Federal TEACH Grant

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Federal (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.

Grant recipients agree to:

• Teach for at least four years within eight years of finishing their teacher preparation program
• Teach high-need subjects in designated schools that serve low-income students. It is recommended that you look for school districts in which you are interested in teaching to see if they would qualify as designated schools serving low-income students.
• Sign a Federal TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve each year that they receive a Federal TEACH grant (available electronically on the U.S. Department of Education web site)
• Teach in a field designated as high-need in the state where they teach

If you do not complete the four-year teaching obligation you must repay the grant as a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan with interest. Once the grant is converted to a loan, it cannot be converted back to a grant.

Eligibility:

To be eligible for a Federal TEACH Grant, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Be enrolled in coursework or plan to complete coursework toward a career in teaching and/or in a high-need subject area (see list below)
• 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).
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress and meet all other institutional requirements for maintaining enrollment
• Complete the Federal TEACH Grant counseling and sign a Federal TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve each year
• Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), although you do not have to demonstrate financial need to be eligible

Federal TEACH Grant - Eligible Programs at Syracuse University

Undergraduate		Graduate
Inclusive Elementary and Special Education		Inclusive Special Education (1-6)
Inclusive Early Childhood Special Education		Inclusive Special Education (7-12)
		Inlcusive Special Education-Generalist
Mathematics Education		Mathematics Education
Science Education (biology, chemistry, earth science and physics)		Science Education (biology, chemistry, earth science and physics)
		Early Childhood Special Education
		Literacy Education (B-6) and (5-12)
		Teaching English Language Learners

Documentation:

You must confirm within 120 days of completing or otherwise ceasing enrollment in your teacher preparation program that you are fulfilling (or plan to fulfill) the terms and conditions of your service agreement. You must document your teaching service by the chief administrative officer at the school where you teach.

Application Process:

• Complete a current year FAFSA
• The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Programs will determine your Federal TEACH Grant eligibility and notify you of your award, which can also be viewed on "My Financial Aid" on MySlice.
• Complete the Federal TEACH Grant Initial Counseling Session and Agreement to Serve (ATS) available on your MySlice "To Do List".

IMPORTANT NOTES:

1. If you are not already committed to teaching a high-need subject in a low-income school, please use caution when considering this possible source of funds. According to some estimates, only 20 percent of students who participate in the Federal TEACH Grant Program will be able to use the funds as grants, while many students will see their funds converted to loans with accumulated interest.

2. Cancellation of a Federal TEACH Grant:
You may request cancellation of all or part of your Federal TEACH Grant award. If you request cancellation before the first day of the payment period or within 30 days after your school notifies you of your grant, your school will return the funds and they will not be converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan.

3. Accepting a Federal TEACH Grant:
Accepting a Federal TEACH Grant does not automatically guarantee employment in a high needs field. It is up to you to obtain employment in a qualified school district that meets the requirements of your service agreement.

For additional information regarding the Federal TEACH Grant Program at Syracuse University, contact Rebecca Rose in the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Programs at 315-443-1513, finaidu4@syr.edu or Amie Redmond in the School of Education at 315-443-2506, amredmon@syr.edu.

For more general information, feel free to visit the Department of Education's web site.