West Virginia University recently announced its continued participation in the Federal Student Aid TEACH Grant Program which provides up to $4,000 per year to qualified students.

Students must agree to teach full-time for four years at an elementary school, secondary school or educational service agency that serves students from low-income families and to meet other requirements.

“This program allows students to work in high-need areas in the state,” said Laura Porter, assistant dean of student services in the Office of Student Success. As West Virginia’s flagship institution, we are providing the students to meet the identified need in the state.”

To receive a TEACH Grant, students must:

• Meet the general eligibility requirements for the federal student aid programs as described at Student.Aid.gov/eligibility/basic-criteria.

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

• Be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen.

• Be at a college junior, senior or graduate student.

• Be admitted into one of the eligible degree-seeking programs listed on the application.

• Be pursing both a degree and certification. Students pursuing a degree only or certification only are not eligible.

• Have an overall grade point average of 3.25 at the time of initial and subsequent disbursement of funds as long as the standards of satisfactory academic progress for financial aid are met.

• Sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve and complete an on-line entrance (or subsequent) counseling session prior to disbursement of the TEACH Grant; you must also complete exit counseling at the time of degree completion or leaving the program.

“The federal TEACH grant is a wonderful opportunity for education students to get additional support for choosing a teaching career,” said Christine Campbell, president of American Federation of Teachers- West Virginia. “Given the low compensation and teacher shortage in West Virginia, college students need all available resources to offset the rising cost of higher education.”

Campbell hopes that WVU’s participation in the program will increase the number of graduates who choose stay in West Virginia and work in local school systems.

“All of our children deserve to have a highly qualified educator in every classroom,” she continued.

The grant exemplifies the goals of WVU’s education and prosperity pillars and highlights the University’s dedication to positively impacting the state of West Virginia.

For more information about the TEACH grant, contact Benjamin Chambers at bchambe4@mail.wvu.edu.

-WVU-

ttr/11/18/2016

CONTACT: Amy Lutz, WVU Office of Advancement
304.293.3261; amy.lutz@mail.wvu.edu

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