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Federal Tuition Assistance

Service members eligible for federal tuition assistance (FTA) may receive up to $250 per semester hour for up to 16 semester hours per fiscal year, or a total of $4,000 per fiscal year. This covers a lifetime limit of 130 undergraduate semester hours and 39 graduate semester hours, as well as up to 21 semester hours toward an academic certificate.

Federal tuition assistance can be used simultaneously with Chapter 1606 or Montgomery G.I. Bill-Select Reserve 1606 for the same course when attending half-time or more.

To be eligible, service members must apply no earlier than six months and no later than seven days before the start of classes.

MONTGOMERY GI BILL-SELECT RESERVE CHAPTER 1606

Service members receiving benefits under Chapter 1606 receive $466 per month for full-time enrollment for up to 36 months from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Service members must verify attendance monthly via phone or text. To be eligible, service members must sign a six-year enlistment contract or officer service agreement, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and complete Initial Active Duty for Training or Basic Officer Leadership Course. 

MONTGOMERY GI BILL-'KICKER'

The "kicker" is a tax-free payment of up to $350 paid in addition to the Chapter 1606 benefit. To receive this benefit, service members must be eligible for MGIB Select Reserve and must have a kicker bonus addendum in their contract.

POST-9/11 GI BILL

To be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, service members must serve at least 90 days of qualifying service, or 30 continuous days with an honorable discharge from qualifying active duty due to a service-connected disability. Basic Training and AIT can be added to qualifying time if the service member has completed 24 months of other qualifying active duty, or if Basic Training or IADT occurred on or after Sept. 11, 2001. COVID-19 Response (502F) is considered eligible service for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Payment Tiers
Time in Service Percentage of Maximum Benefit
At least 36 months (Includes Purple Heart Recipients) 100%
30-35 months 90%
24-29 months 80%
18-23 months* 70%
6-17 months* 60%
90 days-5 months 50%

* Initial Entry Training served on or after Sept. 11, 2001, may be included only after the service member has completed 24 months of other qualifying active duty

Based on the 100% tier, service members receive payments of up to $27,120.05 per year for private or foreign schools and up to 100% of in-state tuition for public school, paid directly to the school, as well as a book and supply stipend of $41.67 per credit hour and a monthly housing allowance equal to the BAH rate for an E-5 with dependents based on the school's ZIP code. Active Guard and Reserve do not qualify for a housing allowance; the allowance for online classes is $1,054.50 per month.

Transfer of Education Benefits

Service members may transfer their benefits if they are eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, their spouse or dependents are in DEERS, they have 6-15 years time in service and at least four years until their end term of service. Months of benefit can be divided amongst dependents. 

- If your last day of qualifying service is before Jan. 1, 2013, your spouse's eligibility ends 15 years from the last day of that qualifying duty.
- If your last day of qualifying service is on or after Jan. 1, 2013, your spouse's eligibility never ends.
- The spouse shares the same delimiting state as the service member.
- The spouse of a sevice member on active duty or AGR is not eligible for the housing stipend, as that is based on the service member's current duty status.
- Children have until age 26 after their sponsor completes 10 years in the Armed Forces to use their benefit.

Beneficiaries share the same percentage tier as their sponsor. Children may start using the benefit on their 18th birthday or upon graduating high school, whichever comes first.

NOTE: If you voluntarily separate from the Army National Guard prior to completing your obligation end date, your transfer of education benefits will be terminated, and any funds repaid to your dependents will be recouped.

Education Benefits can only be transferred while in the Armed Forces. Months can be adjusted after discharge as long as at least one month was awarded to the dependent prior to separation. Service members should transfer all benefits to dependents, because benefits can always be transferred back.

To make changes to your TEB, go to https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/milconnect/.

MONTGOMERY GI BILL-ACTIVE DUTY

To qualify for the MGI Bill, service members must have served under qualifying Title 10 active duty service on or after July 1, 1985, or served under Title 32 AGR service after Nov. 29, 1989. They must complete a mobilization of at least two continuous years or complete 20 months of a two-year mobilization and be discharged at the convenience of the government. Finally, they must have paid in $1,200 and received an honorable discharge. Effective Oct. 1, 2023, the VA pays a stipend of $2,358 per month with 3+ years of active service to full-time service members and $1,913 for 2-3 years.

CREDENTIALING TUITION ASSISTANCE

Service members may receive up to $4,000 per year to pay for a new credential or recertification. Combined use of federal tuition assistance and credentialing assistance cannot exceed $4,000 per fiscal year. Active-duty and AGR service members receive a maximum of $1,000 per year to pay for selected aviation-related credentials. CA pays expenses for course materials and supplies, textbooks, and exam fees. All expenses are paid prior to the course or exam start date.

