Teacher Candidate Funding Explorer

• The program provides grants of up to $4,000 a year to students who are completing or plan to complete coursework needed to begin a career in teaching and are attending a TEACH grant eligible program. Learn if a program is TEACH grant eligible by speaking to an advisor.


• 4-year Service Requirement After Program: To receive the funding, a candidate must enter into a service agreement. This requires the candidate to work for 4 years, after they receive their Preliminary teaching credential, as a full-time teacher in (1) a school or LEA that serves low-income students and/or is operated by the Bureau of Indian Education or that operates on Indian reservations; or (2) a high-need field.


• Conversion to Loan: Failure to meet these requirements within 8 years of receiving the teaching credential will result in all TEACH Grants received being converted to Direct Unsubsidized Loans with interest charged from the date of each TEACH Grant disbursement.


• Complete the FAFSA and the Service Agreement to apply for this aid.

• 4-year Service Requirement: 4-year Service Requirement: This grant provides one-time funds to students enrolled on or after January 1, 2020, in a professional preparation program leading to a Preliminary teaching credential, approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing—if the student commits to working in a high-need field at a priority school for 4 years. Applicants that applied from 9/1/2023 to 6/30/2024 will continue to receive up to $20,000 but applicants that applied from 7/1/2024 and after will receive up to $10,000. Applicants who received the reduced award of $10,000 have a service requirement of 2 years instead of 4 years. Additionally, intern programs in this group are no longer eligible.


• Conversion to Loan: Failure to meet these requirements within 8 years of receiving the teaching credential will result in repaying the portion of their award over a maximum 4-year repayment schedule less any service obligation completed.


• Complete the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application, and the Service Agreement to apply for this aid.

• This financial aid from the state government is intended to help teacher candidates pay for their education expenses at an eligible college. Some of these expenses include tuition and fees, housing and meals, and other additional education-related necessities.


• Must be a Recent Cal Grant Recipient: Cal Grant A and B recipients enrolling in a 5th-year teacher credential program may be eligible to renew their Cal Grant award for one additional year, but must have received their bachelor’s degree within 15 months.


• Additional Funds for Parents: Students meeting the above criterion that also have dependents may be eligible for an additional $6,000 through the Students with Dependent Children Grant.


• Complete the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application to apply for this aid.

Federal/State

/University

• Need-based Aid for CSU Students: The SUG program provides need-based awards to eligible undergraduate and graduate/post-baccalaureate students who are California residents or otherwise determined to be eligible, e.g., AB 540-eligible students.


• Aid Prioritization: Systemwide, the priority is to award each SUG at least equal to the amount of the State University Fee ($5,742 for undergraduates; $6,660 for students in teaching credential programs; and $7,176 for graduate and post-baccalaureate students) to eligible students who apply for financial aid by March 2; who have an expected family contribution (EFC) of $4,000 or less; and who are not receiving a Cal Grant or other award designated to cover fees


• Units Earned Impact Eligibility: The number of units a student has earned also affects SUG eligibility. Undergraduates in most programs may receive SUG for up to 150 units. Transfer students are reviewed for eligibility based on the number of units transferred. Graduate and credential students are also limited based on their program's length. Each CSU campus has established local awarding policies and priorities for these funds.


• Complete the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application to be considered for aid by a CSU campus.

Federal/State

/University

• Need-based Aid for UC Students: This plan provides funding to cover a UC student's systemwide tuition and fees if the student is a California resident, has a total family income of less than $80,000 a year, and qualifies for financial aid. The plan combines all sources of scholarship and grant awards the student receives (federal, state, UC, and private) toward covering the student's tuition and fees. Students with greater financial need can qualify for even more grant support to help pay other educational expenses, e.g., books, housing, transportation, etc.


• For Undergraduate Students: The student must be in their first 4 years as a UC undergraduate (or first 2 years for transfer students).


• Complete the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application to apply for this aid.

