Federal Teach Grant Program

***PLEASE NOTE: DUE TO THE CURRENT SEQUESTRATION, WE ARE UNABLE TO AWARD ANY NEW TEACH GRANTS AT THIS TIME.***
 
The Federal TEACH Grant provides funding of up to $4,000 per year to students who agree to serve for four years as a highly-qualified teacher in high-need fields and low-income schools as determined by the Department of Education. For a complete list of low income schools, visit the Department of Education:
 
Eligibility
Only students pursuing a first Bachelor's degree are eligible for a TEACH Grant at Siena College. Students pursuing only a teacher licensure or a second Bachelor's degree are not eligible for the TEACH Grant.
Students must be actively pursuing coursework within a major that will enable them to teach in a federal or state-recognized high need field, at a low income school, as a highly qualified teacher.
 
High Need Fields
For purposes of the TEACH Grant, nationally recognized high-need fields are: Mathematics, Science, & Foreign Language.
 
Academic Requirements
To be eligible for the TEACH Grant students must either earn a GPA of 3.25 or better based on their class status (as described below) or have scored in the 75th percentile or better on at least one battery of a nationally-normed admission test (i.e. SAT).

 
Class Status
GPA Standard
Undergraduate freshman students
Earn a High School GPA of 3.25 or better
Incoming undergraduate transfer students
Earn Transfer GPA of 3.25 or better
Continuing UO undergraduate students
Earn a UO GPA of 3.25 or better


For students who do not meet the “75% percentile” qualifier, their cumulative GPA must remain at or above a 3.25 to continue to receive the grant for future terms. GPA is reviewed at the conclusion of every semester to determine eligibility for the next term.

Failure to Complete Service Obligation
Recipients who fail to complete the service obligation for this program will have their TEACH Grant(s) converted to Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans. If the grant is converted to a loan, retroactive interest will be applied at 6.8% accrued from the date each grant was originally disbursed. The chart below shows an expample of the interest charged and repyament amounts for a student who received $16,000 of TEACH grant funds and failed to meet the service obligation.
 
 
If you pay the interest at the time the TEACH grant funds are converted to a loan:
If you do not pay the interest and it is capitalized:
Teach Grant Amount
$16,000
$16,000
Accrued Interest from September 1, 2008 to June 1, 2017 (6.8% fixed-interest rate)

$7,708 (paid at the time of conversion to loan)

$7,708 (capitalized)
Principal to be repaid
$16,000
$23,708
Monthly Payment (Standard Repayment Plan)
$184
$273
Number of Payments
120
120
Total Amount Repaid
$22,095
$32,740
**The Financial Aid Office believes it is important for students to thoroughly understand the service requirements for this program and thoughtfully determine whether it is appropriate to participate. Failure to complete the service obligation will greatly increase a student's college loan debt.
 
TEACH Grant Entrance and Exit Counseling
Students that receive a TEACH Grant are required to complete their Agreement to Serve (ATS) application with the Department of Education each year.  At the completion of the student’s studies at Siena College, Exit Counseling must be completed.
 
To Apply
  1. Complete a Siena TEACH Grant Application.
  2. Complete TEACH Entrance Counseling Requirements
  3. Complete an Agreement to Serve (ATS)