TEACH Grant program student guide

TEACH overview

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program, offered by the U.S. Department of Education, provides grants of up to $4,000 a year to students who are completing course work needed to begin a career in teaching. For the 2025-2026 academic year, the maximum grant award is $3,772. Recipients can receive a maximum of $16,000 as an undergraduate student and $8,000 as a graduate student.

In exchange for receiving a TEACH Grant, you must agree to:

  1. Serve as a full-time teacher for four elementary or secondary school years at a school or educational service agency (ESA) that serves low-income students
  2. Meet all state certification requirements for teaching
  3. Teach in a high-need field (review Eligibility Requirements section for details)
  4. Complete the required four years of teaching within eight years after you graduate from or otherwise cease to be enrolled at the institution of higher education where you received your TEACH grants

Failure to meet the requirements of your service obligation will result in all TEACH Grants received converting to Direct Unsubsidized Loans that must be repaid in full, with interest charged from the date of each TEACH Grant disbursement.

Eligibility requirements

Eligible students must meet all the following criteria:

  • Complete the FAFSA
  • Enroll as an undergraduate or graduate student in a TEACH eligible program that will result in teaching in the following high-need fields:
    • Mathematics
    • Science, including, but not limited to, computer science
    • Foreign language
    • Reading specialist
    • Bilingual education
    • English language acquisition
    • Special education
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 or score above the 75th percentile on a college admission test
  • Complete the required TEACH Memorandum of Understanding (provided by Buckeye Link or a regional campus financial aid counselor), TEACH Grant Counseling and a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve.

Resources for students

• StudentAid.gov
• Buckeye Link or regional campus contact

TEACH Grant eligible programs

Undergraduate programs

  • Middle Childhood Education (multiple subplans)
  • Special Education – Mild to Intensive Dual Licensure Intervention Specialist 
  • Science and Mathematics Education (all subplans)
  • Dual Licensure Primary General Education and Intervention Specialist
  • Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
  • World Language Education 
  • Family and Consumer Sciences*
  • Business Education Teacher Education* 
  • Art Education (BAE)*
  • Music Education (BME)*
     

Graduate programs

  • Middle Childhood Education (MEd) (multiple subplans)
  • Special Education (MA)
  • Mathematics Education (MEd)
  • Reading and Literacy in Early and Middle Childhood (MA)
  • Science Education (MEd)
  • World Languages Education (MEd)
  • Family and Consumer Sciences Education – MA in Educational Studies, Workforce Development and Education*
  • Business Education, MA in Educational Studies, Workforce Development and Education

*Per the Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing for the state of Ohio for the 2025 – 2026 academic year.