The TEACH Grant, which is short for the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant Program, is a federal educational grant that is provided by the Department of Education. The grant is focused on providing aid to students who are willing to serve as teachers to elementary or secondary school students that come from low-income families.
To qualify students must sign a statement that will lock them in to such a teaching arrangement once they graduate. Not fulfilling this obligation upon graduation will result in the conversion of the cumulative amount of grant money the student received over the life of their undergraduate career into an Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, and will thus have to be paid back.
Here are some quick facts about the TEACH Grant:
- Apply via the FAFSA
- Enrollment in an appropriate degree-oriented program at a participating institution is required in order to become eligible
- Students must achieve academically in order to qualify—at least a 3.25 gpa must be met in their particular curriculum, or the student must score above certain thresholds on various college admissions tests.
- Can provide up to 4,000 dollars of aid during each year of undergraduate study
Overall the TEACH Grant is a nice federal educational grant that any student who is willing to serve as a teacher upon graduation shouldn’t hesitate to take into consideration.
Students who are interested in this award should firmly understand that if they don’t live up to their obligation to teach upon graduation that they will have to pay back whatever grant money they may have received.
