30 minutes
Finances in California
This guide explains options for financial aid, scholarships, loan forgiveness and more.
This guide explains options for financial aid, scholarships, loan forgiveness and more.
This guide explains options for financial aid, scholarships, loan forgiveness and more.
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If you have any questions about financing your education, visit the Support page or check in with admissions staff.
When you apply to a teacher preparation program (TPP), make sure to take finances into account. You have options when it comes to funding your education.
Here’s to financial prowess!
There are four types of financial aid that you should look out for: grants and scholarships, student loans, loan forgiveness and work-study.
If you qualify for work-study, try to align your job or service with your area of study. That way you can get hands-on experience while paying for your education.
Check to see if your program offers financial aid. If it does (most do), be prepared to provide your name, Social Security Number, email and other background information.
Some forms will include a Release of Information, which authorizes specified individuals, agencies and organizations access to your form details. It’s a good idea to consent to this section to be considered for some financial aid programs.
To support new teachers, Uncle Sam provides options for paying for your education.
Whether you’ve already earned your bachelor’s degree or you’re still in college, you’ll remember the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Income, family size, parent age and more are taken into consideration when awarding federal grants to graduate students.
Deadline: You can submit your FAFSA application any time after October 1st. The deadline for California is March 2nd. Remember that some forms of aid are first-come-first-serve, so apply as soon as you can!
See the FAFSA website for more details. Our friends at withFrank.org also make it easy to understand and apply for your FAFSA.
Offered by the Federal Student Aid office (the same one that runs FAFSA), the TEACH Grant offers up to $4,000 a year to students targeting the teaching profession. However, not all TPPs participate in the TEACH Grant Program
To remain eligible for your TEACH grant, after you complete you program you must:
If you don’t play by the rules, your TEACH Grant turns into a Direct Unsubsidized Loan, which means you have to pay it back with interest.
See the TEACH Grant website for more details.
If you use federal loans to pay for your program, you may be able to have all or part of your loans forgiven without paying them back. The federal government offers teachers, especially those who serve in high-need subjects or schools, several ways to apply for loan forgiveness.
Check out these programs on the Federal Student Aid website:
The California Student Aid Commission administers its own set of scholarships and grants for California residents. While their awards primarily support undergraduate education, both the Cal Grant and the Middle Class Scholarship may provide aid you can use for your TPP.
If you're applying to a partner teacher preparation program in California, you're eligible to apply for a $1,000 scholarship and up to $100 in fee reimbursements from TEACH.org. Click the links for more details.
There are hundreds of other scholarships and grants out there, ranging from small awards to full-ride scholarships. Browse our national list of financial aid and scholarships.
Don’t forget: You’re not finished once you hit that submit button!
You will receive a financial aid letter (or email) with the details of your award offer(s). You will have to officially accept these offers to receive them. Remember, schools can offer you loans, which you have to pay back with interest. You can always reduce the dollar amount of the loans or completely decline them if you do not need them.
Once you formally accept your financial aid package, you will be one step closer to securing your teaching certification.
When you submit your TPP application, pay the fee. It’s usually around $55. There may also be a separate fee for the specific program you are applying to. Make sure you read all documentation carefully.
In some cases, there may be fee waivers available, so take this opportunity to check in with an admissions officer or program official to see if you apply.
Did you know? You can get up to $100 towards application and testing fees from TEACH. See if you qualify.
Jump to:
If you have any questions about financing your education, visit the Support page or check in with admissions staff.
When you apply to a teacher preparation program (TPP), make sure to take finances into account. You have options when it comes to funding your education.
Here’s to financial prowess!
There are four types of financial aid that you should look out for: grants and scholarships, student loans, loan forgiveness and work-study.
If you qualify for work-study, try to align your job or service with your area of study. That way you can get hands-on experience while paying for your education.
Check to see if your program offers financial aid. If it does (most do), be prepared to provide your name, Social Security Number, email and other background information.
Some forms will include a Release of Information, which authorizes specified individuals, agencies and organizations access to your form details. It’s a good idea to consent to this section to be considered for some financial aid programs.
To support new teachers, Uncle Sam provides options for paying for your education.
Whether you’ve already earned your bachelor’s degree or you’re still in college, you’ll remember the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Income, family size, parent age and more are taken into consideration when awarding federal grants to graduate students.
Deadline: You can submit your FAFSA application any time after October 1st. The deadline for California is March 2nd. Remember that some forms of aid are first-come-first-serve, so apply as soon as you can!
See the FAFSA website for more details. Our friends at withFrank.org also make it easy to understand and apply for your FAFSA.
Offered by the Federal Student Aid office (the same one that runs FAFSA), the TEACH Grant offers up to $4,000 a year to students targeting the teaching profession. However, not all TPPs participate in the TEACH Grant Program
To remain eligible for your TEACH grant, after you complete you program you must:
If you don’t play by the rules, your TEACH Grant turns into a Direct Unsubsidized Loan, which means you have to pay it back with interest.
See the TEACH Grant website for more details.
If you use federal loans to pay for your program, you may be able to have all or part of your loans forgiven without paying them back. The federal government offers teachers, especially those who serve in high-need subjects or schools, several ways to apply for loan forgiveness.
Check out these programs on the Federal Student Aid website:
The California Student Aid Commission administers its own set of scholarships and grants for California residents. While their awards primarily support undergraduate education, both the Cal Grant and the Middle Class Scholarship may provide aid you can use for your TPP.
If you're applying to a partner teacher preparation program in California, you're eligible to apply for a $1,000 scholarship and up to $100 in fee reimbursements from TEACH.org. Click the links for more details.
There are hundreds of other scholarships and grants out there, ranging from small awards to full-ride scholarships. Browse our national list of financial aid and scholarships.
Don’t forget: You’re not finished once you hit that submit button!
You will receive a financial aid letter (or email) with the details of your award offer(s). You will have to officially accept these offers to receive them. Remember, schools can offer you loans, which you have to pay back with interest. You can always reduce the dollar amount of the loans or completely decline them if you do not need them.
Once you formally accept your financial aid package, you will be one step closer to securing your teaching certification.
When you submit your TPP application, pay the fee. It’s usually around $55. There may also be a separate fee for the specific program you are applying to. Make sure you read all documentation carefully.
In some cases, there may be fee waivers available, so take this opportunity to check in with an admissions officer or program official to see if you apply.
Did you know? You can get up to $100 towards application and testing fees from TEACH. See if you qualify.