Federal TEACH Grant

TEACH Grant Basics

The Federal TEACH Grant was established in 2008 to provide grant support to students who are committed to teach in teacher shortage fields in low-income serving schools. Recipients are required to teach as a highly qualified teacher in a high need field at a low-income school for 4 years within 8 years of completing their program. If a student fails to fulfill their service obligation, their Federal TEACH Grant will be converted to an unsubsidized Direct loan. Interest will then be calculated from the point the grant funds were originally disbursed to the recipient.

Detailed information about this program is available on the US Department of Education’s TEACH Grant website.

Application Process

1. Complete the online TEACH Grant Initial Counseling session to be sure this is an appropriate program for you. (This counseling session may be completed for informational purposes and does NOT commit you to participation in the program.)
2. Take time to consider this opportunity. When you are ready to commit to the required service for the TEACH Grant, complete the Lewis & Clark Federal TEACH Grant Application and submit it to our office.
3. Complete an Agreement to Serve with the US Department of Education.
4. After we confirm that you meet the GPA requirement, verify your teaching specialty, and we receive both the Federal TEACH Grant Application and notification that the Agreement to Serve has been signed, we will award the Federal TEACH Grant.

Students who are graduating or leaving their TEACH Grant program must complete TEACH Grant exit counseling online with the Direct Loan Servicing Center which is the organization that monitors the TEACH Grant service obligation. At the Direct Loan Servicing Center site, choose “Entrance and Exit Counseling” then follow the prompts for TEACH Grant Exit Counseling.

Highly Qualified Teacher

To have teaching service count toward the TEACH Grant service obligation, recipients must meet the definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher according to the No Child Left Behind rules. The US Department of Education discusses the specific definitions of a Highly Qualified Teacher.

High Need Fields

• Math
• Science
• Bilingual Education
• English Language Acquisition
• Special Education
• Reading Specialist
• Other high need fields defined at the state level

Low Income Serving School

To satisfy the terms of the TEACH Grant, teaching service must be performed at a public or private elementary or secondary school that is listed in the US Department of Educations’ Annual Directory of Designated Low-income Schools for Teacher Cancellation Benefits. These are typically schools which serve a large number of students from low-income families and also any schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Education.

Conversion to Loan

Should a TEACH Grant recipient fail to perform the service obligation of the TEACH Grant, their funds will be converted to a loan. Once a grant has been converted to a loan it cannot be changed back. Interest will be calculated retroactively from the date the funds were originally disbursed. The loan must then be repaid as an Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan. If the loan is not paid according to the terms, it will go into default and may result in a number of negative consequences including adverse credit reporting, ineligibility for further federal aid, wage and tax refund garnishment, and/or litigation.