FTA Application Timeline:

You may request Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) up to 60 days prior to your class start date. FTA requests are submitted and approved, individually, on a class-by-class basis. If your request is not approved (ex. missing documentation), a counselor will email you instructions on how to correct the error and resubmit the request.

FTA Guidelines:

• FTA cannot be used toward a lower or lateral degree.
• FTA will only be issued toward one degree or credential at a time.
• Soldiers must maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 upon completion of 15 SHs (or equivalent) of FTA funded undergraduate credit, or a GPA of 3.0 after completion of 6 SHs (or equivalent) of FTA funded graduate credit.
• Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship recipients are not eligible for FTA.

FTA Time and Grade Conditions:

• Soldiers must reimburse the Army for any FTA received if they drop classes for personal reasons or do not successfully complete a class.
• Non-successful grades are defined as an “F” or a “D” (or equivalents) for undergraduate courses, an “F”, a “D” or a “C” (or equivalents) for graduate.

Combining Benefits

• Soldiers may use FTA and MGIB-SR (Chapter 1606) benefits during the same semester and use FTA and 1606 for the same course as long as they are attending at least half-time. The use of all other Veterans’ education benefits to supplement TA is authorized in accordance with applicable VA guidelines.  VA Education contact number: 1-888-442-4551
• Soldiers may use State Tuition Reimbursement Program (STRP)  (school must be headquartered in Texas to qualify for STRP) with Federal Tuition Assistance to assist with fees and tuition. STRP will not exceed total tuition and fee amount.

Transition Certificate Policy:

• The Army provides an additional 21 semester hour (SH) allocation intended to help all Soldiers update or gain new skills to enhance post-service transition.
• The Transition Certificate policy applies to all Soldiers, including those who have already used undergraduate and graduate semester hour allocations, by providing up to 21 SHs to earn a Transition Certificate.
• Soldiers desiring to earn a certificate, but who are not planning on transitioning out of the Army (or are not within three years of ETS) may still use FTA to earn a certificate.
• Soldiers may not request TA for a Transition Certificate within five years of completing a previous certificate.

Active Duty/Reserve Duty Service Obligation (ADSO/RDSO):

• Active Duty Commissioned Officers or Commissioned Warrant Officers incur a 2-year ADSO.
• Reserve Component Officers or Commissioned Warrant Officers incur a 4-year RDSO.
• The ADSO/RDSO begins after the last day of the last course for which TA is provided unless involuntarily separated by the Army.

Federal Tuition Assistance provides financial assistance to Soldiers pursuing a degree and/or certificate.  Current Army policy limits Federal Tuition Assistance to:

• 130 undergraduate semester hours
• 39 graduate semester hours
• 21 certificate semester hours
• 21 "transition" certificate semester hours
• Up to $250 per semester hour (No Fees)
• 16 semester hours per fiscal year (1 OCT – 30 SEP)

Army Medical Program (AMEDD, IPAP):

• Soldiers may use FTA to take pre-requisite courses for Army Medical Programs (AMEDD, IPAP, etc.).
• If you wish to receive Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) for an Army medical program (e.g., U.S. Army Medical Department (AMEDD), Interservice Physician Assistant Program (IPAP)) prerequisite course, you must complete the GoArmyEd VIA Decision tool (even if you are not pursuing a degree in GoArmyEd). 
• Review to the Army Medical Program FTA Registration process to apply. 

Specialized Chaplain Certificate Program

• Chaplains are authorized FTA for up to 18 semester hours beyond the master’s degree or current graduate semester hour limit leading to one certificate: an academic certificate, program of preparation for certification, licensure, or capstone certification in an area of specialization regardless of one’s previous educational achievements. ADSO/RDSO applies.
• Must be an Army Chaplain with a master’s level degree or higher.
• Coursework / Certificate program must be in:  Marriage and Family Therapy, Counseling, Pastoral Counseling, or Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE).
• Must provide a documented plan in Soldier’s eFile in GoArmyEd.

Army Strategic Foreign Languages Program

• Federal Tuition Assistance is authorized for non-degree oriented languages listed on the Army Strategic Language lists.
• Host-nation language courses for Soldiers assigned OCONUS are authorized FTA for up to 15 semester hours of host-nation language.
• Foreign language courses which are part of a Soldier’s degree plan are authorized for FTA.

Q: Is it true we no longer have to wait one year after AIT/BOLC to use FTA?

A: Yes! The one year wait was rescinded on 5 August 2018.  Qualifying Soldiers may now  request FTA after successful completion of AIT/BOLC.

Q: If TA only paid for one class to complete my bachelor's degree, do I still have to wait until I have 10 years in service to start my master’s?

A: No. You may now use TA for your next degree level even if you used it for a lower degree level. 

Q: What is the TA eligibility status for 09R / 09S?

A: Not eligible (must meet the one year after completing Initial Entry Training rule.) Note – If you have prior service (any branch) and meet the one year after AIT/WOBC/BOLC rule, you can use TA provided they are not on any type of ROTC Scholarship.

Q: If a Soldier is under the 16 SH limit but the next enrollment would take the total above 16 SHs, will TA pay for the SHs that do not go over the 16 SH limit?

A: TA will pay for UP TO 16 SHs (proration applies).

Q: Does 16 semester hours of TA-funded classes start at the beginning of the calendar year or at the beginning of the academic year?

A: The 16 semester hour is based on the fiscal year, 1 October to 30 September. TA is associated with the class start date within a fiscal year.

Q: Will classes dropped for personal reasons count towards the 16 semester hour limit?

A: Yes, classes dropped after the start date in which there is a cost to the Army will count towards your 16 semester hour fiscal year total.

Q: Will classes dropped for military reasons count towards the 16 semester hour limit?

A: If you have to drop a class due to unforeseen military reasons, those semester hours will not count towards your 16 semester hour fiscal year total. Note: Military withdrawal must be approved by your Education Services Officer to be valid.

Q: Will the TA Statement of Understanding (SOU) be updated to reflect the policy changes?

A: Yes, the current SOU (dated Sep 2015) is under revision and we anticipate will be ready for signature not later than 5 August 2018.