National Guard And Reserve Tuition Assistance
If you are serving in the National Guard or Reserves, you might be wondering if there is a National Guard Tuition Assistance program or Reserve Tuition Assistance program available to you.
There are Tuition Assistance programs for all five branches of the military, with their own service-specific criteria. There are also TA programs for the Army National Guard, Air National Guard, and some Reserves branches.
What The National Guard Will Not Pay For
The National Guard cannot guarantee 100 percent coverage of your college tuition. It can also not promise to help forgive 100 percent of existing student loan debt.
However, its college tuition assistance is outstanding. You would struggle to find any type of employer that could come close to matching this type of higher learning assistance.
Also, while room and board is usually not covered in full from the Army National Guard Kicker, or other stipends it can help cover half or most of your living expenses, depending on where you are located.
The Coast Guard Reserve Tuition Assistance
In order to receive TA benefits through the Coast Guard, you will need to be a reservist on long term active duty orders of over 180 days. Back to back tours will not count. The Coast Guard also has an annual fiscal year cap of $2,250 which is lower than other branches.
If you are serving in the National Guard or the Reserves, make sure to find out if you qualify for Tuition Assistance. If you do, make sure to apply in a timely manner in order to receive TA for your education.
CollegeRecon is a military education and transition resource. We provide online tools and actionable info to better understand your Post-9/11 GI Bill and military and veteran education benefits programs.
Find info on top online degree programs for military using their Post-9/11 GI Bill, as well as ways to pay for school such as scholarships for military and veterans. We can also assist you through your transition with certificate, training, and career options after you leave the military.
CollegeRecon is built exclusively for veterans, active military, the National Guard, Reserves, military spouses and dependents of the US Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and DoD to assist in their education journey.
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Does The Military Pay For College The Full Guide To Education Benefits
Enlisting in the military is an enormous decision thats bound to give you a new perspective on life, friendship, and service. The amount of commitment that becoming a recruit entails also comes with plenty of advantages: you can travel, expect a guaranteed paycheck, engage in advanced specialty training, and often, the military pays for college!
If youre already passionate about becoming a soldier and would like to use your time serving to supplement your education, weve got you covered. Read on for a comprehensive overview of how the military can pay for college.
National Guard Student Loan Repayment Program
If you sign up to serve, you also need to meet other criteria for this program:
- You must enlist for a minimum of six years
- Enlist for a critical skills vacancy in the grade of E-4 or below
- Enlist in a qualifying position in an MTO or medical TDA unit only
- Score a minimum score of 50 on the Armed Forces Qualifying Test
- You cannot also be enlisting as a 09R SMP cadet, RFP, or Active First Program
- You must not be enlisted as a glossary non-prior service soldier .
If you are eligible, you can earn up to $7,500 annually, with a maximum of $50,000, toward your qualifying student loan debts.
What Lons Qualify For National Guard Student Loan Repayment:
- Stafford loans
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Other Types Of National Guard College Pay Programs
The Army National Guard has additional financial assistance programs for its members.
The Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarships can help finance your higher learning. There is a wide range of merit-based scholarships and additional funds available through the U.S. Armed Forces.
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Already attended college but still paying back student loans?
The National Guard supports a student loan repayment program known as SLRP. It directly supports soldiers and officers with existing student loan debt at the time of enlistment.
SLRP may pay for up to $50,000 in college debt for certain jobs, which is incredible. There are additional requirements so a local recruiter can help with the details regarding the obligation.
The Guard is particularly kind to those that extend their enlistment contracts for a minimum period of six years. The incentive can help cover previous undergraduate tuition, graduate school, medical school expenses.
National Guard Pay Vs Army Reserves Pay
If you are thinking about joining the National Guard or the Reserves, you might be wondering how National Guard pay or Reserve pay works.
Serving in the National Guard and Reserves can be quite different than serving in the active duty military. You have your monthly drills, your annual training, and anything else the military calls you to do. You also work a civilian job, and the military is only a small part of your paycheck.
As an active duty soldier, you know you can receive base pay, BAH , and other types of payments and allowances.
How do things work for the National Guard and Reserves? How about if you deploy or train for more than a weekend? Will you still receive BAH if you are gone for three weeks?
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Where Can You Pursue Your College Degree
The Army National Guard offers a variety of education options, including their own online courses. You can learn more about these opportunities on the Army National Guard website. Higher education courses can be taken at colleges and universities, seminary schools and divinity schools.
