Military Tuition Assistance (TA)
Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is a benefit offered by the U.S. Military to eligible
service members. It helps fund voluntary, off-duty education programs that support
a service member's professional and personal development goals. Approved and signed
TA Forms must be submitted to Student Financial Services each term for processing*.
The University will invoice and credit military TA through the sponsor billing process
for each prospective military branch. TA payments will then be made directly to the
University.
Military Branch Information for Tuition Assistance Requests (TAR)
| Branch of Service | Fiscal Year Cap | TARs open before the start term date | TARs close before the start term date** | Getting Started Requesting Military TA by Branch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army | $4,500 or 18SH | 60 days | 7 days | ArmyIgnitED |
| Marine Corps | $4,500 | 60 days | 1 day | Marine Corps WebTA |
| Navy | $4,500 or 18SH | 120 days | 7 days | MyNavy Education |
| Air Force | $4,500 | 45 days | 7 days | Air Force Portal |
| Space Force | $4,500 | 45 days | 7 days | Air Force Portal |
| Coast Guard | $4,500 | 90 days | 7 days | MyCG Ed |
**TA must be signed and approved by the TAR closing date.
To Apply for Tuition Assistance
Follow the instructions for your military service branch regarding how to request TA through your respective military education portal for your course(s). Take note of the TA application instructions/deadlines, specific to your branch, to ensure your request is processed before your branch's deadline.
- Log into your education portal
- Select or create your Education Path (includes your school and degree).
- Ensure your degree plan is uploaded
- Register for your course(s) with TROY in Student Self-Service.
- Locate your courses through your school's course catalog in the portal.
Note: Courses and dates will not appear if you have missed the military's deadline. The military portal will show a message stating: “The institution campus you have selected has not provided term dates for the application window. Please contact your institution for more information.” TROY does not control this deadline. You will need to contact your education center for additional assistance. - Submit a TA Request for each course.
*Submit TA to Troy
After your TA has been approved and signed through your educational portal:
Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, National Guard, and Reserve tuition assistance students need to submit their approved TA Form every term to taforms@troy.edu.
Army and Air Force tuition assistance students will not need to submit their TA Forms
because the University can pull the TA directly from the Academic Institution Portal
(AIPortal), which is integrated with ArmyIgnitED and AFVEC.
TROY Military Scholarship
TROY's Active-Duty Military Scholarship
- reduces TROY's current tuition rate to the Department of Defense (DoD) approved Military Tuition Assistance (TA) rate of $250 per credit hour as an in-house military scholarship
- covers the cost of required textbooks and course materials through the Trojan Book Bag Program.
How to Apply for the TROY Active-Duty Scholarship
Service members using Military TA will not need to apply for the scholarship; simply email your approved TA Form to taforms@troy.edu. Your Military TA Form will serve as your scholarship application. If you have already exhausted your tuition assistance or choose not to use it, you may still qualify for the scholarship. For application requirements, please email taforms@troy.edu.
Scholarship Eligibility Requirements:
- This scholarship cannot be used in conjunction with any other scholarship or tuition assistance awarded by Troy University, VA Benefits (exception VA 1606), or certain State benefits.
- The amount of the award will be dependent on the number of credit hours the scholarship recipient registers for each semester or term.
- Awarded for one degree at each program level: associate, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral.
- Active-Duty Military Scholarship: Must be currently serving in the active or reserve
component of the US Military.
Return of Unearned TA Funds
In compliance with the Department of Defense (DoD) – Return of Unearned TA Funds
Department of Defense (DoD)
Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
(LM) Unearned TA Policy - Return of Unearned TA
Policy: In accordance with Change 4, DoDI 1322.25 (April 02, 2021) (Appendix to Enclosure 3, 4. f. (2) (d) (page 42)), "All institutions will have an institutional policy that returns any unearned TA funds on a proportional basis through at least the 60 percent portion of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending."
Action 1: The institution must certify that their return of unearned TA funds policy for this institution is compliant with the above DoDI requirement. And in those instances when a Service member stops attending due to military service obligation, the educational institution will work with the affected Service member to identify solutions that will not result in a student debt for the returned portion. Return any TA funds directly to the Military Service, not the Service member.
Return of Tuition Assistance: Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded. When a student withdraws/drops, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of TA funds originally awarded.
To comply with the new Department of Defense policy, Troy University will return any unearned TA funds on a prorated basis through at least the 60% portion of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based on when a student withdraws or drops after the 100% free drop period. These funds are returned to the military Service branch. Unearned Tuition Assistance (TA) will be processed as a drop for the purpose of returning TA funds only, not for financial aid attendance or recalculating aid.
Instances when a Service member drops due to a military service obligation, the educational institution will work with the affected Service member to identify solutions that will not result in student debt for the returned portion.
Action 2: What is your institution's policy on the return of unearned TA funds to the government?
| 9 Week - Term | Days | Return TA |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 0-7 | 100% |
| Week 2 | 8-14 | 50% |
| Weeks 3-6 | 15-37 | 1% |
| Weeks 7-9^ | 38-62 | 0% |
| 16 Week - Semester | Days | Return TA |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 0-7 | 100% |
| Week 2 | 8-14 | 50% |
| Weeks 3-11 | 15-75 | 1% |
| Weeks 12-18^ | 76-125 | 0% |
^Unearned TA funds are not prorated and returned after 60% of the course has been
completed.
General Information about TA
- TA is exclusive to currently serving members of the Armed Forces. If your ETS date falls during the academic semester, you will not get TA for that semester.
- TA is requested on a course-by-course basis, and each course must be part of an approved degree program.
- TA cannot be used for a lateral degree (you cannot use TA to earn a 2nd bachelor's degree).
- TA can be reimbursed for up to 100% of the course cost, not to exceed $250 per credit hour, up to $4,500 per fiscal year (Fiscal year resets on October 1).
- TA may NOT cover all course fees.
Fees, such as the general fee, graduation application fee, testing fees, comprehensive exam fees, drop/withdraw fees, etc., are not covered by TA or by the Military & Family Scholarship and are the student's responsibility. - TA requests should be completed before the start of the semester. Each military service branch has its own deadline.
- Grades are due to your education center 30 days after course completion.
- You must clear all balances and holds with the University to register for any future term.
- Financial aid and third-party sponsors do not credit to students' accounts until after 100% free drop/add, which is the first week of class. Financial aid and scholarships usually credit the second week of class. Sponsors, including military tuition assistance, credit the third and fourth week. If you have approved active-duty TA for all your classes and have no other miscellaneous charges, your account will be paid in full.
- Student account billing statements are sent to all students each term before the first day of class. The billing statement will reflect Troy's current tuition rate. If you have approved active-duty TA for all your classes and have no other miscellaneous charges, you can disregard the billing emails that are sent before the term begins. You are receiving this billing statement because your TA will not be processed until after the first week of classes, which is 100% free drop/add. Your TA will cover the DOD rate. Your Troy Active-Duty Scholarship will cover the difference between the DOD rate and our current tuition rate, alongside the Trojan Book Bag charge.
- For TA questions, please consult your education center.
- For any TROY TA and Active-Duty Scholarships questions, please email taforms@troy.edu.
- TROY's TROY for Troops Center provides support and resources to military service members, veterans, and
their families throughout their educational journey, please visit them on the Troy
Campus or online.