Master of Arts in Teaching
TEACH Grant
The TEACH Grant Program provides grants of up to $4,000 a year to students who are completing course work needed to begin a career in teaching. At Christopher Newport, students must be enrolled in the Master of Arts in Teaching Program to qualify. Undergraduate-level programs do not qualify.
Due to sequestration, award amounts for any TEACH Grant first disbursed on or after October 1, 2020, and before October 1, 2024, must be reduced by 5.7 percent from the award amount for which a recipient would otherwise have been eligible. For example:
- For any 2024–25 TEACH Grant first disbursed on or after October 1, 2020, and before October 1, 2024, the maximum award of $4,000 is reduced by 5.7 percent ($228), resulting in a maximum award of $3,772.
As a condition for receiving a TEACH Grant, student must sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve in which you agree to (among other requirements) teach:
- In a high-need field
- At an elementary school, secondary school or educational service agency that serves students from low-income families
- For at least four complete academic years within eight years after completing (or ceasing enrollment in) the course of study for which you received the grant
IMPORTANT: If you do not complete your service obligation, all TEACH Grant funds you received will be converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Loan. You must then repay this loan to the U.S. Department of Education, with interest charged from the date the TEACH Grant was disbursed (paid to you or on your behalf).
To receive a TEACH Grant at Christopher Newport, you must do the following:
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Be enrolled as a graduate student in the MAT Program
- Meet and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25
- Receive TEACH Grant counseling that explains the terms and conditions of the TEACH Grant service obligation (you must complete counseling each year that you receive a TEACH Grant)
- Sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve
The TEACH Grant Counseling and the Agreement to Serve must be completed online.
If you are considering applying for the TEACH Grant, we strongly urge that you educate yourself on this opportunity before submitting an Agreement to Serve. Read the fine print and make sure you fully understand the strict requirements before committing. It has been reported that about one-third of all TEACH grants disbursed since the program’s inception in 2008 have been converted into capitalized loans.
Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program
The Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program is intended to encourage individuals to enter and continue in the teaching profession.
Under this program, if you teach full-time for five complete and consecutive academic years in certain elementary and secondary schools and educational service agencies that serve low-income families, and meet other qualifications, you may be eligible for forgiveness of up to a combined total of $17,500 on your Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans and your Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans.
If you have PLUS loans only, you are not eligible for this type of forgiveness.
VA Teaching Scholarship Loan Program
The Virginia Teaching Scholarship Loan Program, furnished by the Virginia Department of Education, is crafted to increase the number of elementary and secondary school teachers who have an interest in pursuing studies in one of the critical teacher shortage areas. The list of those areas is updated each year. The list usually includes math, science, foreign language and special education. Teacher education schools must participate.