Federal TEACH Grant
(but later converts into a loan in some cases)

Through the College Cost Reduction and Access of Act of 2007, Congress created the non-need-based Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program that provides grants of up to $4000 per year (based on level of enrollment) to students who intend to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families. If the recipient does not fulfill specific requirements within a certain amount of time, the grant converts into a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan.

At Tulane University, only post-graduate students meeting certain additional requirements are eligible to receive a Federal TEACH Grant. A student is considered to be in a Tulane Teach Grant Eligible Program when the student, currently registered for or enrolled in at least one course required for the Tulane University Teacher Preparation and Certification Program,* also

1. Has obtained a bachelor's degree (from Tulane or elsewhere),
2. Has successfully completed (received a grade of B or better) the 200 level class EDLA 200 Education in a Diverse Society (or approved equivalent) of the Tulane Teacher Preparation and Certification Program, and
3. Has received a passing grade on the Praxis II Content exam.
4. Conditionally considered for the State Non-Master Alternative Certificate Program through Tulane University
5. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), although you do not have to demonstrate financial need.
6. Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
7. Meet certain academic achievement requirements (generally, scoring above the 75 th percentile on a college admissions test or maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25)
8. Sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve https://teach-ats.ed.gov/ats/index.action .

*If you have any questions about the Tulane University Teacher Preparation and Certification Program, please contact the Director, Linda McKee at lmckee@tulane.edu

TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve

Each year you receive a TEACH Grant, you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid and sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve that is available electronically on the TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve Web site. The TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve specifies the conditions under which the grant will be awarded, the teaching service requirements, and includes an acknowledgment by you that you understand that if you do not meet the teaching service requirements you must repay the grant as a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, with interest accrued from the date the grant funds were disbursed. Specifically, the TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve will require the following:

•  For each TEACH Grant-eligible program for which you received TEACH Grant funds, you must serve as a full-time teacher for a total of at least four academic years within eight calendar years after you completed or withdrew from the academic program for which you received the TEACH Grant.

•  You must perform the teaching service as a highly-qualified teacher** at a low-income school.***

•  Your teaching service must be in a high-need field.****

•  You must comply with any other requirements that the Department of Education determines to be necessary.

•  If you do not complete the required teaching service obligation, TEACH Grant funds you received will be converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan that you must repay, with interest charged from the date of each TEACH Grant disbursement. For more information on the TEACH Grant, see the TEACH Grant section of the federal student aid website (studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/TEACH.jsp).

**Highly-qualified teacher

The term highly-qualified teacher is defined in section 9101(23) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 or in section 602(10) of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act.

***Low-Income school

Schools serving low-income students include any elementary or secondary school that is listed in the Department of Educations Annual Directory of Designated Low-Income Schools for Teacher Cancellation Benefits. To access the Directory, please go to https://www.tcli.ed.gov/CBSWebApp/tcli/TCLIPubSchoolSearch.jsp .

****High-need field

• Bilingual Education and English Language Acquisition
• Foreign Language
• Mathematics
• Reading Specialist
• Science
• Special Education
• Other identified teacher shortage areas as of the time you begin teaching in that field. These are teacher subject shortage areas (not geographic areas) that are listed in the Department of Education's Annual Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing. To access the listing, please go to www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/pol/tsa.doc .

Last updated: September 10, 2009