Student Financial Aid
Many people feel that higher education is simply out of reach financially. If you think you won’t have the money to go to college, think again! With financial aid and some smart planning, you could be on your way to a Degree or Certification program.
Active Duty Tuition Assistance (TA)
Military Commissioning Programs
Post 9/11 and MGIB Information
Family Member & Civilian Financial Aid
State Benefits
Georgia State Residency: Servicemembers on active duty and stationed in Georgia and their family members will be considered residents for tuition purposes whenever they enroll in public university or college within the state of Georgia. (Senate Bill 5330, effective June 2000)
Active Duty and Army Reserve Military Tuition Assistance: Army Tuition Assistance (TA) can be used to provide financial aid for voluntary, off-duty education programs from regionally accredited institutions that support their personal and professional self-development goals. TA has been standardized across DOD and will fund up to 100% of the tuition costs for full or part time education to include lab, computer and other instructional fees. The total amount of TA received cannot exceed $250.00 per semester hour or exceed the fiscal year limit of $4500.00. To qualify for TA, Soldiers must be counseled by an Army Education Counselor, request TA through the GoArmyEd portal, receive Command approval via commander signature on an annual Statement of Understanding (SOU) and complete a GoArmyEd Common Application prior to the class start date. TA is not authorized after a course start date has passed.
TO OBTAIN TA (Army Members on Active Duty or in the Reserve Component):
OTHER FINANCIAL AID FOR EDUCATION: Forums are held at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield to provide financial aid information to those interested in alternative funding sources such as the PELL Grant. Calling (912) 767-8331 for Fort Stewart and (912) 352-6130 for Hunter Army Airfield will provide additional information.
State and Federal Sources of Student Financial Aid: State Programs: Georgia State Residency Service members on active duty and stationed in Georgia, and their family members will be considered residents for tuition purposes whenever they enroll in public university or college within the state of Georgia. (Senate Bill 5330, effective June 2000)
Georgia HOPE Grant: The  HOPE Grant is money given by the state of Georgia to students with financial need to attend vocational/trade schools. The state residency requirements are different than for the HOPE scholarship. Any Soldier or Family Member who is stationed in Georgia may be eligible. If you are interested in attending a Georgia vocational or trade school, inquire with your school's financial advisor about the HOPE Grant.
Georgia HOPE Scholarship:Regents’ Policies Governing Residency Requirements: To be considered a legal resident of Georgia for the HOPE Scholarship, the applicant must establish the following facts for Georgia legal residency to the satisfaction of the school registrar:
- If a person is 18 years or older, he/she may register as an in-state student only upon showing that he or she has been a legal resident of Georgia for a period of at least 12 months immediately preceding the date of registration
- If a person is under 18 years of age, he/she may register as an in-state student only upon showing that his/her supporting parent or guardian has been a legal resident of Georgia for a period of at least 12 months immediately preceding the date of registration
** Legal resident is one paying Georgia income tax and claims Georgia on his/her LES. A Soldier cannot just live here to be considered a legal resident for the HOPE Scholarship.
Federal Programs:
Pell Grant: Foundation for all federal student financial assistance programs (up to $5,500 per year)
SEOG: Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (up to $4,000 per year)
Perkins Loans: A low interest (5%) loan for both undergraduate and graduate students with exceptional financial need. (up to $5,500 per year undergraduate and up to $8,000 per year for graduate or professional study)
Stafford Loans: Federal need-based loans administered directly from the US Department of Education through institutions to students.
