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Truman TEACH Grant Fact Sheet
IMPORTANT: Due to sequestration, changes have been made to the Federal TEACH Grant program. TEACH Grant awards must be reduced by 12.6 percent from the award amount the recipient would otherwise have been entitled. Reductions apply only when the first disbursement of the award is made after March 1, 2013.
The Federal Student Aid TEACH Grant Fact Sheet and other information regarding the program are on the federal web site: http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/TEACH.jsp. You should review program guidelines before applying because this grant has the potential to be converted to a loan if education program requirements or teaching obligations are not met.
TEACH Grant applications can be found here.
Steps to Apply:
1. Be sure to notify your advisor of your decision to pursue teaching so the education major code can be added to your Truman student system record.
2. Develop a long-term course plan for your undergraduate and graduate work with the Certification Analyst in Truman's Department of Education.
3. Be sure your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) has been filed for the current school year. This will confirm you meet the general eligibility requirements for federal student aid.
4. Be sure you have either scored at the 75th percentile on a college admission test (ACT, SAT, GRE) or have a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.25 (on a 4.0 scale).
5. Submit Truman's TEACH Grant Application specifying the amount you would like to apply for along with your planned enrollment (full-time, half-time, etc.) for each term.
*Before you do this it is a good idea to review the high need, teacher shortage area fields. These are defined by federal statute and listed in the federal TEACH Fact Sheet. Other teacher shortage areas are listed in the Annual Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing, www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/pol/tsa.doc. If a field was designated as high-need at the time you received the TEACH Grant it may satisfy your teaching obligation even if the field is no longer classified as high-need when you begin teaching.
**It is also a good idea to be familiar with school districts serving low-income students. See the Department of Education's Annual Directory of Designated Low-Income Schools for Teacher Cancellation Benefits at
https://www.tcli.ed.gov/CBSWebApp/tcli/TCLIPubSchoolSearch.jsp.
6. Complete TEACH Grant Counseling online through the Department of Education at https://teach-ats.ed.gov.
7. Complete ATS (Agreement to Serve) online at www.teach-ats.ed.gov. There is no paper copy; this must be done online, and it uses your FAFSA PIN to enter the form and cover the signature. This is fairly comprehensive with the terms and conditions of the TEACH Grant, about 22 pages when printed, so you should allow sufficient time to read through it. A PDF is supposed to be made available to schools and students for downloading.
Disbursement:
Once TEACH Grant eligibility is determined, the amount is awarded and then both counseling and the agreement must be done. Funds will then be paid with the annual award being split into two disbursements. If you change your mind and want to cancel the award you may do so within 14 days of notification that it was disbursed.
Other points of interest about the TEACH Grant:
n Students may apply for the TEACH Grant at any time during the academic year but the application must be submitted while the student is still enrolled that year or by the deadline published by the Department of Education (whichever is earlier). Any payments for a previous semester will be based on credit hours completed. Applying in advance of the academic year, if possible, is recommended.
n TEACH is only for the first baccalaureate degree; may not receive a TEACH Grant for a second baccalaureate or second post-baccalaureate program.
n The requirement to have scored at the 75th percentile on a national college admissions test is a one-time check, whereas the use of the 3.25 GPA to meet eligibility guidelines has to be looked at each semester.
n Though a FAFSA has to be filed to determine some eligibility guidelines, students do not have to demonstrate financial need.
n The TEACH Grant when combined with the student's other financial assistance may not exceed the cost of attendance.
n If a student receives subsequent TEACH Grants then additional counseling will be required each year to review the terms and conditions of the award. Exit counseling is also required when the student is preparing to leave the University.
n Under certain conditions the TEACH Grant may be converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan with interest accruing from the date of each grant disbursement:
- if the recipient requests that the grant be converted to a loan
- the recipient fails to notify the Department of Education that he is employed, or intends to pursue employment, within 120 days of ceasing enrollment
- the recipient does not confirm intention to satisfy the agreement to the Department annually
- within one year of ceasing enrollment the recipient has not begun teaching service
- the recipient does not maintain employment in a timeframe allowing for completion of service
*There is a possibility that a student who received a TEACH Grant early in their academic career could fail to be admitted to the teacher education program.
n A TEACH Grant that has been converted to a loan cannot be reconverted to a grant.
n A TEACH Grant converted to a loan does receive a six-month grace period; and there is an in-school deferment for at least half-time enrollment.
n A TEACH Grant converted to a loan does not count against the grant recipient's annual or aggregate Stafford Loan limits.
n Students will receive quarterly statements from the Department of Education showing status of TEACH, dollars received and potential loan amount, along with instructions on how to affirm commitment.
n The Department of Education is looking at extenuating circumstances under which a TEACH Grant recipient may be excused from fulfilling all or part of the teaching service obligation. Currently there are no provisions for situations like serving part of the teaching obligation (less than the required 4 years).
For more information about pursuing a TEACH Grant eligible program, contact:
Truman's School of Health Sciences and Education, VH 2300, Dr. Janet Gooch, Dean.
For more information about certification and disbursement of a TEACH Grant, contact:
Truman's Financial Aid Office, MC103, Kathy Elsea, Director of Financial Aid.