Financial Services • Walden University • 6100 Merriweather Drive, Columbia, MD 21044 • 1-800-925-3368 • Fax
1-410-209-8026 Revised 08.05.2024
1
Walden University Federal TEACH Grant Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is the Federal TEACH Grant?
6. Which students need to have an
incoming 3.25 GPA from their
previous institution?
11. Which programs at Walden are
eligible for the Federal TEACH Grant?
2. Why is Walden offering the Federal
TEACH Grant?
7. Which students need to maintain
a 3.25 GPA at Walden?
12. Must I be certified in a high-
need field in order to fulfill the
service agreement?
3. What does a student need to do
in exchange for receiving the Federal
TEACH
Grant?
8. Which students need to prove
that they have expertise in a field in
order to be eligible for the Federal
TEACH
Grant? How do they prove
that they
have expertise?
13. Which Walden programs will
allow me to be certified in a high-
need field?
4. What happens if a student does
not fulfill his/her teaching
obligation?
9. Which program(s) require clinical
experience?
14. Can I fulfill the service
agreement as an elementary
teacher if I teach reading to my
students for more than half
the day?
5. When will students find out if
they will be offered the Federal
TEACH
Grant?
10. If a student goes on Leave of
Absence (LOA), is the student
reported to
the government as no
longer
enrolled at the university?
Will the
Federal
TEACH Grant turn
into a loan?
Additional Questions: Returning
students that have already
completed their FAFSA
1. What is the Federal TEACH Grant?
The Federal TEACH (Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education) Grant
is offered by Walden University to only master’s students who are completing or intend
to complete coursework to begin a career in teaching. Students must also agree to serve
as a full-time teacher in a high-need field at a school or educational service agency serving
low-income students for a minimum of four (4) years.
2. Why is Walden offering the Federal TEACH Grant?
This is a great opportunity for aspiring or current teachers who are now teaching or want to
teach in a high-need field in a school that serves low-income students. These students will be
able to receive funds toward their education that they may not otherwise receive.
The Federal TEACH Grant aligns with Walden’s mission of effecting positive social change.
Teachers will be able to take advantage of this grant to further their education in order to
serve in low-income schools teaching high-need subjects.
3. What does a student need to do in exchange for receiving the Federal TEACH grant?
In exchange for receiving a Federal TEACH Grant, students must agree to serve as a full-time
teacher in a high-need field in a public or private elementary or secondary school, or education
service agency, that serves low-income students. (For a listing of schools and teaching fields that
qualify, visit the
Nationwide List for the state in which
you intend to teach.) Recipients of a Federal
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2
TEACH Grant must teach for at least four (4) academic years within eight (8) calendar years of
ceasing enrollment in the program of study for which they received a Federal TEACH Grant.
4. What happens if a student does not fulfill his/her teaching obligation?
If a student fails to complete this service obligation, the full amount of the Federal TEACH Grant
that he/she received will be converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. Students must then
repay this loan to the U.S. Department of Education. Students will be charged interest from the
date the grant was disbursed. Please note: Federal TEACH Grant recipients will be given a 6-
month grace period prior to entering repayment if a Federal TEACH Grant is converted to a
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan.
5. When will students find out if they will be offered the Federal TEACH Grant?
Walden begins to review Federal TEACH grant four weeks prior to the payment period start date.
Students will receive an offer once all documents have been completed and reviewed by the Office
of Admissions and Financial Services. If all documents have been received in a timely fashion,
student are generally offered the Federal TEACH Grant 2-3 week after the start of the term.
6. Which students need to have an incoming 3.25 GPA from their previous institution?
The only students who need to have an incoming cumulative GPA of 3.25 are those students who
enroll in the Minnesota state-approved
*
Teacher Preparation Program with a Master of Arts in
Teaching (M.A.T.) in Special Education and are enrolling in this program directly from their
undergraduate degree program. If they are a current or former teacher or changing their
occupation for any reason and has expertise in a high-need field they do not have an incoming
GPA requirement.
7. What GPA is required to receive a Federal TEACH Grant??
A student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher at the end of each semester. However, if
a student is a current or former teacher or is changing their occupation for any reason and has
expertise in a high-need field, they must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at the end of
each semester.
