Grants

Grants are one of the most desirable forms of financial aid since they are free money - financial aid that does not have to be repaid. Grants are often need-based and can come from the federal government or state government. Students interested in grant money must complete the FAFSA.

Federal Pell Grant

Federal Pell Grants are need-based grants provided to degree-seeking undergraduate students. Pell grant eligibility is determined by using the Expected Family Contribution (EFC)/Student Aid Index (SAI) from results obtained from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the school's cost of attendance, and the student's enrollment status. Award amounts change yearly. Please visit Federal Student Aid to view the maximum Federal Pell Grant award for the current academic year.

Maximum Pell Eligibility

Effective July 1, 2012, the Department of Education has established that students can only receive the Federal Pell Grant for the equivalent of 12 full time semester or 600%. This means a student that has received a Federal Pell Grant that is equivalent to 12 full time semesters are no longer eligible to receive the Federal Pell Grant or any other Federal Grants even if they have not completed their first bachelor's degree. Students who have reached their maximum Pell eligibility will be notified by FAFSA via their Student Aid Report in the Comment Section. Students can also monitor the percentage and semesters of Federal Pell eligibility used through the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is a grant for undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional financial need. This grant does not need to be repaid. At SRU, award amounts range between $200 and $500 per year. This amount may vary from year to year based upon federal funding and student eligibility. Students are encouraged to file the FAFSA as early as possible to be considered.

TEACH Grant

Through the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, Congress created the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program that provides grants of up to $4,000 per year to students who intend to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families.

Due to Sequestration:

• Any TEACH Grants first disbursed on or after October 1, 2016 and before October 1, 2017 are subject to a 6.9% reduction. This means that the maximum TEACH Grant is $3,724 or $1,862 per term.

IMPORTANT: If you fail to complete this service obligation, all amounts of TEACH Grants that you received will be converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan with interest accruing retroactively from the date the grant was disbursed. Review complete details and restrictions.

Student Eligibility Requirements

To receive a TEACH Grant at SRU, you must meet the following criteria:

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), although you do not have to demonstrate financial need.
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
• Be enrolled in one of SRU's TEACH Grant-eligible programs (see list of SRU TEACH-Eligible programs below). If you are an undergraduate student, you must also be officially accepted into the College of Education.
• Meet certain academic achievement requirements (generally, scoring above the 75th percentile on a college admissions test or maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25).
• Complete TEACH Grant Initial and Subsequent Counseling which is required by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve and Promise to Pay each year with the U.S. Department of Education.
• Complete the appropriate TEACH Application.
• 2023-24 Undergraduate Application for Federal Teach Grant (Updated May 2023)
• 2023-24 Graduate Application for Federal Teach Grant (Updated May 2023)

Conditions

In exchange for receiving a 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 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 TEACH Grant.
• IMPORTANT: If you fail to complete this service obligation, all amounts of TEACH Grants that you received 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 the grant(s) was disbursed.

SRU's TEACH-Eligible Programs

Based on High-Need Fields Specified in TEACH Grant Regulations, the following have been identified as programs that are eligible for the TEACH grant at SRU.

• Bachelor's Degree
  • Special Education (PreK-8 - Early Childhood Education (PreK-4) (dual certification), BSED (Major Code: 1189)
  • Secondary Education - French (K-12), BSED (Major Code: 1228)
  • Secondary Education - Spanish (K-12), BSED (Major Code: 1284)
  • Mathematics (4-8), BSED (Secondary Education - Middle Level) (Major Code: 1233)
  • Science (4-8), BSED (Secondary Education - Middle Level) (Major Code: 1235)
• Master's Degree
  • Secondary Ed. - Math/Science Advanced Track (Major Code: 9254)
  • Secondary Ed. -Math/Science Basic Track (Major Code: 9255)
  • Special Ed - Autism (Major Code: 9_88 AUTS)
  • Special Ed. Pk-12 (Major Code: 9_88 PK12)
  • K-8 Education Math/Science (Major Code: 9153)
  • Elm Ed K-12 Reading Specialist (Major Code: 9190)
  • ELED Rdg Spec-Inst Coach Litrcy (Major Code: 9194)

Note: SRU's Teacher Certification-only programs are not eligible for TEACH Grant consideration

Schools Serving Low-Income Students

Schools serving low-income students include any elementary or secondary school that is listed in the Department of Education's Annual Directory of Designated Low-Income Schools for Teacher Cancellation Benefits.

TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve

Each year that you receive a TEACH Grant, you must sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve and complete a new TEACH Grant Entrance Counseling . The TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve specifies 1) the conditions under which the grant will be awarded, 2) the teaching service requirements, and 3) includes an acknowledgment that you understand that you must repay the grant as a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, with interest accruing from the date the grant funds were disbursed if you do not meet the teaching service requirements. Specifically, the TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve will require the following:

• For each TEACH Grant-eligible program for which you received TEACH Grant funds, you must serve as a full-time teacher for a total of at least four academic years within eight calendar years after you completed or withdrew from the academic program for which you received the TEACH Grant.
• You must perform the teaching service as a highly-qualified teacher at a low-income school. The term highly-qualified teacher is defined in section 9101(23) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 or in section 602(10) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
• Your teaching service must be in a high-need field.
• You must comply with any other requirements that the Department of Education determines to be necessary.
• If you do not complete the required teaching service obligation, TEACH Grant funds you received will be converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan that you must repay, with interest charged from the date of each TEACH Grant disbursement.

Disclaimer

This page provides a summary of the TEACH Grant Program based on the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007. The information on this page is subject to change and is not binding on the Department of Education or SRU.

State Grants and Scholarships

The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) uses information from the FAFSA to determine state grant eligibility. Eligible students must submit the FAFSA by May 1 in order to meet Pennsylvania State Grant's deadline, be enrolled at least half-time (6 credits) in an approved undergraduate program of study, and meet other eligibility requirements as outlined by PHEAA. The state grant amounts vary annually. PHEAA will notify you directly of your state grant eligibility. This notification usually occurs during the month of May.

The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) also offers a variety of scholarship programs for Pennsylvania residents. For additional information regarding these programs and application processes, visit PHEAA's funding opportunities website.

Students from states other than Pennsylvania should contact their state grant and scholarship agencies for information on application deadlines, amounts and eligibility notices.