In the Air National Guard, you can pursue an associates degree through the Community College of the Air Force and earn college credit, which will cut down the time and money you spend on a degree program.
What If You Dont Qualify For The National Guard Loan Repayment Program
Dont give up yet if you dont qualify for the student loan forgiveness. There are other alternatives you can go with.
If you want to know what youre eligible for, you should call the Student Loan Relief Helpline. Numerous student loan debt professionals will look at your background and show you the programs you can qualify for.
Its even possible for the experts to complete the paperwork you need to complete and submit the documents. However, youll need to pay for it. Some people advise against paying anyone to assist you with your student loan debts. But our experience in the student loan industry has shown that people cant handle their federal student loan on their own.
Thats because programs such as the loan repayment can be too complex to understand. You need to spend many hours in research for you to understand every detail. So if you fall into this category and need help to get out of debt as soon as possible, call us at 800-820-8128.
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The Gi Bill: Helping Military Veterans Pay For College
Originally known as the Servicemens Readjustment Act of 1944, the GI Bill was started after World War II to support military veterans in their return to civilian life. Years later, plenty of military service members still use the program to fund their college education.
Heres what you need to qualify for the GI Bill:
- Have served at least 90 days of active duty, or at least 30 days if youve been discharged with a service-related disability
- In most cases, you will need to sign up for eight years of military service. The most common arrangement involves four years of active duty, and four years of reserve duty
Military vets can choose between the Post 9/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill. Both paths offer a number of benefits, so its up to you to make your decision based on your educational goals and service history.
Navy College Tuition Assistance Program
Am I eligible? If youre an active duty sailor or officer , you bet! You become eligible after two years of military service.
What does it cover? The Navy TA program will fund one certificate, certification preparation, or diploma in schools that have signed a Department of Defense Memorandum of Understanding . The institution you are applying for must also be listed on the Department of Veteran Affairs website.
Heres a quick breakdown of how much the program can cover:
- $250 per semester hour
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More Sources Of College Aid For Active
In addition to the special programs described above, both active-duty members of the military and veterans are eligible for the same types of financial aid that any other student is. Those includePell Grants, subsidized and unsubsidized federal student loans, and federal work-study programs.
They also are eligible for numerous state, institutional, and private scholarships, some specifically for current and former members of the military.
To apply for financial aid, prospective students should fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid . The FAFSA is used by both the federal government and other dispensers of aid to determine a student’s eligibility based on their financial resources. For FAFSA purposes, members of the military are considered “independent students,” which means they dont have to supply information about their parents’ finances.
Active-duty military members and veterans are also eligible for special student loan benefits and repayment options that are not available to other borrowers.
Tuition Exemption Unaffected For Louisiana Guardsmen
Benefit continues to fund education for Soldiers
CAMP BEAUREGARD, La. Higher education is still in reach for more than 11,000 members of the Louisiana National Guard under the State Tuition Exemption Program , even after the recent suspension of federal tuition assistance programs across the military.
The STEP program waives 100 percent of the cost of tuition at Louisiana institutes of higher learning for all National Guard members who meet the programs criteria.
More than 1,500 LANG Soldiers and Airmen have used STEP to further their education this past year alone.
The benefit may be used up to 15 semesters or 20 quarters in pursuit of an associate, bachelor or master degree or whichever occurs first. To use STEP, Guardsmen are required to be actively drilling, domiciled in Louisiana, in good standing with the LANG and in good academic standing with their university.
Guardsmen may also still use their Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty, GI Bill Kicker, Selected Reserve , Reserve Education Assistance Program or the Post 9/11 GI Bill, if eligible.
Thousands of Guardsmen have obtained a college degree using tuition exemption, said Maj. Alfred Horridge, the education services officer for the LANG. We are proud of offer an alternative to the federal tuition assistance program for our service members. Education is a force multiplier.
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What Does Coast Guard Ta Cover
Tuition Assistance is available for undergraduate & graduate courses up to Masters Degrees. TA covers tuition up to $250 per semester hour, $166.66 per quarter hour, or $16.67 per clock hour.
TA cannot be used for books, fees, or other non-tuition expenses. Any other college expense not listed as tuition is considered a fee .
Schools authorized to receive TA funding must participate and have a signed MOU with the DoD. The authorized school list can be found at the following website: www.dodmou.com.
Reimbursement of TA will be required from the service member if the student does not successfully complete the course. For the purpose of reimbursement, a successful course completion is defined as a grade of a C or higher for undergraduate courses, a B or higher for graduate courses, and a pass for pass/fail grades.
