Guard Education Benefits User's Guide
Tuition assistance program guidelines, application procedures and the policies for determining eligibility vary between the Army Guard and Air Guard. Select the following link to get detailed information about National Guard Tuition Assistance.
The Army National Guard (ARNG) Education Support Center (ESC), located at the Professional Education Center (PEC) in Arkansas, is the focal point for education benefits for ARNG Soldiers, their dependents, and civilian employees of the ARNG.
The ARNG ESC provides GI Bill eligibility analysis, educational counseling, degree planning, and various other educational services to Soldiers located in all 50 States and 4 Territories, as a supplement to the State Education Offices. The ESC also counsels and assists Soldiers and civilian workers who visit PEC for conferences and resident classes.
The ESC also provides information about the Active Duty, Reserve, and REAP GI Bills, the ARNG GI Bill Kicker, and the Work Study programs. The ESC provides guidance to Soldiers on various educational assistance programs including Federal and Active Army Tuition Assistance, state funded programs, Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarships, and the Student Loan Repayment Program.
The ESC provides support for testing programs for college credit such as CLEP College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), college entrance such as Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), certification and licensing exams, as well as test preparation programs. They assist in administering the General Educational Development (GED) Plus test to new recruits.
The ESC also offers counseling for programs such as Troops to Teachers, Spouses to Teachers, Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOCGuard), eDISCOVER, Army e-Learning, ACE Army Registry Transcript System (AARTS), and Degree Planning.
For more additional information on Education Support Center
In addition to tuition assistance you may be eligible for service specific scholarships, college funds, and other education assistance programs that can help you reach your education goals. To learn more about your specific education benefits, check out the following related links:
- New Post-9/11 GI Bill
- Montgomery GI Bill for Selected Reserve
- Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP)
- Army Voluntary Education Programs
- Air Force Voluntary Education Programs
The following table highlights the most common education benefits.
|
Program |
What is it? |
Who is Eligible? |
Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Federal Tuition Assistance is a military benefit that pays the cost of tuition and some fees. Click here to learn more In addition Guardsman may qualify for State Tuition Assistance. |
Virtually all military servicemembers are eligible. However each service branch determines its own criteria for eligibility. |
Federal Tuition Assistance covers up to 100% Tuition and Fees Not to exceed:
|
|
|
MGIB provides up to 36 months (4 regular school years) of education benefits to eligible veterans for:
|
Reserve and Guard servicemembers who have agreed to a 6 yr. contract. |
Up to $297 per month for full-time institutional education (beginning Oct. 1, 2005). |
|
|
A new education benefit for reserve and guard members who served over 90 days in support of OEF/OIF. |
A member of a reserve component who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001 under title 10 U.S. Code for a contingency operation and who serves at least 90 consecutive days or more is eligible for chapter 1607. |
40, 60 or 80 percent of the GI Bill for Active Duty (Chapter 30) benefit. |
|
|
MGIB provides up to 36 months (4 regular school years) of education benefits to eligible veterans for:
|
Prior Service Active Duty members who have served at least two years on active duty before joining the guard or reserve |
Up to $1075 per month for full-time institutional education (beginning Oct. 1, 2005). |
|
|
State Tuition Assistance |
Several states offer tuition assistance to members of the national guard. |
Eligibility varies from state to state. |
Benefits vary from state to state. Click here to learn more about state level education benefits. |
|
The Federal Government offers students low interest loans and grants to help finance the cost of going to school. |
Virtually all citizens are eligible. However the program is needs based, so certain income limits can apply. |
The loans and grants are capped each fiscal year and depend on your personal economic circumstances.. |
|
|
Scholarships can come in the form of direct cash, tuition payments, vouchers and waivers. |
Each scholarship has its own set of eligibility criteria. |
Scholarships can range from as little as $50 dollar book vouchers to - full rides - paying for tuition room and board. |
|
Sound Off...What do you think? Join the discussion...
Important Education Benefits Infomation
Legislative Center
Spouses of Heroes Education Act
Bill to grant Post 9/11 GI Bill to surviving spouses.