8. Which students need to prove that they have expertise in a field in order to be eligible for the
Federal TEACH Grant? How do they prove that they have expertise?
The only students who need to prove that they have expertise in a field are those students who
enroll in the Teacher Preparation Program with a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Special
Education and they are classified as “retirees” (meaning that they are enrolling in Walden’s program
after receiving an undergraduate degree and they have had teaching or work experience in a high-
need field after their undergraduate degree program).
We will ask these students to answer the following question on the Institutional Federal TEACH
Grant application: ** Please describe how your previous personal, professional, or educational
experiences will prepare you to become a Special Education teacher.
This question will be assessed by the Office of Admissions.
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9. Which program(s) require clinical experience?
The only degree program that is required to have a clinical experience is the Teacher Preparation
Program with a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Special Education. This program does meet the
federal requirements because it has the requisite 10-week clinical experience.
10. If a student goes on Leave of Absence (LOA), is the student reported to the government as no
longer enrolled at the university? Will the Federal TEACH Grant turn into a loan?
Any Walden student c
an take a Leave of Absence (LOA) for up to six (6) months. During that time,
they are reported to the U.S. Department of Education's Clearinghouse as enrolled, and they do not
use up their grace period on their federal loans. However, if the student does not return after six
(6) months, they are considered withdrawn and their Federal TEACH Grant will be turned into a
loan. Please review Walden University’s Student Handbook
for detailed information about taking a
Leave of Absence (LOA).
If a s
tudent withdraws during the term, they are reported to the U.S. Department of Education’s
Clearinghouse as withdrawn. If a student intends to return to Walden within 120 days, they must
contact MOHELA
to discuss options to prevent your TEACH Grant from converting to a Direct
Unsubsidized loan. Students should also contact MOHELA if they enter into an LOA after withdrawing
during a term.
These are the parameters that the Office of the Registrar has been using for all students.
Federal TEACH Grant students will be treated the same.
11. Which programs at Walden are eligible for Federal TEACH Grant?
Students must be enrolled in the following Walden Program of Study designated as Federal TEACH
Grant eligible (this program is administered by Walden’s Richard W. Riley College of Education and
Leadership):
Current Programs:
Teacher Preparation Program with a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) †
• Special Education (K-Age 21)
†Walden University’s Teacher Preparation Program is approved by the Minnesota Board of Teaching
for licensure in Minnesota. Walden’s enrollment specialists can provide individuals with guidelines
and other information about licensure. It remains the individual’s responsibility to understand and
comply with the out-of-state licensure requirements for the state in which he or she seeks to be
licensed.
Prosp
ective Alabama students: Contact the Teacher Education and Certification Division of the
Alabama State Department of Education at 1-334-353-8567 or
www.alsde.edu to verify that
these programs qualify for teacher certification, endorsement, and/or salary benefits.
Prospective Washington State students are advised to contact the Office of the Superintendent of
whether Walden’s
programs in the field of education are approved for teacher certification or endorsements in
Financial Services • Walden University • 6100 Merriweather Drive, Columbia, MD 21044 • 1-800-925-3368 • Fax
1-410-209-8026 Revised 08.05.2024
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Washington State. Additionally, teachers are advised to contact their individual school district as to
whether this program may qualify for salary advancement.
Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North
Central Association, http://www.hlcommission.org/; 1-312-263-0456
.
12. Must I be certified in a high-need field in order to fulfill the service agreement?
Most likely. You must review your state’s requirements for how to become highly qualified in a high-
need field. If it required you to obtain full state certification, then you should review your state’s
teacher certification requirements for that high-need field. If you are already certified in a high-need
field, then you can serve, or continue to serve, in that area upon graduation.
13. Which Walden programs will allow me to be certified in a high-need field?
It depends on your state. S
tates typically fall into one of three categories in their requirements for
certification in a new teaching area.
1. Certification can be obtained by passing a content knowledge exam, e.g. Praxis II
2. Certification can be obtained by completing specific coursework in the area and passing a
content knowledge exam, or
3. Certification can be obtained only by completing a program approved by the state’s teacher
certification agency (“state-approved” program).
The MAT
in Special Education program is approved by the Minnesota Board of Teaching to lead to
initial licensure in Special Education: Academic and Behavioral Strategist. You must review your state’s
highly qualified and teacher certification requirements for the
high-need field you intend to serve.
