Teach Grant Information

Students who plan to teach may wish to consider the TEACH Grant, a federal program for students committed to teaching in high need subject areas. Please read all information below carefully to determine if you may be eligible.

Please be aware that if you receive the TEACH Grant but do not fulfill the stringent requirements of the program the amount awarded in grant money becomes a loan with interest (at the same rate as the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan) compounded from the time of initial disbursement of the award.

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60% of APSU teacher graduates are employed in Tennessee the first year after graduation. Many of the remaining students take jobs in other states, at DOE schools, and at international schools. However, students who utilize the TEACH Grant Program but do not maintain the TEACH Grant requirements risk the grant being converted into a loan with accumulated interest. Please take the time to meet with your academic advisor to ensure your commitment to education.

Amount of Grant

The TEACH Grant Program provides up to $3716 per year ($16,000 total for an undergraduate program; $8000 for graduate studies) in grants to full time students who plan to teach full time in high-need subject areas at schools serving students from low-income families. Students attending less than full time will have the grant reduced (3/4 time students may receive up to $2787; ½ time students may receive up to $1858; and < ½ time students may receive up to $929). Review the following links for the Department of Education’s Annual Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing (http://www.ed.gov/about/office/list/ope/pol/tsa.doc) and the Department of Education’s Annual Directory of Designated Low-Income Schools for Teacher Cancellation Benefits (https://www.tcli.ed.gov/CBSWebApp/tcli/TCLIPubSchoolSearch.jsp.).

Teaching Obligation

Grant recipients agree to teach for at least four full years within eight years of finishing their teacher preparation program, and to teach in high-need subjects in designated schools that serve low-income students. If you do not complete the teaching obligation, your grants will convert to an Unsubsidized Direct loan, which you must repay with interest incurred from the time of initial disbursement.

Service Agreement

Each year you receive a TEACH Grant, you must sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve which is completed electronically through the U.S. Department of Education web site. When you sign the service agreement, you are agreeing to repay the grant as a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, with the interest accruing from the date the grant funds were disbursed, if you do not complete the teaching obligation. Once the grant has been converted to a loan, it cannot be converted back to a grant. You are required to complete the ATS agreement once a year. You are also required to contact the U.S. Department of Education at least once a year after graduating or leaving school to verify your intent to teach.

Counseling

You will be required to complete counseling through the U.S. Department of Education’s website each year in which you wish to be considered for TEACH grant funds. You will also be required to complete Exit Counseling through the Office of Financial Aid when you graduate or leave school.

High-Need Subject Areas

Bilingual education and English language acquisition
English
Foreign language
Mathematics
Reading
Science
Special Education
Other identified teacher shortage areas (as listed in the Department of Education's Nationwide Listing of Teacher Shortage Areas - see link above).

Eligibility

At Austin Peay State University, you must

Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
Complete a FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov), although you do not have to demonstrate financial need to be eligible
Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 throughout your academic program, or demonstrate a score above the 75th percentile on a national standardized college admissions test
Sign a service agreement and complete counseling each year that you receive a grant

Documentation

You will need to confirm with the U.S. Department of Education, within 120 days of graduating or ceasing to enroll in your teacher preparation program, that you are fulfilling (or plan to fulfill) the terms and conditions of your service agreement. You must document your teaching service, and your documentation must be certified by the chief administrative officer at the school where you teach. It is your responsibility to communicate this information to the U.S. Department of Education. After 120 days of graduating or ceasing to enroll, if you have not provided necessary information concerning your service or intent to service, your TEACH Grant is converted into an Unsubsidized Stafford Loan with a 6 month grace period before active repayment starts. Once the grant is converted to a loan, it cannot be converted back to a grant.

If you would like to be considered for the TEACH Grant, click on the "Steps To Take" link above and follow the necessary steps for consideration.

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