National Guard Pay Scale Active Duty Pay
As an active duty soldier in the National Guard you will be compensated based on your job, education level, and rank. If you want to earn more, all you have to do is spend enough time in the National Guard so that you can move up the ranks.
E-1 Private: $1,357 $1,467 monthly active duty pay
E-2 Private: $1,645 $1,645 monthly active duty pay
E-3 Private First Class: $1,730 $1,950 monthly active duty pay
E-4 Specialist/Corporal: $1,915 $2,326 monthly active duty pay
E-5 Sergeant: $2,091 $2,965 monthly active duty pay
E-6 Staff Sergeant: $2,281 $3,533 monthly active duty pay
E-7 Sergeant First Class: $2,638 $4,740 monthly active duty pay
E-8 Master Sergeant: $3,794 $5,411 monthly active duty pay
E-9 Sergeant Major: $4,635 $7,196 monthly active duty pay
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Navy College Program For Afloat College Education
Am I eligible? This is for sailors who have been assigned to be more than 150 days away from the office. It offers sailors distance learning courses that do not require ongoing internet connectivity to complete. The rules of eligibility and tuition assistance are the same as the Navy College TA.
What does it cover? The NCPACE will fund one certificate, certification preparation, or diploma in schools that have signed a DoD MoU, provided that the institution you are applying for is listed on the Department of Veteran Affairs website. Heres a breakdown:
- $250 per semester hour
- $16.67 per clock hour
Health Professions Scholarship Program
Those interested in joining the Army, Navy, or Air Force can take advantage of a scholarship to attend medical or dental school.
The scholarship includes full tuition and fees, health insurance reimbursement, other school-related expenses, and even a monthly living stipend.
If you want to pursue a career in medicine and join the military, this is a great option to take full advantage of the financial incentives that come with that path.
The program is open to those with an undergraduate degree who are applying for medical or dental school, as well as those currently enrolled in medical or dental school.
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Veterans Total And Permanent Disability Discharge
The Veterans Total and Permanent Disability Discharge is available to release veterans of their loans. You need to have a service-related disability thats documented by the Department of Veterans Affairs in order to qualify and be deemed permanently disabled. Most loans are eligible for forgiveness through this program.
How to Apply for Veterans Total and Permanent Disability Discharge:
Follow this link to begin the application process, or apply with a paper application.
The Yellow Ribbon Program
If youre planning on going to a private university, a college out-of-state, or graduate school, then the Yellow Ribbon Program is for you. It covers tuition fees in institutions that the Post 9/11 GI Bill does not cover.
Certain schools have entered into an agreement with the Department of Veterans Affairs, and part of the agreement is to allow vets to attend more expensive private schools at a lower cost. The amount that they waive depends on two factors: first, the students status , and second, the type of school .
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What Is The Air National Guard Pay
Pay and benefits in the Air National Guard are dependent on skills, rank, experience and pay grade. General guidelines are that those who have been in the guard longer are paid more those who receive promotions also receive more. Officers, who generally have college-level education, are paid better and have more extensive benefits than enlisted guardsmen. Pay grades differ even among guardsmen of the same rank, with E-1 being the lowest pay grade and O-7 being the highest.
Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority
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Youll find stories about planning, preparing and paying for college for students of all ages, as well as general education news that you can use. Check out the latest edition to see what its like.
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Air National Guard Will Start Receiving Federal Tuition Assistance Immediately
- Post category:News
Last year, we addressed an issue with Federal Tuition Assistance that we knew needed to change. The U.S. Air Force was granting Federal Tuition Assistance to all members of the military, with one exception the Air National Guard.
Servicemembers of the Air National Guard contribute the same amount of time and commitment as their counterparts in any other component of the military. Yet, they were being denied the same level of benefits.
We fought this injustice and pushed for federal education funding to be provided to all Servicemembers in the Air National Guard. Based on our recommendation, theyve agreed to start a pilot program that will make Federal Tuition Assistance available to all its members. This TA is applicable for both undergraduate and graduate courses and will continue to promote an educated and skilled military workforce.
We are extremely pleased with this change and will continue fighting for all Servicemembers and the benefits that theyve rightfully earned.
Servicemembers may apply for tuition assistance up to 45 days prior to when their class begins. Any Servicemember who does not get an approved application must wait until the next fiscal year, should funds become exhausted at year end. Applications will be submitted through the Air Force Virtual Education Center online program.
Consult Air Force Instruction 36-2670 Total Force Development and Air Force guidance memorandum 2020-02 for details.