What is a forgivable loan?
The Noyce Scholarship Program is considered to be a forgivable loan because you can repay the loan by agreeing to teach in a high need school for two years for each year of support you receive. Recipients of scholarships must commit to completion of two years of service as a mathematics or science teacher for each year the scholarship is received. Service must be completed within 8 years after graduation from the program for which the scholarship was awarded and must be performed in a high-need local educational agency.
If I receive a scholarship, do I get to select my school or does the Noyce Program pick a school for me?
You get to select the schools to which you would like to apply for a job, and which offer of employment you want to accept. The Noyce only requires that the school meets the definition of being a high need school.
What is high need again?
The term "high need local educational agency" means a local educational agency that serves an elementary or secondary school located in an area in which there is:
1. a high percentage of individuals from families with incomes below the poverty line;
2. a high percentage of secondary school teachers not teaching in the content area in which the teachers were trained to teach; or
3. a high teacher turnover rate.
What if I decide that I do not want to teach in a high need school or teach at all?
If you teach in a school that is not high need, or if you do not go in to teaching at all, then the scholarship becomes an interest-free loan. The entire amount of the loan will have to be repaid in full within 8 years of graduation from college. It is expected that failure to satisfy the academic requirements of the program or to complete the service requirement will result in forfeiture of the scholarship or stipend award, which will revert to a loan with repayments pro-rated accordingly to reflect partial service completed. The repayment plan will be arranged with the Noyce Scholarship Program directors and compliance will be monitored. Collection procedures will be initiated if repayment is not completed.
What if I don't complete the whole 2 years of teaching?
If you fail to complete the teaching obligation, the forgivable loan will revert to a loan with repayments pro-rated accordingly to reflect partial service completed. The repayment plan will be arranged with the Noyce Scholarship Program directors and compliance will be monitored. Collection procedures will be initiated if repayment is not completed.
Are there any other obligations besides teaching in a high need setting for 2 years per year of award?
each recipient of the scholarship or stipend accepts the terms of the scholarship or stipend and agrees to provide the institution with annual certification of employment and up-to-date contact information and to participate in surveys provided by the institution of higher education and program evaluators as part of project-level and program evaluation efforts.
What if it becomes impossible for me to teach, such as an illness?
FSU-Teach will make allowances for extreme hardship or other circumstances for which it is not in the best interests of the school district or not feasible for the scholarship/stipend recipient to fulfill the service obligation. FSU-Teach may establish procedures for waiving or suspending repayment of scholarships or stipends in cases of extreme hardship or other circumstances that would preclude the fulfillment of the service obligation.
Can my FSU-Teach instructors provide my references?
No, your master teachers may not serve as references, but other current or former instructors at FSU or at other colleges or high school and employers may provide references.
Do I have to use the reference form? What if my reference prefers to write a letter?
No, you do not have to use the form. It is for your references' convenience, but if they prefer to write a letter, they should address it to the Noyce Selection Committee, Florida State University,1021 Atomic Way, 209 MCH, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4482.
What if I don't finish the FSU-Teach program when I graduate?
If you do not graduate with the FSU-Teach double major and become certified to teach science or mathematics at the secondary level, the scholarship would revert to a loan with a repayment plan will be arranged with the Noyce Scholarship Program directors. Compliance will be monitored and collection procedures will be initiated if repayment is not completed.
What if I want to go to graduate school first?
You should have time to complete a graduate degree before completing your teaching obligation. The teaching must be completed within 8 years after graduation from the program for which the scholarship was awarded and must be performed in a high-need local educational agency.