Tuition Assistance
Tuition Assistance (TA) is a higher education benefit available to you as an active duty service member if you are pursuing or want to pursue college-level coursework. You can receive up to $4,500 per fiscal year to cover up to 100% of tuition and eligible fees toward a college-level diploma, credential, certificate, or degree program.
Eligibility Requirements – follow steps 1 through 4:
- Complete the USMC TA Brief
Complete Intro to Tuition Assistance Brief (MFRPRETA01) on MarineNet.
- Complete the Personal Financial Management (PFM) training
Complete Personal Financial Management (PFM) training through one of the two options (PFM Training Exemptions: Marines with MOS 34XX or 8844):
- Virtual/Online option: Complete the following PFM courses via MarineNet: Setting Financial Goals & Recordkeeping (MFRGOALS01), Exploring your Financial Values & Habits (MFRPFVH001), Developing a Spending Plan (MFRSPEND01), and Establishing Savings (MFRSAVE001); OR
- In-person option: Attend an in person Lejeune-New River Personal Readiness Seminar (PRS). Attending PRS is highly recommend by the ESO for those who have not already attended PRS, however, PRS is required for Marines at their first permanent duty station
- Upload Your Career Path Decide Results
Complete the Skills and Interests Surveys at Career Path Decide and upload your completed goals report to your TA portal.
- Meet with an Education Advisor at the Education Center
- Attend a Career and Education Workshop for Warfighters; OR
- Schedule a personalized, individual counseling appointment
- Visit the Education Center
Education Center advisors can assist with selecting the best academic program for your educational and career goals.
- Enroll in a School
Request a degree plan, select your first class, send transcripts, and send your Joint Service Transcript obtained from JST.
- Identify Your TA Command Approver
Be sure to get command approver’s email and phone number to add to your TA portal later.
- Log-in to Your Tuition Assistance (TA) Portal
You can log into your TA portal by visiting Navy Education and Training Command. Complete your “Update Your Profile” tab with your contact and command approver information.
- Submit Your TA Request
On your TA portal, you can submit your request for your class. You have up to 60 days in advance prior to your course start date to submit applications! You must include specific course information and term dates on the application.
- The information on your TA Application must be confirmed and accurate. To ensure accuracy, your course must be included on your Degree Plan and a Cost Verification Sheet must be uploaded for each TA term.
- Forward to your Command Approver
When you submit your request to your command approver, they will be able to review your course information and approve or deny your request. Once your command approver has approved your request, the Education Center will review your request for eligibility and authorize a TA voucher. Be sure to allow time for the approval process as TA cannot be authorized after the start date of the class.
- Pay For Your Class - After your TA request has been authorized by the education center, print and send the voucher from your TA portal to the school to make tuition payment.
Tuition Assistance Approval
Tuition Assistance (TA) can only be approved for courses starting within 60 days and needs to be applied for each term. To apply for TA for another term, applicants should repeat steps 8-10. Only 2 classes are funded at a time. Only 1 class is funded for first time users, applicants with a TA GPA below 2.5 (undergraduate level) or 3.0 (graduate level), or those who failed or withdrawn from their last class.
Payment:
You can receive up to $4,500 per fiscal year (Oct 1 - Sep 30). TA covers up to $250 per semester hour, $166.67 per quarter hour, and $16.67 per clock hour. Classes you fail (grade D, F, W, or I) will require repayment. For full details, check the NAVMAC or contact your Education Center.
Reimbursements
Marines who fail to complete a course successfully must reimburse received TA funds. TA funds are recouped from Marines for “D” and “F”/fail grades, unresolved “I”/Incomplete, or courses from which the Marine voluntarily withdrew, resulting in a “W” grade.
Waivers
Waivers for repayment are available for students who withdraw due to duty, medical, or emergency circumstances. The waiver request should contain supporting documentation including, where appropriate, temporary assignment of duty (TAD) or permanent change of station (PCS) orders. Include a descriptive narrative explaining the change beyond individual control and unknown at the time of the TA request. The Education Services Officer determines if justification for a waiver is warranted, and if so, forwards the waiver onto Naval Education and Training Professional Development Center (NETPDC) with additional support statements. Contact your local Education Center for more information.
Tuition Assistance Restrictions
- TA cannot be used for flight training.
- TA is not available if you’re in duty-under-instruction status or an officer accession program with full-time civilian institution instruction.
- You cannot use TA for the same course that was previously funded.
- TA will not be approved after the course start date
For more information, reach out to your Education Center.
