Student Financial Aid

Student Financial Aid
Â鶹´«Ã½
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5337 USA
(269) 387-6000

Federal Student Grants

Federal Pell Grant

A federal Pell Grant is:

  • Federally funded (funding not limited).
  • Offered to Â鶹´«Ã½s with exceptional need per federal criteria.
  • Offered by WMU as federal Pell Grant on offer letter.

Eligibility:

  • Undergraduate Â鶹´«Ã½.
  • First bachelor's degree.
  • Lifetime limit of six years of eligibility, or the full-time equivalent of six years if attending less than full time. See an example of how this rule works on .
  • Offer amount based upon Â鶹´«Ã½ aid index, enrollment intensity and enrollment period.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant

A federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant is:

  • Federally funded (limited funding).
  • Need-based.
  • Offered to Â鶹´«Ã½s with exceptional need.
  • Funds may not be available for Â鶹´«Ã½s who apply after April 1 for the upcoming aid year.
  • Offer amounts at WMU: minimum $200, maximum $1,200.

Eligibility:

  • Undergraduate Â鶹´«Ã½.
  • First bachelor's degree.
  • Offer eligibility based upon Â鶹´«Ã½ aid index, enrollment and other resources.
  • Offer amount adjusted or canceled if enrolled less than half time.
  • Offer may be adjusted or canceled if your SAI changes or you receive additional resources. 

9

scholarships and grants are available for Michigan state residents

50+

endowed scholarships are available from generous WMU donors

Federal TEACH Grant

Â鶹´«Ã½ Â鶹´«Ã½s may wish to participate in the U.S. Department of Education's Federal Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant program. For any TEACH Grant first disbursed on or after Oct. 1, 2020, and before Oct. 1, 2024, the maximum award of $4,000 is reduced by 5.7% ($228), resulting in a maximum award of $3,772. We strongly encourage you to consider that this grant has a high potential of turning into a loan. It is estimated that 80% of Â鶹´«Ã½s who participate in the federal TEACH Grant program will be unable to use the funds as grants. These Â鶹´«Ã½s will see their funds converted to a federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan with accumulated interest.

If you are not already committed to teaching full time in a high-need subject in a school serving low-income Â鶹´«Ã½s, you should not consider this as a possible source of aid. A Â鶹´«Ã½ who receives a federal TEACH Grant and fails to fulfill the terms of the "Agreement to Serve" will incur substantial indebtedness.

Description

The Federal TEACH Grant program will provide up to $4,000 per academic year ($16,000 total for undergraduate programs; $8,000 total for graduate studies) in grants to Â鶹´«Ã½s enrolled full time who are enrolled in TEACH eligible programs with the intent to teach full time in high-need subject areas at schools that serve Â鶹´«Ã½s from low-income families.

Students enrolled less than full time will receive a prorated amount per semester. Total financial aid may not exceed the cost of attendance, so receiving a federal TEACH Grant may reduce your eligibility for other types of financial aid.

Teaching obligation

  • In exchange for receiving a federal 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 Â鶹´«Ã½s.
  • As a recipient of a federal 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 the grant.
  • If you fail to complete this service obligation, all funds you received from the federal TEACH Grant 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 your grants were disbursed.

High-need fields can be found at the . The high-need field must be designated as such for the state in which you are teaching at the time you begin teaching. This means the TEACH-eligible program you choose now might no longer be eligible by the time you begin your teaching obligation.

Current high-need fields are:

  • Bilingual education and English language acquisition.
  • Foreign language.
  • Mathematics.
  • Reading.
  • Science.
  • Special education.
  • Other fields as designated by the federal government, the state government or a local educational agency.

See the for current information. Low-income designation is made at the individual school level, not the school district level.

  • Students interested in receiving a TEACH Grant must be enrolled in one of the following WMU TEACH-eligible programs.
  • You must confirm within 120 days of completing or otherwise ceasing enrollment in your teacher preparation program that you are fulfilling, or plan to fulfill, the terms and conditions of your service agreement.
  • You have eight years from the time you complete your program of study to complete four years of qualified teaching. If you believe you will not be able to fulfill your obligation on time, consider requesting a suspension.
  • Once you are teaching in a qualified school in a qualified program, your school administrator must notify the U.S. Department of Education each year that you are meeting your teaching obligation.
  • You may cancel your federal TEACH Grant while you are a Â鶹´«Ã½ by returning the funds disbursed to your account within 14 days after the grant has been disbursed by contacting Student Financial Aid.
  • You may request your federal TEACH Grant be converted to a loan if you determine you cannot meet the service obligation by contacting the U.S. Department of Education. This loan will be serviced by FedLoan Servicing. Contact Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency by phone at (800) 699-2908 or online at .

U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens admitted to TEACH-eligible programs may apply for a federal TEACH Grant by completing a  (FAFSA) and submitting the appropriate year's TEACH undergraduate and graduate application. Student Financial Aid will determine your eligibility and approve your offer. Please allow two weeks for processing. Once offered, you will receive a revised offer notice via your WMU email. After you have been offered the federal TEACH Grant, you must also complete TEACH Grant entrance counseling. You must also complete the "Agreement to Serve."

You must complete federal TEACH Grant after you have been offered the grant in order to certify you understand your teaching obligation and to apply for the program. If you complete the entrance counseling requirement before you have been offered the federal TEACH Grant, WMU will not receive your information. Next, you must complete the "Agreement to Serve."

Every year after you have been approved for a federal TEACH Grant, you must complete the U.S. Department of Education's online  (ATS) using your Federal Student Aid ID. You cannot complete the ATS until you have been offered a federal TEACH Grant by WMU. When you sign the service agreement, you are promising to meet the requirements of the federal TEACH Grant. If you do not meet those requirements, your grant will convert to a federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan with accrued interest from the date the grant funds were first disbursed. If the grant is converted to a loan, it cannot be converted back to a grant.

  • You must provide proof from ACT, SAT, GRE or GMAT that you scored above the 75th percentile in at least one of the subject areas.
  • You must maintain a 3.25 GPA prior to each payment period.
  • If you are a graduate Â鶹´«Ã½, you must document that you are a current or former teacher or retiree with expertise in a high-need field.

You must complete federal TEACH Grant before you leave school. Exit counseling is required when you:

  • Are no longer enrolled in a TEACH-eligible program (you change your major).
  • Graduate.
  • Are no longer enrolled at least half time.

If you have additional questions about the federal TEACH Grant program, please call (269) 387-6000 or email @email. The U.S. Department of Education also provides details about the .

More funding Â鶹´«Ã½

Loans:

Loans are another way to finance your education. Undergraduate and graduate Â鶹´«Ã½s and parents of dependent Â鶹´«Ã½s may borrow money to pay for educational expenses.
Explore loan offers

Institutional scholarships:

Scholarships and grants are types of financial aid that do not need to be repaid. They are a great way to pay for your education and may reduce the need for Â鶹´«Ã½ loans.
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State of Michigan scholarships:

Residents of Michigan may qualify for scholarships or grants. The state of Michigan will notify WMU of Â鶹´«Ã½ eligibility, and the financial aid office will offer Â鶹´«Ã½s accordingly.
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Private scholarships:

Private scholarships are free funds from sources outside of WMU. Scholarships that are received from a private source must be reported to the University and must be factored in to existing Â鶹´«Ã½ financial aid offers.
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