Teach Grant

Full-time students may receive up to $4,000 per year ($16,000 total for undergraduates; $8,000 total for graduates). Due to congress' passing of the Budget Control Act of 2011, the grant amount will be reduced for students attending less than full time. (Three-quarter time students may receive up to $3,000, half-time students up to $2,000, and less-than-half time students up to $1,000). The maximum award is currently $3,772.

1. Teaching obligation

Within eight years of finishing your teacher preparation program, you must teach at least four years of high-need subjects in designated schools that serve low-income students. If you do not complete the teaching obligation, your grant will convert to an unsubsidized loan, which you will have to repay with interest accrued from the date the funds were first disbursed.

High-need subject areas:

• bilingual education and English language acquisition
• foreign language
• mathematics
• reading specialist
• science
• special education
• other identified teacher shortage areas (search by state)

2. Sign a service agreement annually

Each year that you receive a TEACH grant, you must sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve (ATS). This agreement specifies the conditions under which the grant will be awarded and the teaching service requirements, and will require you to acknowledge that you understand that if you do not meet the teaching service requirements you must repay the grant as an unsubsidized loan, with interest accrued from the date the funds were first disbursed.

3. Complete counseling

You will be required to complete online counseling through the financial aid office each year that you accept a TEACH Grant. You will also be required to complete exit counseling when you graduate or leave school. To complete this, go to  TEACH Grant Exit Counseling.

To be eligible for the TEACH Grant you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Complete TEACH Grant entrance counseling and sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Service (ATS) each year
• Be enrolled in coursework or plan to complete coursework toward a career in teaching in a high-need subject area
• Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 as a high school graduate and maintain that GPA throughout your academic program OR score above the 75th percentile on at least one section (English, math, reading) of a national standardized college/university admission test (SAT or ACT).
• Complete the FAFSA, although you do not have to demonstrate financial need to be eligible

Eligibility at Calvin

Calvin students must either have been accepted into the education program (undergraduate or graduate) or be intending to apply to the education program after having completed the required prerequisite courses (e.g. EDUC 102, 202). Students must be majoring or minoring in one of the eligible programs offered at Calvin (see chart below). Note that:

• Elementary teachers must be employed full-time in the high need field (elementary all-subjects teaching is not eligible).
• Students pursuing a second bachelor’s degree or certification following a first bachelor’s degree are not eligible for the TEACH Grant.
• Calvin University does not offer any of the other identified teacher shortage areas as these are predominately vocational in nature.

Browse a complete list of education majors and minors and the coursework required for each.

Elem. Major (K-8)

• Chinese
• Early Childhood
• French
• German
• Integrated Science
• Mathematics
• Spanish

Elem. Minor (K-8)

• Chinese
• English as a Second Language
• French
• German
• Integrated Science
• Mathematics
• Spanish

Sec. Major (6-12)

Within 120 days of completing or ceasing to enroll in your teacher preparation program you must confirm with the U.S. Department of Education 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.

Complete the TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve (ATS) and entrance counseling.