Click here for further information: www.fafsa.ed.gov
Financial Aid for Spouses:
http://www.dantes.doded.mil/Sub%20Pages/Counselor_Support/Docs/fossm.pdf
AER scholarships for Dependent Children & Spouses:
http://www.aerhq.org/education.asp
American Association of School Administrators: www.aasa.org
College Board: www.collegeboard.com
CollegeNET Mach 25: www.collegenet.com/mach25
College is Possible: www.collegeispossible.org
Collegeview: ;www.collegeview.com
DANTES: www.dantes.doded.mil
Department of Education: www.studentaid.ed.gov
Direct Loans: www.ed.gov/directloan
FastAid: www.fastap.org
FastWeb: www.fastweb.com
Federal Children’s Scholarship Fund: www.fedscholarships.org
Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund: www.feea.org
Fin Aid – The SmartStudent Guide to Financial Aid: www.finaid.com
Fisher House – Helping Military Families: www.fisherhouse.org
Free Application for Federal Student Aid: www.fafsa.ed.gov
Fresch Free Scholarship search: www.freschinfo.com
Fry Scholarship: www.gibill.va.gov
Georgia Hope Scholarship and Grant: www.dtae.org/hope.html
Go College: www.gocollege.com
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation: www.jackkentcookefoundation.org
Mapping Your Future: www.mapping-your-future.org
Military.com: www.military.com
MyCAA: https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa
(May need to refresh page after clicking link)
National Military Family Association: www.nmfa.org/scholarship
Sallie Mae: www.salliemae.com
Scholarship.com: www.scholarships.com
Student Gateway to the U.S. Government: www.students.gov
The Princeton Review: www.review.com
U.S. Department of Education – Postsecondary Education: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/programs.html
Wired Scholar: www.wiredscholar.com
Green to Gold ROTC Scholarships: "Green to Gold" is designed to provide qualified Soldiers opportunities to complete a bachelor’s or master’s degree and obtain a commission as a second lieutenant. Two-year, three-year, and four-year scholarships are available as well as a flat rate paid for books and classroom supplies.
In addition, scholarship winners receive a monthly subsistence allowance of $200 for up to 10 months of each year the scholarship is in effect. If eligible, the soldier may receive GI Bill benefits during the period of the scholarship.
Info: www.goarmy.com/rotc/
BRIEFINGS HELD:
Education Center, Bldg 100, on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 1400 hours (verify dates/times by calling 912.767.8331. Hunter briefings are the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 1400 hours (verify dates/times by calling (912)315-6130).
Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA): The DVA provides Soldiers and Veterans opportunities for professional and personal development through education assistance programs. Soldiers and Veterans are encouraged to investigate benefits by calling the VA Hotline 1-888-442-4551 or going to the VA Education Services Web page at www.gibill.va.gov. A satellite VA office is located on Fort Stewart in building 253.
AMEDD Enlisted Commissioning Program (AECP):
(http://www.goarmy.com/content/goarmy/amedd/army-health-care-corps.html)
Provides eligible active duty soldiers the opportunity to complete a baccalaureate degree in one of 6 Health Care Corps: Dental Corps, Medical Corps, Medical Service Corp, Medical Specialist Corp, Nurse Corps, and Veterinary Corps. Generally, participants continue to receive their current pay and allowances during school while in the program for up to 24 consecutive months of enrollment. This program funds academic costs of up to $9,000 per academic year.
The Army offers well qualified officers, warrant officers, enlisted soldiers, and ROTC Cadets an incredible educational opportunity to become a Physician Assistant (PA) through the Interservice Physician Assistant Program (IPAP) located at the AMEDD Center & School, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The Army trains approximately 95 soldiers a year alongside candidates from the Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, U.S. Army Reserve, National Guard, and U.S. Public Health Service. Graduates earn a Masters degree from the University of Nebraska and receive a commission as a 1LT in the Army Medical Specialist Corps.
Officer Candidate School (OCS)
(https://www.benning.army.mil/infantry/199th/ocs/)
Mission ---Train, educate and commission adaptive Army officers who are leaders inculcated with the “Warrior Ethos” -"The Way Ahead"
Warrant Officer Program:
Warrant Officers are technical and tactical leaders who specialize, throughout an entire career, in a specific technical area. The Army Warrant Officer Corps comprises less than three percent of the total Army. Although small in size, the level of responsibility is immense and only the very best will be selected to become Warrant Officers. Benefits include extended career opportunities, worldwide leadership assignments, and increased pay and retirement benefits.
Post 9/11 GI Bill: provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. A Soldier must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The Post-9/11 GI Bill became effective for training on August 1, 2009. The amount of support that individuals may qualify for depends on where they live and what type of degree they are pursuing. For a summary of Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, see the benefit comparison chart.
Approved training under the Post-9/11 GI Bill includes graduate and undergraduate degrees, and vocational/technical training. All training programs must be offered by an institution of higher learning (IHL) and approved for GI Bill benefits. Additionally, tutorial assistance, and licensing and certification test reimbursement are approved under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill.
