There are financial aid resources and programs that teachers can take advantage of to help pay for their education.
A resource that is available to students planning a career of teaching in high-need, low-income areas is the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant. This grant provides “up to $4,000 a year to students who are completing or plan to complete course work needed to begin a career in teaching” (source: studentaid.ed.gov). Visit https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/grants-scholarships/teach to get eligibility and application information.
Under certain circumstances, you can also get your federal student loans forgiven or even canceled. According to studentaid.ed.gov, these programs are “intended to encourage individuals to enter and continue in the teaching profession” and are primarily available to teachers who serve low-income families.
For eligibility and application information for the two types of teacher loan forgiveness programs (Teacher Loan Forgiveness and Teacher Cancellation), please go to https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation#teacher.
