20 U.S.C. § 1070g–1 — Program established

(a) Program authority (1) Payments required The Secretary^* must pay to each eligible institution^* such sums as may be necessary to pay to each teacher candidate^* who files an application and agreement under section 1070g–2 of this title, and who qualifies under paragraph (2) of section 1070g–2(a) of this title, a TEACH Grant in the amount of $4,000 for each year during which that teacher candidate is in attendance at the institution. (2) References Grants made under paragraph (1) must 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 under subsection (a) must be advanced to the eligible institution before the start of each payment period and must be based upon an amount requested by the institution as needed to pay teacher candidates until such time as the Secretary 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 must not be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary to place an institution on a reimbursement system of payment. (2) Direct payment Nothing in this section must be interpreted to prohibit the Secretary from paying directly to teacher candidates, in advance of the beginning of the academic term, an amount for which teacher candidates are eligible, in cases where the eligible institution elects not to participate in the disbursement system required by paragraph (1). (3) Distribution of grants to teacher candidates Payments under this subpart must be made, under regulations promulgated by the Secretary 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’s account must be limited to tuition and fees and, in the case of institutionally-owned housing, room and board. The teacher candidate may elect to have the institution provide other such goods and services by crediting the teacher candidate’s account. (c) Reductions in amount (1) Part-time students In any case where a teacher candidate attends an eligible institution on less than a full-time basis (including a teacher candidate who attends an eligible institution on less than a half-time basis) during any year, the amount of a grant under this subpart for which that teacher candidate is eligible must be reduced in proportion to the degree to which that teacher candidate is not attending on a full-time basis, under a schedule of reductions established by the Secretary for the purposes of this subpart, computed under this subpart. Such schedule of reductions must be established by regulation and published in the Federal Register under section 1089 of this title. (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, must not exceed the cost of attendance^* (as defined in section 1087 ll of this title) at the eligible institution at which that teacher candidate is in attendance. (d) Period of eligibility for grants (1) Undergraduate and post-baccalaureate^* students The period during which an undergraduate or post-baccalaureate student may receive grants under this subpart must be the period required for the completion of the first undergraduate baccalaureate or post-baccalaureate course of study being pursued by the teacher candidate at the eligible institution at which the teacher candidate is in attendance, except that— (A) any period during which the teacher candidate is enrolled in a noncredit or remedial course of study as described in paragraph (3) must not be counted for the purpose of this paragraph; and (B) the total amount that a teacher candidate may receive under this subpart for undergraduate or post-baccalaureate study must not exceed $16,000. (2) Graduate students The period during which a graduate student may receive grants under this subpart must be the period required for the completion of a master’s degree course of study pursued by the teacher candidate at the eligible institution at which the teacher candidate is in attendance, except that the total amount that a teacher candidate may receive under this subpart for graduate study must not exceed $8,000. (3) Remedial course; study abroad Nothing in this section must 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 to be necessary to help the teacher candidate be prepared for the pursuit of a first undergraduate baccalaureate or post-baccalaureate degree or certificate or, in the case of courses in English language instruction, to be necessary to enable the teacher candidate to use already existing knowledge, training, or skills. Nothing in this section must be construed to exclude from eligibility programs of study abroad that are approved for credit by the home institution at which the teacher candidate is enrolled.