Military Tuition Assistance Can Pay for College
Want to go to college to prepare for your post-military career or earn potentially earn promotion points (and more pay!)? The Armed Forces Military Tuition Assistance (TA) program was designed to help all eligible military personnel go to college. Paying up to 100 percent of tuition expenses up to a specified amount, your maximum benefits could be as much as $4500 a year.
Military Tuition Assistance is not a loan. It is money that you have earned through your service, so will never need to be repaid. Your benefits are reset each fiscal year, however, so be sure to use your full allotment before you lose it!
Are You Eligible for Armed Forces Tuition Assistance?
Soldiers, sailors, marines, guardsmen and airmen are all eligible for tuition assistance.
Each service has its own criteria for eligibility, restrictions and obligated service. They each have their own application processes, too. Visit the following sections to learn more about your branch's eligibility and benefits:
TA Top-Up and the Montgomery GI Bill
The Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) is another education designed to help active, reserve and veteran military personnel go to college. Education benefits are based on the date you enter duty. MGIB benefits are often more extensive than TA benefits. They do not reset each year, so most education advisors recommend using your TA benefits first.
If you find that your TA benefit does not cover the full cost of your school, active-duty personnel may be eligible to participate in a program called TA Top-Up. The TA Top-Up program allows you to tap into your Montgomery GI Bill benefits while you serve. If your tuition and expensive are more than the amount your TA benefit pay, you can elect to receive MGIB benefits for all or part of the remaining expenses, up to a cap.
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