Affordable Teacher Training in Missouri

To be considered for scholarships, loan forgiveness, or opportunities, you must complete the full application process. This usually means that you’ll fill out an application form and submit any required additional materials, like recommendation letters and school transcripts. 

You can find application support, including downloadable templates and step-by-step instructions, at the TEACH Missouri Application Guides page.

Eligibility is a blanket term for the basic criteria you must meet in order to apply for an opportunity. Eligibility criteria can be many things, including your GPA, work experience, age or racial or gender identity. Scholarships, grants, internships, loan forgiveness programs and teaching programs all have their own eligibility requirements.

Grants are free money for school. Usually, grants come from government or local organizations and colleges. These resources are often awarded based on things like income and family size.

Some grant providers, such as small businesses and nonprofits, may have specific eligibility requirements.

A loan is money that you’ll need to pay back with interest after you graduate.

Many students first take loans from the federal government, because they tend to have better interest rates.

If you’ve maxed out or don’t qualify for federal loans, you can also take out private loans. Some private loans come from a bank, and some colleges and universities also offer their own loan programs.

Loan forgiveness programs are just what they sound like: If your loans are forgiven, you don’t have to pay them back at all.

As a teacher, you can often get your loans forgiven if you commit to teach for a set period of time—usually three to six years—in a high-demand subject, grade level or geographical area.

Loan forgiveness programs can cover thousands of dollars in student loans. However, each loan forgiveness program has different rules and offers different amounts of money. If you apply for loan forgiveness, make sure you understand the amount of money you’ll receive and the commitment you’ll need to make.

Like grants, scholarships are basically free money for school. Scholarships can come from schools, the government or private organizations.

A scholarship is usually a set amount of money based on financial need, academic achievement or other accomplishments. There are also many scholarships specifically for students with certain interests or identities. 

If you receive a scholarship or grant for school, there are several ways you can actually get the funds. Depending on the award, you might receive the money directly, or it may go directly to your college or university in your name.

Each financial aid opportunity is different, so check to find out how your funds will get distributed.

What exactly your financial aid covers will depend on the specific award. Some funding will cover any education-related cost, including tuition, student housing, textbooks and school fees. Other awards only cover tuition, so check to find out what you can pay for with your funds.

Most scholarships, grants and federal loans have specific deadlines. These are usually available on the organization’s information page and website. These pages will also provide instructions to complete your application.

Yes! Through TEACH.org’s financial aid search tool, you can select specific criteria unique to you. You can filter for scholarships, fellowships and loan forgiveness programs that are just for your location, background, interests or subject area.

TEACH.org currently only provides support and information for opportunities specific to those seeking teaching opportunities within the United States.