No! We do not need any of this information to calculate your award package. So we encourage you to delete or otherwise block your social security number, bank account, or other sensitive information, where possible. Our application process is fully secure, but it’s good practice to share this highly sensitive personal information as little as possible.

You should include all statements and assets/debts where you are the primary holder, regardless of whether there are any secondary holders. If you share a bank statement with anyone else, be that a parent or a partner, we will take this into account when you determine your individual financial picture. If you think any statements with multiple names on it needs further explanation, you can include it in the “additional information” box at the end of your application.

If you apply as an independent and there is another individual on your tax or other financial forms, we will split the amount on the documentation as we calculate your need-based package. If there is any reason the amounts listed on your documentation should not be split evenly, include the context in the comments section of your application.

You only need to provide documentation for the education and private loans that are in your name. You do not need to provide documentation for the education or other loans that are in your parents' names. If your parents took out a loan that you are now responsible for repaying and you have questions about what documentation to provide, reach out to us.

You only need to include work-study if it was set up to pay directly for your education costs. In that case, you can count it as part of the total grants and scholarships you received.

If you are applying as a dependent, you will need to include your undergraduate education cost and how it was paid. You will need the total cost of your education, including tuition and room/board across the full years it did or will take you to complete your degree, and a breakdown of how your undergraduate education was paid for.

No. We work with your region to determine the overall expenses for that region from summer training through the first paycheck. We then use that figure to calculate individual award packages based on the particular financial need of each corps member who applies. The need-based financial support program is in addition to your Transitional Support Stipend.

No to both. You will receive funding and the same amount of funding whether you apply right when the application opens or wait until closer to the final deadline. Note, if you apply during a "late" deadline, this may impact your final award, so we encourage you to apply by the final deadline.

Alas, as we are a private loan, Teach For America’s loans cannot be repaid through the AmeriCorps award. But there are a lot of other options that most of our corps members find make a real difference in helping with their overall expenses.

Everyone who applies is offered at least a $1,000 loan. We also offer larger loans and grants to corps members who demonstrate a greater financial need when they apply, and/or who will be joining one of our more expensive regions. Because each applicant's situation is unique and there are varied costs associated with each region, we are unable to provide a full range of possible awards.