PRIA Logo™
Title 20, EducationRelease 119-73not60

§1070g–1 Program Established

Title 20 › Chapter 28— HIGHER EDUCATION RESOURCES AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE › Subchapter IV— STUDENT ASSISTANCE › Part A— Grants to Students in Attendance at Institutions of Higher Education › Subpart 9— teach grants › § 1070g–1

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must give money to eligible colleges so they can award qualifying teacher candidates a TEACH Grant of $4,000 for each year the student attends, if the candidate applies and meets the rules in section 1070g–2. At least 85 percent of the money sent to a school must be advanced before each payment period based on what the school requests, until the Secretary puts a new payment system in place and announces it in the Federal Register. The Secretary can require a school to use a reimbursement system, and can pay students directly if a school chooses not to take part. When a school credits a student’s account, that credit can only cover tuition and fees and, for school-owned housing, room and board; students may agree to let the school credit other goods or services. If a student attends less than full time, the grant is reduced in proportion to attendance using a schedule the Secretary sets and publishes. The grant plus other federal and outside aid cannot be more than the school’s cost of attendance. Undergraduates and post‑baccalaureate students can get TEACH Grants only for the time needed to finish their first bachelor’s or post‑baccalaureate program (noncredit or remedial periods don’t count), with a $16,000 lifetime limit. Graduate students can get TEACH Grants while completing a master’s program, up to $8,000 total. Noncredit, remedial, English language, and approved study‑abroad courses may count if the school says they are needed.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §1070g–1

Education, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The Secretary shall pay to each eligible institution such sums as may be necessary to pay to each teacher candidate who files an application and agreement in accordance with section 1070g–2 of this title, and who qualifies under paragraph (2) of section 1070g–2(a) of this title, a TEACH Grant in the amount of $4,000 for each year during which that teacher candidate is in attendance at the institution.
(2)Grants made under paragraph (1) shall be known as “Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grants” or “TEACH Grants”.
(b)(1)Not less than 85 percent of any funds provided to an eligible institution under subsection (a) shall be advanced to the eligible institution prior to the start of each payment period and shall be based upon an amount requested by the institution as needed to pay teacher candidates until such time as the Secretary determines and publishes in the Federal Register with an opportunity for comment, an alternative payment system that provides payments to institutions in an accurate and timely manner, except that this sentence shall not be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary to place an institution on a reimbursement system of payment.
(2)Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to prohibit the Secretary from paying directly to teacher candidates, in advance of the beginning of the academic term, an amount for which teacher candidates are eligible, in cases where the eligible institution elects not to participate in the disbursement system required by paragraph (1).
(3)Payments under this subpart shall be made, in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary for such purpose, in such manner as will best accomplish the purposes of this subpart. Any disbursement allowed to be made by crediting the teacher candidate’s account shall be limited to tuition and fees and, in the case of institutionally-owned housing, room and board. The teacher candidate may elect to have the institution provide other such goods and services by crediting the teacher candidate’s account.
(c)(1)In any case where a teacher candidate attends an eligible institution on less than a full-time basis (including a teacher candidate who attends an eligible institution on less than a half-time basis) during any year, the amount of a grant under this subpart for which that teacher candidate is eligible shall be reduced in proportion to the degree to which that teacher candidate is not attending on a full-time basis, in accordance with a schedule of reductions established by the Secretary for the purposes of this subpart, computed in accordance with this subpart. Such schedule of reductions shall be established by regulation and published in the Federal Register in accordance with section 1089 of this title.
(2)The amount of a grant awarded under this subpart, in combination with Federal assistance and other assistance the student may receive, shall not exceed the cost of attendance (as defined in section 1087ll of this title) at the eligible institution at which that teacher candidate is in attendance.
(d)(1)The period during which an undergraduate or post-baccalaureate student may receive grants under this subpart shall be the period required for the completion of the first undergraduate baccalaureate or post-baccalaureate course of study being pursued by the teacher candidate at the eligible institution at which the teacher candidate is in attendance, except that—
(A)any period during which the teacher candidate is enrolled in a noncredit or remedial course of study as described in paragraph (3) shall not be counted for the purpose of this paragraph; and
(B)the total amount that a teacher candidate may receive under this subpart for undergraduate or post-baccalaureate study shall not exceed $16,000.
(2)The period during which a graduate student may receive grants under this subpart shall be the period required for the completion of a master’s degree course of study pursued by the teacher candidate at the eligible institution at which the teacher candidate is in attendance, except that the total amount that a teacher candidate may receive under this subpart for graduate study shall not exceed $8,000.
(3)Nothing in this section shall be construed to exclude from eligibility courses of study which are noncredit or remedial in nature (including courses in English language acquisition) which are determined by the eligible institution to be necessary to help the teacher candidate be prepared for the pursuit of a first undergraduate baccalaureate or post-baccalaureate degree or certificate or, in the case of courses in English language instruction, to be necessary to enable the teacher candidate to utilize already existing knowledge, training, or skills. Nothing in this section shall be construed to exclude from eligibility programs of study abroad that are approved for credit by the home institution at which the teacher candidate is enrolled.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2007—Subsecs. (a)(1), (c)(1). Pub. L. 110–153, § 3(2)(A), substituted “year” for “academic year”. Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 110–153, § 3(2)(B), substituted “other assistance the student may receive” for “other student assistance” and struck out at end “If, with respect to any teacher candidate for any academic year, it is determined that the amount of a TEACH Grant exceeds the cost of attendance for that year, the amount of the TEACH Grant shall be reduced until such grant does not exceed the cost of attendance at the eligible institution.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 1070g–1

Title 20, Education

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60