TEACH Grant/Loan Program
Through the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, Congress created the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program that provides grants of up to $4,000 per year to students who intend to teach in a high need field and in a school that serves students from low-income families. For more information concerning the TEACH Grant Program, please visit the U.S. Department of Education's TEACH Grant webpage.
Eligibility Requirements
To meet the eligibility requirements for the TEACH Grant, you must:
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Meet the basic eligibility criteria for the federal student aid programs.
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Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.
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Be enrolled in a TEACH-Grant-eligible program.
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Maintain a minimum 3.25 cumulative GPA as of the last completed semester.
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Receive TEACH Grant Counseling that explains the terms and conditions of the TEACH Grant service obligation. You must complete counseling each year that you receive a TEACH Grant.
Additionally, students who apply for the TEACH Grant must agree to teach in a high-need field. Fields considered high-need include:
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Bilingual education and English language acquisition
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Foreign language
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Mathematics
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Reading Specialist
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Science
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Special Education
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Any other field that has been identified as high-need by the federal government, a state government, or a local education agency, and that is included in the annual Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing (Nationwide List).
If you plan to teach in a high-need field that is included in the Nationwide List, that field must be listed for the state where you teach either 1) at the time you begin your qualifying teaching service or 2) at the time you received a TEACH Grant. You can read more information about high-need fields here.
Schools Serving Low-Income Students
Elementary and secondary schools (public and private) and educational service agencies serving low-income students are listed in the annual Teacher Cancellation Low-Income Directory. In addition, elementary or secondary schools operated by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) or operated on Native American reservations by Native American groups under contract or grant with the BIE qualify as low-income schools.
Additional Guidance and Implementing Regulations
The Department of Education will publish regulations to implement the TEACH Grant Program after providing an opportunity for public comment in accordance with legal requirements.
Conditions
As a condition for receiving a TEACH Grant, you must sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve or Repay in which you agree to (among other requirements) teach:
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In a high-need field;
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At an elementary school, secondary school, or educational service agency that serves students from low-income families; and
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For at least four complete academic years within eight years after completing (or ceasing enrollment in) the course of study for which you received the grant.
Each year that you receive a TEACH Grant, you must sign an Agreement to Serve or Repay, which explains the terms and conditions for receiving a TEACH Grant. By signing the Agreement to Serve, you agree to these terms and conditions and acknowledge that if you do not complete your service obligation, all TEACH Grant funds you received will be converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan. You must then repay this loan to the U.S. Department of Education, with interest charged from the date the TEACH Grant was disbursed (paid to you or on your behalf).
Please Note: Tennessee Tech is not responsible for confirming if a student is teaching in a high-need field and/or serving low-income students. Confirmation is between the student and the Department of Education with their Agreement to Serve or Repay.
Next Steps
If you would like your eligibility for the TEACH Grant Program to be reviewed, you should submit the TEACH Grant Application.
