Financial Aid for Teachers

Grant recipients agree to teach for at least four years within eight years of finishing their teacher preparation program and to teach high-need subjects in designated schools that serve low-income students.

For a directory of these designated schools, go to www.tcli.ed.gov. If you do not complete the four-year teaching obligation, your grant will convert to an unsubsidized loan, which you will have to repay with interest.

Note: If you are not already committed to teaching a high-need subject in a low-income school, please use caution when considering this possible source of funds. According to some estimates, only 20 percent of students who participate in the TEACH Grant Program will be able to use these funds as grants. Students who change career paths will see their grants converted to loans with accumulated interest. Please reflect carefully before applying.

“High–Need” Fields

• Bilingual Education and English Language Acquisition
• Foreign Language
• Mathematics
• Reading specialist
• Science
• Special Education
• Other identified teacher shortage areas as of the time the candidate begins teaching in that field. For a listing of these fields go to www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/pol/tsa.doc.

Eligible Programs

• Foreign Language majors
• Mathematics majors
• Science majors
• Special Education majors
• English majors

Requirements

• Candidate must file the FAFSA
• Candidate must be in good standing with the Title IV aid programs
• Candidate must participate annually in the TEACH grant counseling to actively confirm their intent to teach
• Candidate must be above the national 75th percentile on a college admissions test submitted to Nebraska Wesleyan University (e.g. – ACT, SAT) OR submit a GPA from high school of at least a 3.25 on a 4.0 scale OR submit a 3.25 GPA on a 4.0 scale after one full–time semester at Nebraska Wesleyan University.
• Must maintain a GPA of 3.25

Funding

• $16,000 maximum (undergraduate)
• $8,000 maximum (graduate)

Contact

• Thomas J. Ochsner, Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid, Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid: (402) 465–2167 or tjo@nebrwesleyan.edu
• Dr. Peter Heckman, Chair of Education Department: (402) 465–2312 or pheckman@nebrwesleyan.edu

For more information, visit the TEACH Grant page on the Federal Student Aid Web Site.