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Federal TEACH Grant

Federal TEACH Grant

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program provides grants of up to $4,000* per year to students who intend to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families.

*Amounts are subject to change due to federal sequestration. TEACH Grant funds will be prorated based on your enrollment status (i.e. full-time, three-quarter-time, half-time).

Service Obligation for TEACH Grant

To meet the TEACH Grant service requirement, you must:

  • Work as a highly qualified, full-time teacher in a high-need subject area at a school that serves low-income students.
  • Complete four years of teaching within eight years after finishing your degree.

Key Definitions:

  • Highly Qualified Teacher: Defined by the U.S. Department of Education.
  • Full-Time Teacher: Must spend the majority of time teaching in a high-need subject area. Due to the 51% rule, most elementary teachers will not qualify.
  • School Serving Low-Income Students: Designated by the U.S. Department of Education. Check the list at https://studentaid.gov/tcli/ 

IMPORTANT: If you do not complete this service obligation, your TEACH Grant will be converted into a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, and you will be required to repay it with interest accrued from the date the grant was disbursed.

Federal Teach Grant Eligibility Requirements:

  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • Be a U.S Citizen or eligible non-citizen.
  • Be enrolled as an undergraduate student working on an initial bachelor’s degree or a graduate student working on an initial master’s degree, studying in a TEACH Grant eligible program (see below).
  • Be enrolled in coursework that is necessary to begin a career in teaching or plan to complete such coursework. Such coursework may include subject area courses (e.g., math courses for a student who intends to be a math teacher).
  • Meet certain academic achievement requirements (generally, scoring above the 75th percentile on a college admissions test or maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25).
  • Sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve. Note:The Agreement to Serve will not be available for you to complete until your eligibility for the grant is confirmed.
  • Complete TEACH Grant Counseling for either initial or subsequent receipt of a TEACH Grant.

High-Need Subject Areas:

The following are designated as high-need subject areas:

  • Mathematics
  • Science (such as Biology, Geology, Chemistry or Physics)
  • Foreign Language
  • Bilingual Education
  • Special Education
  • Reading Specialist
  • Other “High Need” Field as designated by the U.S. Department of Education

Federal Teach Grant Eligible Programs:

Wichita State University has designated the following programs to be TEACH Grant eligible programs:

Undergraduate:

  • Early Childhood Unified
  • Early Childhood Unified/Elementary Education Apprentice (TAP Students Only)
    • Early Childhood qualifies for the TEACH Grant. However, to fulfill the service obligation, you must meet the requirements to complete coursework necessary to begin teaching in a high-need area listed above.
  • PreK thru 12 – Foreign Language (French, Latin, Spanish)
  • PreK thru 12 – ESOL
  • Middle Level – Math or Science
  • Secondary Education – Biology, Chemistry, Earth & Space Science, Math, or Physics

Graduate:

  • Special Education – Adaptive
  • Special Education – Functional
  • Special Education – High Incidence
  • Special Education – Low Incidence
  • Special Education – Early Childhood Unified
  • Reading Specialist
  • Transition to Teaching with Endorsement in Math, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Science, Earth Space Science, French, Latin or Spanish

Review Financial Aid Terms & Conditions for additional details and eligibility requirements for the TEACH Grant at wichita.edu/finaidpolicy.

To verify whether the school you will be teaching is a school serving low-income students: https://studentaid.gov/tcli/directory-search

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