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Federal TEACH Grant

Application Process

The Federal Teacher Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant may be a grant option for students pursuing certain programs of study within Education. To be considered for TEACH, students must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and complete the Federal TEACH Grant Application (usually available in April).

Students cannot receive more than $4,000 for the academic year in TEACH Grant (minus the federal sequestration amount). There are aggregate limits to how much TEACH Grant a student can receive over time (no more than $16,000 during undergraduate level, no more than $8,000 during graduate level). Financial aid for each aid year also cannot exceed a student's cost of attendance.

Eligibility

TEACH is available at both undergraduate and graduate levels for certain programs of study (majors).

Students may be considered for this grant if they:

  • Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and
  • Complete the Federal TEACH Grant Application (usually available in April), and
  • Are a US citizen or eligible non-citizen for federal aid, and
  • Are at a college junior, senior, or graduate level, and
  • Are admitted as a degree-seeking student into one of the eligible programs listed on the TEACH Grant Application, and
  • Are pursuing both a degree and certification (students pursuing a degree only or certification only are not eligible), and
  • Have an overall grade point average of at least 3.25 at the time of initial and subsequent disbursements of the grant in addition to meeting satisfactory academic progress standards for financial aid eligibility. Note: The GPA requirement can be waived for current or former teachers. Students can also submit documentation showing a score in the 75th percentile on at least one admission test.

Agreement to Serve

Once a student is awarded TEACH, they must complete the TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve and Initial (or Subsequent) Counseling online on the Federal Student Aid website before the grant will disburse. The student will be notified once the requirements are available via their MIX email (in their WVU Portal).

As part of the Agreement to Serve, students must:

  • Meet federal requirements for a highly qualified teacher
  • Serve as a full-time teacher (cannot be as a substitute teacher) at a school that services low-income students for at least four academic years within eight calendar years of leaving or completing their course of study
  • During those four years, teach within the "high-need" field (course of study) for which the grant was received (examples: mathematics, science, special education)
  • Provide certification annually (October 31) as evidence of required employment from the chief administrator of the school where they are serving as a full-time teacher

Important:

If students fail to meet the terms of their Agreement to Serve, the TEACH Grant amounts received will convert to Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan debt which must be repaid to the Department of Education. This loan will be charged interest from the dates the grant originally disbursed.

Additional Requirements

  • Students must continue to meet satisfactory academic progress standards for financial aid eligibility.
  • TEACH recipients should contact their TEACH Grant Servicer before choosing to take a semester off as their grant could default to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan due to the break in enrollment.
  • The TEACH Grant pays out at a pro-rated amount based on the student's enrollment in federal aid-eligible courses.
  • TEACH Grant funds usually do not need to be repaid except for some limited circumstances.