Grants

This grant is awarded based on financial need and on information submitted on the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE. This grant is awarded for fall and spring terms. Limited grant may be available for summer study, but requires an approved Summer Academic Plan. Visit Summer Aid for details.

The Federal Pell Grant is awarded to students based on federal eligibility and the information submitted on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

An FSEOG is awarded to students with exceptional financial need and is based on the availability of funds. Priority is given to Federal Pell Grant recipients. The award is determined by the Office of Financial Aid.

The Federal Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) provides grants to students who intend to teach in an elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families.

Grant recipients agree to:

• Teach for at least four years, within eight years of finishing their teacher preparation program.
• Teach high-need subjects in designated schools that serve low-income students. It is recommended that you look for school districts in which you are interested in teaching to see if they would qualify as designated schools serving low-income students.
• Sign a Federal TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve each year that they receive a Federal TEACH grant (available electronically on the U.S. Department of Education website).
• Teach in a field designated as high-need in the state where they teach.

Important Note: If you do not complete the four-year teaching obligation, you must repay the grant as a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan with interest. Once the grant is converted to a loan, it cannot be converted back to a grant.

Eligibility

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen.
• Be enrolled in coursework or plan to complete coursework toward a career in teaching and/or in a high-need subject area (see list below)
  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).
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress and meet all other institutional requirements for maintaining enrollment.
• Complete the Federal TEACH Grant counseling and sign a Federal TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve each year.
• Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), although you do not have to demonstrate financial need to be eligible.

Eligible Programs at Syracuse University

Undergraduate

• Inclusive Childhood Education
• Inclusive Adolescent Education

Graduate

• Inclusive Special Education (1-6)
• Inclusive Special Education (7-12)
• Inclusive Special Education – Generalist
• Mathematics Education
• Science Education 7-12 (biology, chemistry, earth science, and physics)
• Early Childhood Special Education
• Literacy Education Birth to Grade 12
• Teaching English Language Learners

Documentation

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 must document your teaching service by the chief administrative officer at the school where you teach.

Application Process

• Complete a current year Free Application for Federal Student Aid, FAFSA
• Your eligibility for the Federal TEACH Grant will be determined by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Programs. If eligible, you will be notified of the award, which can also be viewed on My Financial Aid on MySlice.
• Complete the Federal TEACH Grant Initial Counseling Session and Agreement to Serve (ATS) available on your MySlice Financial Aid To Do List.

Important Notes: If you are not already committed to teaching a high-need subject in a low-income school, please use caution when considering this possible source of funds. According to some estimates, only 20 percent of students who participate in the Federal TEACH Grant Program will be able to use the funds as grants, while many students will see their funds converted to loans with accumulated interest.

Cancellation of a Federal TEACH Grant

You may request cancellation of all or part of your Federal TEACH Grant award by completing this online form. If you request cancellation before the first day of the payment period or within 30 days after your school notifies you of your grant, your school will return the funds and they will not be converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan.

Accepting a Federal TEACH Grant

Accepting a Federal TEACH Grant does not automatically guarantee employment in a high-needs field. It is up to you to obtain employment in a qualified school district that meets the requirements of your service agreement.

Additional Information

• • Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Programs, 315-443-1513, or email the Syracuse Financial Aid office.  
  • Contact the School of Education’s Office of Academic and Student Services at soeacademicservices@syr.edu or 315.443.9319.
  • For additional general information, visit the Department of Education’s website.

The New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) awards grants to New York residents attending college full time in New York State. Your Financial Aid Award Notice may include a TAP estimate based on your FAFSA application; however, New York State determines your actual award based on New York State tax returns. After New York State verifies your application with your state income tax return, your award may be adjusted.  If the initial estimate is higher than your actual award, additional Syracuse University funding cannot be used to cover the difference between the estimate and the actual award.

Students must apply annually; the FAFSA links to the NYS TAP application.

Renewing Your Grant

You must reapply each year that you wish to be considered for financial aid, including grants. All financial aid applications are reviewed annually for eligibility, and awards are based on funding levels. The amount of federal financial aid is determined annually based on federal regulations, student eligibility, and the availability of funds.

• For federal financial aid, file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• For a Syracuse University Grant, undergraduate students should file the College Scholarship Service (CSS)/Financial Aid PROFILE

Read important details on renewing grants.

Please note that changes in family financial circumstances (income, assets, number of household members attending undergraduate school) affects your financial need and aid eligibility.  Since the number of siblings in college substantially reduces the family’s Expected Family Contribution for each student, changes in this number directly impacts the amount of financial aid awarded.

The Indigenous Pathways Grant provides need-based aid to Indigenous students from across the United States and Canada. All Indigenous students with documented need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS) are eligible.

If you (or your parent/grandparent) are Indigenous and officially enrolled in your state or federally recognized tribe/Nation, you are eligible for Syracuse University’s Indigenous Pathways Grant.