a teacher?

The College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 created the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program, which awards grants to students who intend to teach. The TEACH Grant recipient’s obligation is to serve as a highly qualified, full-time teacher in a high-need subject area for at least four years within eight years of finishing the program at a school serving low-income students/families (see important note below*).

These are the initialrequirements to be considered to participate in the program:

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.FAFSA.ed.gov. You do not have to demonstrate financial need to be eligible for the TEACH grant program.

• Be a U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen.

• Be enrolled in the College of Education, in a major/program that is necessary to begin a career in teaching in a high-need subject area

• Be enrolled in a first, four-year Undergraduate, Master’s Degree, or Certification 1 or 2 Program (GCTEP, GPTEP, Post Bach and Ph.D. students cannot qualify for the TEACH Grant)

• Meet the following academic achievement requirements:
  
  
  •  Score above the 75th percentile on one of the following college Admission’s tests (SAT, ACT for undergraduate students), (GRE for graduate students)
    
  • Have a Cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale, and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 throughout your academic program for which you receive a TEACH Grant.
    
  • Complete TEACH Grant counseling both online and in-house.
    
    
• Sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve and Promise to Pay each year with the U.S. Department of Education.  www.teach-ats.ed.gov

The TEACH Grant Program provides up to $4,000.00 per year ($16,000.00 total for four year programs).  Graduate students are also eligible for up to $4,000.00 per year ($8,000.00); maximum $2,000.00 per semester.  Eligible students will have funds disbursed based on number of hours enrolled during each semester, as of the 14th day of class.  The annual award limits are as follows:

• $4,000.00 for full time students
• $3,000.00 for ¾ time students
• $2,000.00 for ½ time students
• $1,000.00 for less than ½ time students

For additional information regarding the TEACH Grant program, you may go online at www.teachgrant.ed.gov, or contact the U.S. Department of Education at 1-800-4FEDAID (800/433-3243) or contact our office at finaid@uno.edu.  If you have already completed your 2009-2010 FAFSA and did not indicate you were interested in this program, please complete the ATS with the Federal Dept. of Education to initiate the eligibility review process by our office.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Recipients who do not complete their teaching obligation will have to repay the TEACH Grants as if the grants were a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, with interest accruing from the time the grant was disbursed

Last Updated: February 19, 2010