---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 1070g–1"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "1070g–1"
heading: "Program established"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/1070g-1"
units:
  - "Chapter 28 — Higher Education Resources and Student Assistance"
  - "Subchapter IV — Student Assistance"
  - "Part A — Grants to Students in Attendance at Institutions of Higher Education"
  - "Subpart 9 — teach grants"
---

# §1070g–1. Program established

- (a) **Program authority—**
  - (1) **Payments required—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) shall pay to each [eligible institution](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=1) such sums as may be necessary to pay to each [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) who files an application and agreement in accordance with [section 1070g–2 of this title](/usc/20/1070g–2.md), and who qualifies under paragraph (2) of [section 1070g–2(a) of this title](/usc/20/1070g–2.md?p=a), a TEACH Grant in the amount of $4,000 for each year during which that [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) is in attendance at the institution.
  - (2) **References—** Grants made under [paragraph (1)](#a-1) shall be known as “Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grants” or “TEACH Grants”.
- (b) **Payment methodology—**
  - (1) **Prepayment—** Not less than 85 percent of any funds provided to an [eligible institution](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=1) under [subsection (a)](#a) shall be advanced to the [eligible institution](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=1) prior to the start of each payment period and shall be based upon an amount requested by the institution as needed to pay [teacher candidates](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) until such time as the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) determines and publishes in the Federal Register with an opportunity for comment, an alternative payment system that provides payments to institutions in an accurate and timely manner, except that this sentence shall not be construed to limit the authority of the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) to place an institution on a reimbursement system of payment.
  - (2) **Direct payment—** Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to prohibit the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) from paying directly to [teacher candidates](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3), in advance of the beginning of the academic term, an amount for which [teacher candidates](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) are eligible, in cases where the [eligible institution](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=1) elects not to participate in the disbursement system required by [paragraph (1)](#b-1).
  - (3) **Distribution of grants to teacher candidates—** Payments under this subpart shall be made, in accordance with regulations promulgated by the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) for such purpose, in such manner as will best accomplish the purposes of this subpart. Any disbursement allowed to be made by crediting the [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3)’s account shall be limited to tuition and fees and, in the case of institutionally-owned housing, room and board. The [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) may elect to have the institution provide other such goods and services by crediting the [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3)’s account.
- (c) **Reductions in amount—**
  - (1) **Part-time students—** In any case where a [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) attends an [eligible institution](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=1) on less than a full-time basis (including a [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) who attends an [eligible institution](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=1) on less than a half-time basis) during any year, the amount of a grant under this subpart for which that [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) is eligible shall be reduced in proportion to the degree to which that [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) is not attending on a full-time basis, in accordance with a schedule of reductions established by the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) for the purposes of this subpart, computed in accordance with this subpart. Such schedule of reductions shall be established by regulation and published in the Federal Register in accordance with [section 1089 of this title](/usc/20/1089.md).
  - (2) **No exceeding cost—** The amount of a grant awarded under this subpart, in combination with Federal assistance and other assistance the student may receive, shall not exceed the cost of attendance (as defined in [section 1087ll](/usc/20/1087ll.md) of this title) at the [eligible institution](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=1) at which that [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) is in attendance.
- (d) **Period of eligibility for grants—**
  - (1) **Undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students—** The period during which an undergraduate or [post-baccalaureate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=2) student may receive grants under this subpart shall be the period required for the completion of the first undergraduate baccalaureate or [post-baccalaureate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=2) course of study being pursued by the [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) at the [eligible institution](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=1) at which the [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) is in attendance, except that—
    - (A) any period during which the [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) is enrolled in a noncredit or remedial course of study as described in [paragraph (3)](#d-3) shall not be counted for the purpose of this paragraph; and
    - (B) the total amount that a [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) may receive under this subpart for undergraduate or [post-baccalaureate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=2) study shall not exceed $16,000.
  - (2) **Graduate students—** The period during which a [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) student may receive grants under this subpart shall be the period required for the completion of a master’s degree course of study pursued by the [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) at the [eligible institution](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=1) at which the [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) is in attendance, except that the total amount that a [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) may receive under this subpart for [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) study shall not exceed $8,000.
  - (3) **Remedial course; study abroad—** Nothing in this section shall be construed to exclude from eligibility courses of study which are noncredit or remedial in nature (including courses in English language acquisition) which are determined by the [eligible institution](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=1) to be necessary to help the [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) be prepared for the pursuit of a first undergraduate baccalaureate or [post-baccalaureate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=2) degree or certificate or, in the case of courses in English language instruction, to be necessary to enable the [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) to utilize already existing knowledge, training, or skills. Nothing in this section shall be construed to exclude from eligibility programs of study abroad that are approved for credit by the home institution at which the [teacher candidate](/usc/20/1070g.md?p=3) is enrolled.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–329, title IV, § 420M, as added Pub. L. 110–84, title I, § 104, Sept. 27, 2007, 121 Stat. 787; amended Pub. L. 110–153, § 3(2), Dec. 21, 2007, 121 Stat. 1824.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2007—Subsecs. (a)(1), (c)(1). Pub. L. 110–153, § 3(2)(A), substituted “year” for “academic year”.

Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 110–153, § 3(2)(B), substituted “other assistance the student may receive” for “other student assistance” and struck out at end “If, with respect to any teacher candidate for any academic year, it is determined that the amount of a TEACH Grant exceeds the cost of attendance for that year, the amount of the TEACH Grant shall be reduced until such grant does not exceed the cost of attendance at the eligible institution.”