Make certain you are able to meet the service
agreement.
14. Can
I fulfill the service agreement as an elementary teacher if I teach reading to my students for
more than half the day?
Unless your state has
designated elementary as a high-need field, teachers intending on fulfilling the
service agreement by serving as elementary teachers must be cautious. Elementary teachers who
teach many subjects to the same set of students (traditional elementary teachers) would not be able
to fulfill their service agreement. The U.S. Department of Education will accept only exceptions to
the traditional model. For example, math specialists hired at the elementary levels could qualify, but
they would
likely teach math all day long to different cohorts of student
s or on an individual basis.
Traditional elementary teachers would need to move into a high-need field like reading, special
education, secondary science, etc.
You must review your state’s highly qualified and teacher certification requirements for the high-
need field you intend to serve. Make certain you are able to meet the service agreement.
5
FAQ for returning students that have already completed their FAFSA
1. Can I apply for a Federal TEACH Grant if I have already
completed my FAFSA?
6. When does disbursement occur?
2. Are there any other forms I need to complete to
apply for the Federal TEACH Grant?
7. What are the SAP (satisfactory academic progress)
requirements for the Federal TEACH Grant?
3. When will I be offered my aid?
8. Can I check my financial aid status on-line?
4. How will I be notified if I receive an offer?
9. If I drop a class, change a program, or only register
for one class ,will my aid be affected?
5. What do I do after I receive my offer notification?
10. Must I be certified in a high-need field in order to
fulfill the service agreement?
1. Can I apply for a Federal TEACH Grant if I have already completed my FAFSA®?
Yes, however, you need to complete the FAFSA for the correct academic year.
2. Are there any other forms I need to complete to apply for the Federal TEACH Grant?
Yes, you must complete the Institutional Federal TEACH Grant Application (IFTGA) and any other forms
requested.
3. When will I be offered my aid?
Walden begins to review Federal TEACH grant four weeks prior to the payment period start date.
Students will receive an offer once all documents have been completed and reviewed by the Office of
Admissions and Financial Services. If all documents have been received in a timely fashion, student
are generally offered the Federal TEACH Grant 2-3 week after the start of the term.
4. How will I be notified if I receive an offer?
Upon determining the student’s eligibility for the Federal TEACH Grant, Financial Services emails
an offer notification to their Walden University email account.
5. What do I do after I receive my offer notification?
You must review and accept your offer through the myFinAid portal.
6. When does disbursement occur?
Once you accept your offer, the disbursement generally occurs 14 business days after the start of the
term.
7. What are the SAP (satisfactory academic progress) requirements for the Federal TEACH Grant?
A student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher at the end of each semester and meet
the 67% completion rate. A student who is a current or former teacher or is changing their
occupation for any reason and has expertise in a high-need field must maintain a cumulative GPA of
3.0 or higher at the end of each semester and meet the 67% completion rate.
FAFSA® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Education.
Financial Services • Walden University • 6100 Merriweather Drive, Columbia, MD 21044 • 1-800-925-3368 • Fax
1-410-209-8026 Revised 08.05.2024
Financial Services • Walden University • 6100 Merriweather Drive, Columbia, MD 21044 • 1-800-925-3368 • Fax
1-410-209-8026 Revised 08.05.2024
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8. Can I check my financial aid status on-line?
Yes. Please check the myFinAid portal for financ
ial aid updates.
9. If I drop a class, only register for one class, or change my program, will my Federal TEACH Grant be
affected?
Yes, your Federal TEACH Grant may be decreased if enrollment status changes. If Walden makes
changes to your financial aid offer, you will be notified via email. Also, if you change your program
(or fail to meet any other terms) to a non-Federal TEACH Grant eligible program, your Federal
TEACH Grant will convert into a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan with interest charged from the
date of the original disbursement.
10. Must I be certified in a high-need field in order to fulfill the service agreement?
Most likely. You must review your state’s requireme
nts for how to become highly qualified in a high-
need field. If it requires you to obtain full state certification, then you should review your state’s
teacher certification requirements for that high-need field. If you are already certified in a high-need
field, then you can serve, or continue to serve, in that area upon graduation.
