The TEACH Grant Program
The TEACH Grant program awards grants to students who intend to teach. The Grant will provide up to $4000 a year in grant aid to undergraduates and graduate students. In turn, you must agree to serve as a full-time teacher in a high-need field, in a school serving low-income students for at least four academic years within eight years of completing the program of study for which you received the grant. If you do not complete your service as a teacher, the grant will convert to a loan. To see if you qualify, please answer the questions listed.
You must work in one of the following high-need fields:
- Bilingual Education or English Language Acquisition
- Foreign Language
- Mathematics
- Reading Specialist
- Science
- Special Education
- Other teacher shortage area listed in the Dept. of Education's Annual Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing at www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/pol/tsa.html.
You must be work in a school serving low-income students:
Schools serving low-income students include elementary or secondary schools listed in the Department of Education's Annual Directory of Designated Low-Income Schools for Teacher Cancellation Benefits at www.tcli.ed.gov/CBSWebApp/tcli/TCLIPubSchoolSearch.jsp.
You must plan to teach full-time in a school serving low-income students for at least 4 out of 8 years once you complete your program at Regent:
If you meet all of the above requirements, you may be eligible for a TEACH Grant. The TEACH Grant program will provide up to $4,000 a year in grant aid. Eligible undergraduate students may not receive more than $16,000 and graduate students may receive no more than $8,000 in total TEACH Grants. Students enrolled less than full-time will have their TEACH Grant reduced accordingly: three-fourths time $3,000; half-time $2,000; less than half-time $1,000. The amount of TEACH Grant awarded when combined with other student aid may not exceed a student's cost of attendance (COA). Students must agree to serve as a full-time teacher at low-income schools and teach in the above referenced fields for four academic years within eight years after completing the college course. TEACH Grant recipients that do not fulfill their teaching obligations must repay the grant as if it was an unsubsidized Direct Loan.
Student Eligibility Criteria:
- Students must complete the FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov).
- Undergraduate students must have a 3.25 GPA (high school GPA for first year undergrads) OR score in the 75th percentile on at least one admissions test.
- GPA requirements do not apply to graduate students who are currently teachers or who are retirees and have expertise in a subject where there is shortage of teachers (math, science, special ed, English as a second language, or another high-need subject).
- Students must be completing (or planning to complete) the coursework required to become a teacher.
- Students must complete TEACH Grant counseling provided by Regent's Central Financial Aid Office.
- Students must complete an Agreement to Serve (ATS www.teach-ats.ed.gov) each year that you are scheduled to receive a TEACH Grant.
- To receive a TEACH Grant students must also agree to:
- Serve as a full-time teacher for at least four years within eight years of completing their course of study
- Comply with the requirements for being a highly qualified teacher (defined in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/pg107.html)
- Teach math, science, a foreign language, bilingual education, special ed, a reading specialist, or a subject designated as "high need" by the federal or state government, or local education agency and approved by the Department
- Provide certification by the school's chief administrator annually as evidence of required employment
You must respond promptly to any requests for information or documentation from the U.S. Department of Education, even if they seem repetitive. These requests will be sent to you while you are still in school as well as once you are out of school. You will be asked regularly to confirm that you either still intend to teach or that you are teaching as required. You must provide documentation to the U.S. Department of Education at the end of each year of teaching.
If you temporarily cease enrollment in your program of study or if you encounter situations that affect your ability to begin or continue teaching, you will need to stay in touch with the U.S. Department of Education to avoid your grants being converted to loans before you are able to complete your teaching obligations.
IMPORTANT REMINDER:
Failure to complete the teaching obligation, respond to requests for information, or properly document your teaching service will cause the TEACH Grant to be permanently converted to a loan with interest accruing from the time of disbursement. Once a grant is converted to a loan it cannot be converted back to a grant.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
For additional information on how to obtain a TEACH Grant while at Regent University, contact Central Financial Aid at 757.352.4125. The top portion of this form must be returned to indicate your acceptance of this grant. For more information about the requirements associated with the TEACH Grant, see www.teachgrant.ed.gov.
Regent University Central Financial Aid
1000 Regent University Dr. SC 241
Virginia Beach, VA 23464
