Army Tuition Assistance

Tuition Assistance Overview/Eligibility

The Tuition Assistance (TA) program provides financial assistance for voluntary off-duty education programs in support of a Soldier’s professional and personal self-development goals. TA is available for courses that are offered in the classroom or by distance learning and is part of an approved academic degree or certificate program. The courses must be offered by schools that are registered in ArmyIgnitED, are accredited by accrediting agencies that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and are signatories to the current Department of Defense Memorandum of Understanding (DOD MOU).

For academic programs, Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or Master’s degree, TA may not be used for a lower or lateral degree program from the one the Soldier currently possesses. In addition to degree programs, TA is available to Soldiers to complete a high school diploma and to complete certificate programs. TA is not authorized for programs of study beyond a master’s degree.

All eligible Soldiers will request TA through ArmyIgnitED.

By law, officers who use TA incurs a service obligation. Active Duty officers incur an Active Duty Service Obligation (ADSO) of two years, and Reserve Component officers incur a Reserve Duty Service Obligation (RDSO) of four years. The ADSO/RDSO is calculated from the date of completion of the last course for which TA was used.

Non-Army Service members must obtain TA through their branch of Service. This policy has been mutually agreed upon by all Services.

Further details on the provisions of TA are found in AR 621-5 and policy documents signed by the Director, Army Continuing Education System.

Tuition Assistance Rates/Fees

The Department of Defense (DoD) has directed a uniform per semester hour cap of $250 for tuition assistance (TA) and an annual ceiling of $4,500. The Services are authorized to establish Service-specific eligibility criteria to manage TA funds. The Army will pay 100 percent of tuition costs up to the DoD semester hour cap of $250 per semester hour cap for up to 16 semester hours of TA-funded courses per fiscal year. School fee charges of any type are no longer eligible for funding with TA.

Current Army policy limits TA to 130 semester hours of undergraduate credit or baccalaureate degree, whichever comes first and 39 semester hours of graduate credit or master’s degree whichever comes first. The 39 semester hour limit applies to all credits taken after completion of a baccalaureate degree.

Tuition Assistance Procedures

  1. Soldiers’ TA enrollment requests must be submitted and approved through www.ArmyIgnitED.com prior to the course start date; any enrollments requested on or after the class start date will be approved as Soldier funded.
  2. TA is requested on a course-by-course basis, and each course must be part of an approved degree program.
  3. ArmyIgnitED will notify the Soldier, whether the TA is approved or not. If the TA request is not approved, ArmyIgnitED will advise the Soldier of the reason and next steps.
  4. All drops/withdrawals must take place through ArmyIgnitED. Soldiers who do not successfully complete a class will be required to repay the TA. Soldiers who are unable to successfully complete a class due to military reasons must request a Withdrawal for Military Reasons through ArmyIgnitED and complete all required steps to ensure that they will not be charged.
  5. If the Soldier wishes to take a class with a school that does not participate in the electronic ArmyIgnitED class schedule, a TA Request Authorization form must be completed in ArmyIgnitED. The TA Request Authorization will be routed to an Army Education Counselor to be reviewed and approved. Soldiers should allow extra time for this. If the TA Request Authorization is approved, the Soldier will be notified by email. Soldiers must print the approved TA Request Authorization form in ArmyIgnitED, provide it to the school and enroll directly with the school.
  6. Soldiers must acknowledge and electronically sign the TA Statement of Understanding (TA SOU) each quarter they wish to use TA.