About Financial Aid

You can get certified to teach without breaking the bank. Learn how to find resources to pay for your teacher preparation program

Find Scholarships
Image of a light-skinned man in a blue checked shirt with arms crossed against a light green background and surrounded by illustrated financial symbols

It's understandable to have your eye on the cost of teacher preparation programs. The good news is, there are many opportunities to reduce or even eliminate tuition costs.

On this page, get information on:

  • Key vocabulary to understand financial aid
  • Strategies to make your teaching program affordable
  • Frequently asked questions about financial aid

This page gives a brief overview of financial aid terms and possible resources. You can find even more information, ideas and tools at our TeachSC Financial Aid Guide!

Key Vocabulary

First things first: money talk can get confusing. Here are some key terms to help you get started.

The application process is the set of steps you’ll need to complete to be considered for a scholarship, loan forgiveness program or other opportunity.

Applications usually include a form or collection of forms. You may need to provide other additional materials as well, such as recommendation letters, school transcripts or other documents that determine your eligibility.

Eligibility is the basic criteria you must meet to be able to apply for an opportunity, such as a scholarship, grant, internship or loan forgiveness program. 

Eligibility criteria can be many things, including your GPA, work experience, age or racial or gender identity. Scholarships, grants, internships, loan forgiveness programs and teaching programs all have their own eligibility requirements.

Grants are another type of financial aid that you don’t need to pay back. Grants generally come from the federal or state government, or from local organizations or universities. Grants are often awarded based on income or family size, but some grant providers have other specific eligibility requirements.

A loan is a sum of money that you can use to help pay for your education. You will need to pay back your loan with interest after you graduate.  

Many students first take loans from the federal government, because the interest rates tend to be lower. Students might take out private loans from a bank or another provider if they have maxed out on federal loans and still need additional funds.

When looking at loan options, make sure you know whether your loans will be subsidized or unsubsidized. Subsidized loans will not accrue interest while you are still in school. Most federal loans are subsidized loans.

Loan forgiveness means that you won’t have to pay back some or all of your student loans. In exchange for forgiven loans, you’ll commit to teaching for a set period of time—often in a certain geographic or subject area.

Loan forgiveness can cover substantial amounts of money, so it’s among the highest value financing opportunities for your education costs.

Loan forgiveness programs vary, so make sure you understand the specific types of loans and amounts that can be forgiven, as well as any teaching commitments you’ll need to fulfill.

A scholarship is free money that you don’t need to repay. Scholarships often come from the federal or state government, your college or university or outside organizations. Scholarships are generally awarded to students who meet certain qualifications, such as financial need, academic success or achievements in a certain area of interest.

5 Ways to Make Your Teacher Preparation Affordable

There are many ways to reduce or eliminate your teaching program expenses. We’ve gathered a few strategies to consider.
  1. 1

    Apply for scholarships and financial aid

    There are several scholarship opportunities for aspiring teachers in South Carolina. For example, if you declare a math or science major, you could get up to $4,700 through The Legislative Incentive for Future Excellence (LIFE) Scholarship. The South Carolina Need-based Grant offers up to $2,500 if you show financial need and meet a few other eligibility requirements. 

    For more information on these scholarships and others like them, visit our Financial Aid Explorer, or check out our national scholarship database.

  2. 2

    Explore loan forgiveness programs

    If you teach in critical need schools or subjects like math, science or English for Speakers of Other Languages, the federal government has programs to forgive some or all of your student loans. To get started, check out the federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program.

    If you have an SC Teachers Loan, Career Changers Loan or PACE Loan, South Carolina Student Loan may also forgive a portion of your student loans. To qualify, you’ll need to commit to teaching in a state-designated critical need subject or critical need geographic area.

  3. 3

    Start your undergraduate degree at a community college

    Have you considered starting your bachelor’s degree at a community college? Community colleges offer more flexible, affordable options than a traditional four-year school. You can save money if you start your training at a community college and transfer to a larger university to finish your degree.

  4. 4

    Earn a salary while completing your coursework

    If you have a bachelor’s degree, but haven’t completed an educator preparation program, you could qualify for an alternative certification program. Alternative certification programs let you take coursework while you start working in the classroom. 

    Check out the South Carolina Department of Education’s Alternative Certification page for more information about alternative pathway options.

  5. 5

    Get Support from TEACH South Carolina

    Did you know TEACH SC offers scholarships and will help cover your application costs? Visit our Fee Reimbursement page to learn how you can get $100 back for application fees and other application-related expenses. You can also learn more about TEACH SC scholarships at our Scholarships page. 

Not sure where to begin? Get personalized advice.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to some of our most common financial aid questions.

If you are awarded a scholarship or grant, how you receive that money will depend on the terms of the award. Some programs will send the money to you directly. Others will distribute it to your college or university on your behalf. 

Other financial aid, such as loan forgiveness, might go directly to your loan provider to deduct from the remaining balance of your loans. 

You can usually find additional details about fund distribution on your funding program’s website.

 

What exactly your financial aid covers will depend on the specific award. Some funding will cover any education-related cost, including tuition, student housing, textbooks and school fees. Other awards only cover tuition, so check to find out what you can pay for with your funds.

Most scholarship, grant and internship opportunities have specific deadlines listed on their website. 

Usually these pages also provide instructions to guide you through the application process.

Yes! Check out the TeachSC Financial Aid Explorer to see South Carolina financial aid opportunities, or use our national database to browse other options.

You can also visit the TeachSC Financial Aid Guide for more financial aid tips and links to additional scholarship and grant opportunities.

TeachSC currently only provides support and information for those seeking teaching opportunities within South Carolina.

The South Carolina Department of Education’s Online and Out of State Programs and Coursework page offers guidance for teacher candidates who are interested in programs outside the state.

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