MGIB Monthly RATES (as of 1 OCTOBER 2010)
Full-Time: $1426
3/4 Time: $1069.50
1/2 Time: $713
1/4 Time or less: $365.50
MGIB Transferability to Spouses:
(http://gibill.va.gov/documents/Post-911_Transferability.pdf) - The Post-9/11 GI Bill allows Servicemembers (officer or enlisted, active duty or Selected Reserve), on or after August 1, 2009, to transfer unused education benefits to immediate family members (spouse and children). The Soldier must have at least six years of service, and commit to an additional four years of service in order to transfer benefits to a spouse or child. Please contact a Unit Retention Career Counselor for details.
Enhancement of MGIB Benefits:
BUY-UP - Chapter 30 participants (MGIB) who wish to enhance their education benefits may do so under provision of PL106-419.
Starting 1 May 2001 Servicemembers may elect to make a maximum additional contribution of $600 to their MGIB to enhance their final benefits by the maximum amount of $5,400. The investment return formula of any contribution amount up to $600 is 9-to-1. This additional contribution may be made at any time during Active Duty after 1 May 2001 PL106-419, Sect. 104, VEAP to MGIB converters are NOT permitted under this law to make this additional contribution. Servicemembers who are discharged between 1 Nov 2000 and 30 Apr 2001 have until 31 July 2001 to make this additional contribution. Servicemembers make the contribution by lump sum or through an allotment in increments of $20 at their FAO Form 2366 with special notation for this "Buy-Up" program must be completed with an Education Counselor.
TOP UP - VA program authorized under PL 106-419 which allows all Chapter 30 participants (MGIB) to receive reimbursement for tuition cost not covered by the Army's TA. PL 107-14 revised the application of this program in the timing of the benefit entitlement period.
To be eligible to apply for Top-Up, participants must have served two years of active duty (AD) - once the Soldiers have completed 2 years AD, they may apply for reimbursement. Top-Up may be applied to courses taken starting 30 Oct 2000. VEAP converters must have paid in the $2700 in full to qualify for Top-Up. Soldiers can receive 36 months of reimbursement, but the payments DO affect the 36 months of MGIB benefits that Soldiers are entitled to under regular MGIB. The total months of entitlement will be reduced by 1 for every payment equal to the current rate for one month of full-time benefits. For instance, for every reimbursement totaling $1426 (monthly fulltime rate as of October 2010) one month will be subtracted from the 36 months.
PROCEDURES FOR TOP-UP: Soldiers who have never used MGIB benefits need to complete VA Form 22-1990 and get it certified by an Education Services Specialist. The request for Top-Up is available on
www.goarmyed.com when a Soldier enrolls for the course. Soldiers who previously used MGIB benefits do not need to send a new 22-1990.
Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP): Chapter 32 VEAP is available if you first entered active duty between January 1, 1977 and June 30, 1985 and you elected to make contributions from your military pay to participate in this education benefit program. VEAP participants may pursue associate, bachelor, graduate degrees, state-approved teacher certification programs and other approved training programs.
Vietnam-Era GI Bill Conversion, Chapter 34: The MGIB extended benefits to Soldiers who formerly were entitled to Vietnam-Era GI Bill (Chapter 34). Soldiers who are eligible for the conversion benefits do not pay into the program.
Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA): DEA provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of Veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to service-related condition, or who died while on active duty or as a result of a service related condition. The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training.
STATE BENEFITS
Alabama www.va.state.al.us.
Arkansas www.arkansashighered.com
California www.cacvso.org
Delaware www.doe.state.de.us/high-ed/
Florida www.fin.edu/doe/osfa/
Georgia www.state.ga.us/dvs
Indiana www.in.gov/veteran/
Kentucky www.kheaa.com
Louisiana www.ldva.org
Maryland www.mdva.state.md.us
Mississippi www.vab.state.ms.us/booklet.htm
New York www.hesc.com
Ohio www.regents.state.oh.us
Oklahoma www.okhighered.org
Oregon www.oregon.gov
Pennsylvania www.dmva.state.pa.us
South Carolina www.govoepp.state.sc.us/vabenef.htm
Texas www.collegefortexans.com
Virginia www.dvs.virginia.gov/statebenefits.htm |
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