Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grants are available to some graduate students pursuing a career in teaching a high need subject area such as math, reading specialist, science, etc. If you meet all program and eligibility requirements, you may receive a grant up to $4,000 with the opportunity to reapply each year.

Upon graduation, you are required to serve as a teacher in a high-need field for at least four years. Failure to meet the service requirement will result in your grant being converted into a Direct Unsubsidized Loan which you will be required to pay back with interest from the date the TEACH Grant was disbursed.

More About the TEACH Grant

Before applying for a TEACH Grant, please confirm you are eligible.

  1. Check you are enrolled in an eligible program for a TEACH Grant. Your program must be designed to prepare you to teach as a highly-qualified teacher in a high-need field (post-baccalaureate and certificate programs are not eligible).
  2. Confirm you are prepared to work in a high-need field. This list is updated regularly by the Department of Education. A complete list can be found on their website.
    • bilingual education and English language acquisition,
    • foreign language,
    • mathematics,
    • reading specialist,
    • science, and
    • special education, as well as
    • 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).
  3. Earn a 3.0 GPA each year for which you apply.

While the TEACH Grant is disbursed to your student account as a grant, there are strict requirements you must fulfill once you graduate, otherwise you will be require to repay the amount of TEACH Grant funding you received.

Please consider your ability to fulfill the following requirements prior to accepting a TEACH Grant:

  • You must serve as a full-time teacher for a total of at least four academic years within eight years after you complete or otherwise cease to be enrolled in the program(s) for which you received TEACH Grant funds.
  • You must perform the teaching service as a highly qualified teacherat a low-income school or educational service agency.
  • Your teaching service must be in a high-need field.
  • You must provide the Department of Education with documentation of your progress toward completing your service obligation.
  • If you do not meet the requirements of your service obligation, all TEACH Grants you received will be converted to Direct Unsubsidized Loans. You must repay these loans in full, with interest charged from the date of each TEACH Grant disbursement.

Ready to apply?

  1. Confirm you are enrolled as a graduate student in an eligible program that will prepare you to teach in a high-need field.
  2. Check that you have a 3.0 GPA or higher.
  3. Complete the TEACH Grant Initial and Subsequent Counseling.
  4. Complete the TEACH Grant Agreement to serve or repay (Agreement)