Federal Offers

FEDERAL PELL GRANT

  • Federally funded (funding not limited).
  • Offered to students with exceptional need per federal criteria.
  • Offered by WMU as Federal Pell Grant on offer letter.

Eligibility

  • Undergraduate students.
  • First bachelor's degree.
  • Lifetime limit of six years eligibility, or the full-time equivalent of six years if attending less than full-time. See an example of how this rule works on studentaid.gov.
  • Offer amount based upon estimated family contribution, enrollment status and enrollment period.

FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANT

  • Federally funded (limited funding).
  • Need-based.
  • Offered to students with exceptional need.
  • Funds may not be available for students who apply after April 1 for the upcoming aid year.
  • Offer amounts at WMU: minimum $200, maximum $1,200.

Eligibility

  • Undergraduate students.
  • First bachelor's degree.
  • Offer eligibility based up estimated family contribution, enrollment and other resources.
  • Offer amount adjusted or canceled if enrolled less than half-time.
  • Offer may be adjusted or canceled if your EFC changes or you receive additional resources.

Federal TEACH Grant

Western Michigan University students may wish to participate in the U.S. Department of Education's Federal TEACH Grant program. For any 2021-22 TEACH Grant first disbursed on or after Oct. 1, 2022, and before Oct. 1, 2023, the maximum award of $4,000 is reduced by 5.7% ($228), resulting in a maximum award of $3,772. We strongly encourage you to consider that this grant has a high potential of turning into a loan. It is estimated that 80% of students who participate in the Federal TEACH Grant program will be unable to use the funds as grants. These students will see their funds converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan with accumulated interest. If you are not already committed to teaching full-time in a high-need subject in a school serving low-income students, you should not consider this as a possible source of aid. A student who receives a Federal TEACH Grant and fails to fulfill the terms of the Agreement to Serve will incur substantial indebtedness.


Description
The Federal TEACH Grant program will provide up to $4,000 per academic year ($16,000 total for undergraduate programs; $8,000 total for graduate studies) in grants to students enrolled full-time who are enrolled in TEACH-eligible programs with the intent to teach full-time in high-need subject areas at schools that serve students from low-income families.

Students enrolled less than full-time will receive a prorated amount per semester. Total financial aid may not exceed the cost of attendance, so receiving a Federal TEACH Grant may reduce your eligibility for other types of financial aid.

Teaching Obligation

  • In exchange for receiving a Federal TEACH Grant, you must agree to serve as a full-time teacher in a high-need field in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves low-income students.
  • As a recipient of a Federal TEACH Grant, you must teach for at least four academic years within eight calendar years of completing the program of study for which you received a Federal TEACH Grant.
  • If you fail to complete this service obligation, all funds you received from the Federal TEACH Grant will be converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. You must then repay this loan to the U.S. Department of Education.
  • You will be charged interest from the date your grants were disbursed.

High-need Fields
High-need fields can be found at the Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing. The high-need field must be designated as such for the state in which you are teaching at the time you begin teaching. This means the TEACH-eligible program you choose now might no longer be eligible by the time you begin your teaching obligation.

Current high-need fields are:

  • Bilingual education and English language acquisition.
  • Foreign language.
  • Mathematics.
  • Reading specialist.
  • Science.
  • Special education.
  • Other fields as designated by the federal government, state government or a local educational agency.

Low-income Schools
See the U.S. Department of Education’s Annual Directory of Designated Low-Income Schools for Teacher Cancellation Benefits for current information. Low-income designation is made at the individual school level, not the school district level.

Eligibility and Maintenance Criteria
  • WMU TEACH-eligible programs.
  • You must confirm within 120 days of completing or otherwise ceasing enrollment in your teacher preparation program that you are fulfilling, or plan to fulfill, the terms and conditions of your service agreement.
  • You have eight years from the time you complete your program of study to complete four years of qualified teaching. If you believe you will not be able to fulfill your obligation on time, consider requesting a suspension. 
  • Once you are teaching in a qualified school in a qualified program, your school administrator must notify the U.S. Department of Education each year that you are meeting your teaching obligation.
  • You may cancel your Federal TEACH Grant while you are a student by returning the funds disbursed to your account within 14 days after the grant has been disbursed by contacting Student Financial Aid.
  • You may request your Federal TEACH Grants be converted to a loan if you determine you cannot meet the service obligation by contacting the U.S. Department of Education. This loan will be serviced by FedLoan Servicing. Contact PHEAA by phone at 1 (800) 699-2908 or online, www.myfedloan.org.

Federal TEACH Grant Application
U.S. Citizens or eligible non-citizens admitted to TEACH-eligible programs may apply for a Federal TEACH Grant by completing a FAFSA and submitting the appropriate year's TEACH undergraduate and graduate application. Student Financial Aid will determine your eligibility and approve your offer. Please allow two weeks for processing. Once offered, you will receive a revised offer notice via your WMU email. After you have been offered the Federal TEACH Grant, you must also complete Federal TEACH Grant entrance counseling. You must also complete the Agreement to Serve.

Federal TEACH Grant Entrance Counseling 
You must complete Federal TEACH Grant entrance counseling after you have been offered to certify you understand your teaching obligation and to apply for the program. If you complete the entrance counseling requirement before you have been offered the Federal TEACH Grant, WMU will not receive your information. Next, you must complete the Agreement to Serve.

Agreement to Serve
Every year after you have been approved for a Federal TEACH Grant, you must complete the U.S. Department of Education's online Agreement to Serve using your FSA ID. You cannot complete the ATS until you have been offered a Federal TEACH Grant by WMU. When you sign the service agreement, you are promising to meet the requirements of the Federal TEACH Grant. If you do not meet those requirements, your Federal TEACH Grant will covert to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan with accrued interest from the date the grant funds were first disbursed. If the grant is converted to a loan, it cannot be converted back to a grant.

Other Eligibility Criteria:

  • You must provide proof from ACT, SAT, GRE or GMAT that you scored above the 75th percentile in at least one of the subject areas, or
  • Maintain a 3.25 GPA prior to each payment period or
  • If a graduate student, document you are a current or former teacher or retiree with expertise in a high need field.

TEACH Exit Counseling
You must complete Federal TEACH Grant exit counseling before you leave school. Exit counseling is required when you:

  • Are no longer enrolled in a TEACH-eligible program (you change your major).
  • Graduate.
  • Are no longer enrolled at least half-time.

Questions
If you have additional questions about the Federal TEACH Grant program, please call (269) 387-6000 or email finaid-info@wmich.edu. The U.S. Department of Education also provides details about the Federal TEACH Grant program.