EIU Grow Your Own Grant

The EIU Grow Your Own Grant is an IBHE (Illinois Board of Higher Education) Forgivable Loan program designed to support teacher education candidates at Eastern Illinois University. The program provides financial assistance to students pursuing teaching credentials with the commitment to serve in high-need school districts after graduation. Recipients must maintain academic standards, complete required assessments, and participate in monthly meetings and activities throughout their studies. Upon graduation, recipients must fulfill a five-year teaching obligation in an eligible hard-to-staff or high-need school district. The grant is forgivable upon completion of the teaching service requirement, converting the loan into a grant that does not need to be repaid.