• This financial aid is intended to help students cover tuition and fees, housing and meals, and other education-related expenses at an eligible college or career school.


• Eligibility Varies by Program: A student who is enrolled in a post-baccalaureate teacher certification or licensure program is eligible to receive a Pell Grant if the program does not lead to a graduate degree (e.g., Master of Arts); the school offering the program does not also offer a bachelor’s degree in education; the student is pursuing an initial teacher certification or licensing credential within a state; and the program consists of the courses required by a state to receive a professional certification or licensing credential necessary for employment as a teacher in an elementary or secondary school in that state.


• Complete the FAFSA to apply for this aid.

• Part-time Employment: The Federal Work-Study Program provides part-time employment for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students with demonstrated financial need. Job options can vary, but may include positions such as a reading tutor, math tutor, or teaching apprentice.


• Earnings Limit: Students can not earn more than their total Federal Work-Study Award. However, some students may be eligible to covert loans they are eligible for, but have not accepted, to Work-Study awards. This can increase the amount a student can earn through Work-Study.


• Requires Job Application: Students eligible for Federal Work-Study must apply to open job positions at their respective institution of higher education. Jobs may be on or off campus.


• Complete the FAFSA to be considered for this program.

• Teacher Credential Eligibility: The Middle Class Scholarship provides undergraduate students and students pursuing a teaching credential with a scholarship to attend a University of California (UC), California State University (CSU) or California Community College Bachelor’s degree program. The scholarship is for students with family incomes and assets up to $217,000.


• One-Year: Students enrolled in an eligible teaching credential program may be eligible for up to one-year of the scholarship. For students concurrently pursuing a Masters Degree and a teacher credential, the scholarship is only subject the teacher credential units the student is enrolled in.


• Award Amount Varies: Award amounts will be based on the following factors: cost of attendance for the school of the student’s choice, other gift aid the student is eligible, a self-help student contribution, and a parent contribution for dependent students with a household income over $100,000.


• Complete the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application to apply for this aid.

• Medi-Cal is California’s version of the Federal Medicaid program. Medi-Cal offers no-cost and low-cost health coverage to eligible people who live in the state.


• Eligibility: Starts at 138% of poverty level ​($20,121 annual salary for a family of 1; $41,400 for a family of 4).

• California's childcare system includes several programs, each addressing different childcare needs.


• CalWORKs: The California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Child Care Program was established in 1997 to provide subsidized services for welfare program participants and low-income families.


• Stages of CalWORKS: Childcare through this program is administered in three stages. Stage 1 is administered by the California Department of Social Services; stages 2 and 3 are administered by the California Department of Education. Stages 1 and 2 services are considered to be an entitlement; however, stage 3 services are dependent on fund availability.


• Eligibility: CalWORKs cash aid recipients are eligible for stage 1 and 2 childcare based on their eligibility for cash aid. Families must also have a need for care, such as being employed or participating in county-approved welfare-to-work activities. (CalWORKs participants have good cause for not participating in required welfare-to-work activities or employment if adequate childcare is not available.)

• Local Transit Partnerships: Transportation resources are largely regionally or institutionally dependent. There is no statewide discount for college students or teacher candidates, but some campuses and cities have partnerships with local transit that reduce or eliminate such costs for students.

• CalFresh Program: Federally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), CalFresh issues monthly electronic benefits that can be used to buy most foods at many markets and food stores. CalFresh helps improve the health and well-being of qualified households and individuals by providing them a means to meet their nutritional needs.


• Allotment: CalFresh allotment depends on size of household.

• Eligibility: This grant is for recipients who receive a Cal Grant and who have dependent children.

• Various: A variety programs offer sheltering, permanent housing, and housing deposits for people experiencing homelessness.


• Disability and Adult Protective Services: Programs also offer housing for family unification for disabled individuals and safety and stability of individuals involved in Adult Protective Services.