If it is your goal to become a teacher then you should take the time to learn about the TEACH Grant Program. The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program was created by Congress through the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007. This program provides grants of up to $4,000 a year to individuals who are studying to be teachers if they have the intention of teaching in a school that is geared towards low-income families. It could be a public or private elementary school or a secondary school.
Students who wish to receive a TEACH Grant must be willing to work as a full-time teacher in a high-need field in a school, as previously mentioned, that serves students that come from low-income households. To become a recipient of this grant the aspiring teacher must agree to teach for at least four school years within eight years of completing his or her program of study to become a qualified teacher.
Those that are awarded the TEACH Grant that fail to complete the obligation they agreed to will have all of the money they received from the TEACH Grant converted into a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan. The recipient is then required to repay the Stafford Loan to the United States Department of Education. Interest will be charged from the date on which the grant was disbursed.
TEACH Grant Eligibility Requirements
If the TEACH Grant sounds appealing to you then you must find out before applying for it if you meet the proper criteria to qualify for it. You must be an American citizen or an eligible non-citizen. You must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Be aware however that you do not have to prove that you require financial aid in order to qualify for this loan.
Another eligibility requirement is that you must be enrolled as an undergraduate student, a post baccalaureate student or a graduate student in a college or university that is participating in the TEACH Grant Program. Not all post-secondary institutions are a part of the program. Before you apply find out if the school you are attending or wish to attend is participating.
It is also deemed a necessity that you are enrolled in courses that will make it possible for you to embark upon a teaching career or that you plan in the near future to complete these kinds of courses. The course work will include subjects relevant to your area. For example if you wish to become an English teacher then English courses will be required. If you wish to become a mathematics teacher then math subjects will needed to be studied.
Also to be eligible for the TEACH Grant you must sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve. You also must meet specific academic achievement requirements such as maintaining a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.25 or scoring above the 75th percentile on a college admissions test.
There are certain high-need fields that have been identified in the school system. You will be made aware of these areas when you apply for the TEACH Grant. These areas include Bilingual Education and English Language Acquisition, Mathematics, Foreign Language, Reading Specialist, Special Education, and Science. Be aware that your teaching service must be in a field that is deemed as high-need in order for you to be eligible for the TEACH Grant.
If you would like to become better acquainted with the TEACH Grant Program then contact the financial aid office at the college or university that you will be attending. Someone there will be able to tell you if the school participates in the program and they should also be able to answer all of the questions you have regarding the program.
