What Is the Teach Grant?

“Helping Teachers along the Way”

What is the Teach Grant? The TEACH Grants are authorized in the College Reduction and Access Act which was enacted into law in the fall 2007. These are grants to recruit teachers into hard to staff fields and low-income schools. Grants of up to $16,000 ($4,000 per year) for undergraduates and $8,000 for Master’s degree seeking students can be used to cover the cost of tuition and other school expenses. Grantees will then complete a four year service obligation in a high need field at a school that receives Title I funds.

What are the Virginia State University Requirements for TEACH Grant Eligibility? Be a full-time student at Virginia State University Complete a FAFSA application on the web Students must be admitted into the Teacher Education Program Students must possess a 3.25 cumulative grade point average Pass Praxis I: Reading (178) Math (178) Writing (176) or Composite of 532

Frequently Asked Questions  When will the TEACH Grant be available? July 2008  Can I obtain the TEACH Grant as a freshman? Yes. If eligible for admission into the teacher education program.  Can I obtain the TEACH Grant as a graduate student? Yes. You must be enrolled in a graduate program in one of the critical shortage areas offered at VSU.  Can I obtain the TEACH Grant for an endorsement? No, you must be admitted in a program (undergrad or graduate).  What are the hard to staff or high need fields? Special Education, Earth Science, Biology, English, Career and Technical Education, Library media, Foreign Language, Bilingual Education, Reading Specialist, and Math  What are the high need field endorsement areas offered at VSU? Special Education, Math, English, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Biology.  Are the critical shortage areas established according to the state report or national report? The National and State Report.  What happens if I fail to complete the program? The grant becomes a loan. Failure to complete service obligation causes grant to convert to unsubsidized Stafford Loan. The loan amount is collected under the Direct Loan Program. Interest is charged back to date of grant disbursement.  What happens if my GPA fails below a 3.25? A student must continue to meet the general T-IV eligibility criteria or the grant becomes a loan. The student must engage in Exit Counseling, set up repayment terms, loan consolidation and plans for service obligations within 30 days of notification of eligibility status change.  What happens if I transfer to another college or university? You may transport your Teach grant to another college or university as long as you maintain a 3.25 GPA and continue in your major to teach in a high need area.  Can I teach in another state to fulfill my service obligation? You may teach outside of the State to fulfill your teach grant provided you selected a "High Need," major and teach in a High poverty area identified by the National or State Department of Education. You will have eight years to complete the four years of service.