---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 1036"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "1036"
heading: "Graduate fellowships to prepare faculty in high-need areas at colleges of education"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/1036"
units:
  - "Chapter 28 — Higher Education Resources and Student Assistance"
  - "Subchapter II — Teacher Quality Enhancement"
  - "Part B — Enhancing Teacher Education"
  - "Subpart 5 — graduate fellowships to prepare faculty in high-need areas at colleges of education"
---

# §1036. Graduate fellowships to prepare faculty in high-need areas at colleges of education

- (a) **Grants by Secretary—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) shall make grants to [eligible institutions](/usc/20/1058.md?p=b) to enable such institutions to make [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) fellowship awards to qualified individuals in accordance with the provisions of this section.
- (b) **Eligible institutions—** In this section, the term “[eligible institution](/usc/20/1058.md?p=b)” means an [institution of higher education](/usc/20/1001.md?p=a), or a consortium of such institutions, that offers a program of postbaccalaureate study leading to a doctoral degree.
- (c) **Applications—** An [eligible institution](/usc/20/1058.md?p=b) that desires a grant under this section shall submit an application to the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) may reasonably require.
- (d) **Types of fellowships supported—**
  - (1) **In general—** An [eligible institution](/usc/20/1058.md?p=b) that receives a grant under this section shall use the grant funds to provide [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) fellowships to individuals who are preparing for the professorate in order to prepare individuals to become [elementary school](/usc/20/1003.md?p=9) and [secondary school](/usc/20/1003.md?p=16) mathematics and [science](/usc/20/1067k.md?p=4) teachers, [special education teachers](/usc/20/1003.md?p=19), and teachers who provide instruction for [limited English proficient](/usc/20/1021.md?p=15) students, who meet the applicable [State](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A) certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification, or, with regard to [special education teachers](/usc/20/1003.md?p=19), the qualifications described in [section 1412(a)(14)(C) of this title](/usc/20/1412.md?p=a-14-C).
  - (2) **Types of study—** A [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) fellowship provided under this section shall support an individual in pursuing postbaccalaureate study, which leads to a doctoral degree and may include a master’s degree as part of such study, related to teacher preparation and pedagogy in one of the following areas:
    - (A) [Science](/usc/20/1067k.md?p=4), technology, engineering, or mathematics, if the individual has completed a master’s degree in mathematics or [science](/usc/20/1067k.md?p=4) and is pursuing a doctoral degree in mathematics, [science](/usc/20/1067k.md?p=4), or education.
    - (B) Special education.
    - (C) The instruction of [limited English proficient](/usc/20/1021.md?p=15) students, including postbaccalaureate study in language instruction educational programs.
- (e) **Fellowship terms and conditions—**
  - (1) **Selection of fellows—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) shall ensure that an [eligible institution](/usc/20/1058.md?p=b) that receives a grant under this section—
    - (A) shall provide [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) fellowship awards to individuals who plan to pursue a career in instruction at an [institution of higher education](/usc/20/1001.md?p=a) that has a teacher preparation program; and
    - (B) may not provide a [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) fellowship to an otherwise eligible individual—
      - (i) during periods in which such individual is enrolled at an [institution of higher education](/usc/20/1001.md?p=a) unless such individual is maintaining satisfactory academic progress in, and devoting full-time study or research to, the pursuit of the degree for which the fellowship support was provided; or
      - (ii) if the individual is engaged in gainful employment, other than part-time employment related to teaching, research, or a similar activity determined by the institution to be consistent with and supportive of the individuals’s[^1] progress toward the degree for which the fellowship support was provided.
  - (2) **Amount of fellowship awards—**
    - (A) **In general—** An [eligible institution](/usc/20/1058.md?p=b) that receives a grant under this section shall award stipends to individuals who are provided [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) fellowships under this section.
    - (B) **Awards based on need—** A stipend provided under this section shall be in an amount equal to the level of support provided by the National [Science](/usc/20/1067k.md?p=4) Foundation [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) fellowships, except that such stipend shall be adjusted as necessary so as not to exceed the fellowship recipient’s demonstrated need, as determined by the [institution of higher education](/usc/20/1001.md?p=a) where the fellowship recipient is enrolled.
  - (3) **Service requirement—**
    - (A) **Teaching required—** Each individual who receives a [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) fellowship under this section and earns a doctoral degree shall teach for one year at an [institution of higher education](/usc/20/1001.md?p=a) that has a teacher preparation program for each year of fellowship support received under this section.
    - (B) **Institutional obligation—** Each [eligible institution](/usc/20/1058.md?p=b) that receives a grant under this section shall provide an assurance to the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) that the institution has inquired of and determined the decision of each individual who has received a [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) fellowship to, within three years of receiving a doctoral degree, begin employment at an [institution of higher education](/usc/20/1001.md?p=a) that has a teacher preparation program, as required by this section.
    - (C) **Agreement required—** Prior to receiving an initial [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) fellowship award, and upon the annual renewal of the [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) fellowship award, an individual selected to receive a [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) fellowship under this section shall sign an agreement with the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) agreeing to pursue a career in instruction at an [institution of higher education](/usc/20/1001.md?p=a) that has a teacher preparation program in accordance with [subparagraph (A)](#e-3-A).
    - (D) **Failure to comply—** If an individual who receives a [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) fellowship award under this section fails to comply with the agreement signed pursuant to [subparagraph (C)](#e-3-C), the sum of the amounts of any [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) fellowship award received by such recipient shall, upon a determination of such a failure, be treated as a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford [Loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) under part D of subchapter IV, and shall be subject to repayment, together with [interest](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=6) thereon accruing from the date of the fellowship award, in accordance with terms and conditions specified by the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) in regulations under this subpart.
    - (E) **Modified service requirement—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) may waive or modify the service requirement of this paragraph in accordance with regulations promulgated by the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) with respect to the criteria to determine the circumstances under which compliance with such service requirement is inequitable or represents a substantial hardship. The [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) may waive the service requirement if compliance by the fellowship recipient is determined to be inequitable or represent a substantial hardship—
      - (i) because the individual is permanently and totally disabled at the time of the waiver request; or
      - (ii) based on documentation presented to the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) of substantial economic or personal hardship.
- (f) **Institutional support for fellows—** An [eligible institution](/usc/20/1058.md?p=b) that receives a grant under this section may reserve not more than ten percent of the grant amount for academic and career transition support for [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) fellowship recipients and for meeting the institutional obligation described in [subsection (e)(3)(B)](#e-3-B).
- (g) **Restriction on use of funds—** An [eligible institution](/usc/20/1058.md?p=b) that receives a grant under this section may not use grant funds for general operational overhead of the institution.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “individual’s”.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–329, title II, § 258, as added Pub. L. 110–315, title II, § 201(3), Aug. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 3163; amended Pub. L. 114–95, title IX, § 9214(c)(11), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2164.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2015—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 114–95 struck out “highly qualified” after “become” and inserted “, who meet the applicable State certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification, or, with regard to special education teachers, the qualifications described in section 1412(a)(14)(C) of this title” before period at end.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2015 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 114–95 effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as a note under section 6301 of this title.