CA can be used for any credential listed on www.cool.osd.mil/army and does not have to be related to the service member's Military Occupational Specialty or Air Force Specialty. Contact the Education Officer to apply.

 

State Tuition Assistance

  • Eligibility
    • Applicant is an active member, in good standing, of the Vermont National Guard.
    • Applicant has successfully completed basic training.
    • Applicant plans to attend a Vermont university, college, or an eligible training institution offering certificate training or continuing education programs beginning on or after January 1, 2019.
    • Applicant is enrolled in a program that leads to an undergraduate certificate or degree, or is studying for relevant continuing education.
    • Applicant demonstrates satisfactory academic progress.
    • Applicant has exhausted any post 9/11/2001 tuition benefits and other federally funded military tuition assistance, not including Montgomery GI Bill benefits, post September 11, 2001 educational program housing allowances, federal educational entitlements, National Guard scholarship grants, loans Under the National Guard Educational Assistance Program, and other nontuition benefits. Members with less than 100% Post 9/11 benefits do not need to use them before applying for VNGTBP.
  • Where to Use

    -Vermont State University

    -University of Vermont

    -Vermont Private Colleges
           -Up to the University of Vermont rate

    -Community College of Vermont

    -Certificate Programs

  • Amount Awarded
    • The amount of the award will vary depending upon the institution and/or program in which the student enrolls.
      • Award amount at Vermont State University, the University of Vermont, or Community College of Vermont will be equal to the in-state resident tuition rate at the relevant institution.
      • Award amount at any eligible Vermont private college/university will be the in-state resident tuition rate at the University of Vermont.
      • Award amount at an eligible training institution for a non-degree, certificate training, or continuing education program, will be the lower of the institution's standard tuition or the in-state resident tuition rate at University of Vermont.

     

    • The Vermont National Guard Tuition Benefit Program (Interest-Free and Forgivable Loan) (VNGTBP) award is a LOAN that covers tuition. If the Guard member receives other federally funded military tuition assistance that covers a portion or all of tuition (including Veteran Affairs benefits), the VNGTBP loan amount will be reduced or eliminated, and the school will be required to return funds to VSAC (thereby lowering the amount of the tuition benefit loan).

Free Tuition FAQ

Contact Information

Education Services Officer - Capt. Axel Larson
Phone: 802-338-3378
Email: axel.a.larson.mil@army.mil
Incentive Manager - Staff Sgt. Daniel Stewart
Phone: 802-338-3170
Email: daniel.e.stewart18.mil@army.mil
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Testing

Tests available through the Education Office:

  • Armed Forces Classification Test - available to raise line scores to reclass or qualify for Officer Candidate School. The last score overrides any previous score.
  • Selection Instrument Flight Training - available to qualify for aviation school
  • Defense Language Proficiency Test - available to qualify for foreign language billets and proficiency bonuses
  • Test of Adult Basic Education - available to determine academic skill levels to meet Warrant Officer education requirements
  • Discounts on SAT, ACT, and CLEP exams (available through CCV)

 

Joint Services Transcript

JST is an academically accepted document approved by the American Council on Education to validate a service member's military occupational experience and training along with the corresponding ACE college credit recommendations. Colleges and universities decide how many credits they will accept toward what degree.

Buxton Scholarship

Saint Michael's College offers a Buxton's Scholarship to Vermont Guardsmen for up to 48 credit hours. Service members must apply every semester with a scholarship application as well as a letter from the service member and a letter of recommendation from their commander. 

Application Deadlines:

Spring Semester: Oct. 1
Fall Semester: April 1

Applications are available on the VTNG Portal and the VTARNG Education Office at Camp Johnson.

Minuteman Scholarship

The Minuteman Scholarship is an ROTC scholarship for which the National Guard nominates select applicants. Recipients will commission as officers in the National Guard and serve as an actively drilling member for eight years after their commission date. Awardees may receive either 100% tuition and fees or up to $10,000 toward room and board, along with all ROTC-related incentives. Vermont has 12 scholarship nominations per fiscal year, decided either by the adjutant general or through a civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army.

Some schools can provide full-ride benefits for ROTC scholarship recipients.

Benefits:

  • $1,200 yearly textbook stipend (scholarship recipients only)
  • E-5 drill pay
  • $420 monthly cadet stipend

Requirements:

  • Must be a U.S. citizen
  • Four-year applicants must be accepted into a host Vermont ROTC school or public university with resident rates. 3AD applicants must be, at a minimum, accepted to any ROTC-affiliated college
  • Must score a 1,000 on the SAT or a 19 on the ACT
  • Minimum 2.5 high school GPA
  • Must enroll in ROTC
  • Must not turn 31 by their commissioning year