What is the TEACH Grant?
The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant provides funds to students who are completing or who plan to complete coursework that is required to begin a career in teaching, and who agree to teach full time for at least four years and meet the following conditions:- Perform consistently as a highly qualified teacher.
- Teach at a school servicing low-income students.
- Teach in a high-need field.
The four years of teaching must be accomplished within eight years of completion or other termination of the program for which you received a TEACH Grant. This teaching requirement is known as your TEACH Grant service obligation. For purposes of the TEACH Grant program, high-need fields are: mathematics, science, foreign language, bilingual education, English language acquisition, special education, reading specialist, or another field listed in the Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing that is issued annually by the U.S. Department of Education.
- What are the student eligibility requirements?
- You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), although you do not have to demonstrate financial need.
- You must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
- You must be enrolled as an undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, or graduate student in a postsecondary educational institution that has chosen to participate in the TEACH Grant program. At Hofstra, only students who are accepted to a School of Education teaching program are eligible. Students typically are accepted to a teaching program that begins in their junior year.
- You must meet certain academic achievement requirements (generally, scoring above the 75th percentile on a college admission test or maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25).
- You must sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve (see below for more information on the TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve).
- What is considered a school serving low-income students?
Schools serving low-income students include any elementary or secondary school that is listed in the U.S. Department of Education's Annual Directory of Designated Low-Income Schools for Teacher Cancellation Benefits. To access the directory, please visit www.tcli.ed.gov and click on the SEARCH button. What is TEACH Grant Initial and Subsequent Counseling?
TEACH Grant Initial and Subsequent Counseling explains the TEACH Grant program and the TEACH Grant service obligation. You must complete TEACH Grant Initial and Subsequent Counseling for each year that you receive a TEACH Grant – before you sign the TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve (ATS) for that year.
The counseling session consists of a TEACH Grant overview and three additional sections that cover the following topics in detail:- Your TEACH Grant ATS.
- Your service obligation.
- Conversion of a TEACH Grant to a loan.
Each section is followed by a quiz.
- What is the amount of the grant?
For the TEACH Grant the maximum award of $4,000 is reduced to by 5.7%, resulting in a maximum award of $3,772. Eligible full-time students may receive $3,772 per year in TEACH Grant funds, up to a maximum of $16,000 for undergraduate and post-baccalaureate study, and $8,000 for graduate study. The amount is prorated based on attendance. - When will the TEACH Grant disburse?
TEACH Grants usually disburse to your account on or about 10 days prior to the start of each term. For the fall semester, the TEACH Grants will pay on or after September 1. Please note: Disbursement may not occur if you have not completed all the requirements and/or submitted all the required documentation.
You have the right to cancel all or a portion of your Direct Loan and/or TEACH Grant within 14 days of being notified of the disbursement to your student account. If you fail to notify us within the timeframe, you will remain obligated to repay the award. You need to submit your request in writing to Bursar via email. What is a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve (ATS)?
The TEACH Grant ATS is a legally binding document that:- Explains your TEACH Grant service obligation.
- Explains the conditions under which your TEACH Grant may be converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan.
- Describes the repayment terms and conditions that apply if your TEACH Grant is converted to a loan.
You must sign a new ATS each year you receive a TEACH Grant. You must complete TEACH Grant Initial and Subsequent Counseling for each year before you may complete an ATS for that year.
- What degree programs/majors are eligible?
To determine if your degree program/major is eligible, contact the Student Financial Services and Registrar Suite at 516-463-8000 or via email. - What websites can a student use to find out more about the TEACH Grant?
The U.S. Department of Education has set up a website dedicated to the TEACH Grant: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/grants-scholarships/teach. At this site, students can complete the required entrance counseling and the TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve. - How can students communicate to Hofstra that they are interested in the TEACH Grant?
Students can:- Complete the TEACH Grant Initial Counseling and ATS.
- Contact the Student Financial Services and Registrar Suite.
- How will the process work at Hofstra?
You will need to complete the TEACH Grant Initial Counseling and ATS requirements prior to being packaged with the TEACH Grant. See instructions on back cover.
How to complete the TEACH Grant Initial Counseling requirements:
You must complete TEACH Grant counseling each year that you receive a TEACH Grant – before you sign an Agreement to Serve (ATS) for that year.
To begin your TEACH Grant counseling session, visit https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/launchTeach.action and click on LOG IN TO START in the left-hand navigation bar. You will be taken to the Federal Student Aid login page and are required to use your Federal Student Aid ID username and password to log in. Once you log in, start your counseling session. Most people complete counseling in 20-30 minutes.
Before you begin the counseling session, you will be asked to enter:
- The year for which you are receiving a TEACH Grant.
- The name and location of the school where you are receiving a TEACH Grant.
How to complete the ATS requirements:
Visit https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/launchTeach.action and click on LOG IN TO START in the left-hand navigation bar. You will be taken to the Federal Student Aid login page and are required to use your Federal Student Aid ID username and password to log in. Once you log in, complete the ATS session. Most people complete the ATS in 20-30 minutes.
You will complete your ATS in the following four steps:
Step 1 - School Information
The following information will be carried forward from the most recent year for which you have completed TEACH counseling:- The year for which you are receiving a TEACH Grant.
- The name and location of the school where you are receiving a TEACH Grant.
Before you begin the ATS, you will be asked to verify this information.
- Step 2 - Student Information
You will provide your contact information and two references with different U.S. addresses who have known you for at least three years. - Step 3 - Review Draft
You will:- Confirm that you have read your ATS and that you agree to all the terms and conditions explained in the ATS.
- Sign your ATS electronically.
- Step 4 - Submit ATS
You will review your signed ATS and correct any incorrect information before submitting your signed ATS.