Figure 1. The 5 phase process for State TA.
The basics of how this program works goes something like this.
- Applicants must apply for aid each semester.
- Awards are intended to reimburse the out-of-pocket expenses incurred from qualifying tuition and mandatory fee charges.
- If approved for a State TA award, then after the semester is over an award payment is sent to the school.
- The school will either apply the funds to new charges or refund the appropriate amount to the student.
Status updates are sent to all applicants throughout the review process. If you submit a request for aid, you should receive at least one status update by the end of the first month of classes. If you do not receive something by the end of the first full month of classes, contact our office to inquire about the status of your application. Our office breaks the review process down into 5 phases:
- Phase 1 Applying for aid;
- Phase 2 Determining eligibility;
- Phase 3 Calculating an award amount;
- Phase 4 Reporting grades; and
- Phase 5 Issuing award payments.
The basics of how this program works goes something like this.
- Applicants must apply for aid each semester.
- Awards are intended to reimburse the out-of-pocket expenses incurred from qualifying tuition and mandatory fee charges.
- If approved for a State TA award, then after the semester is over an award payment is sent to the school.
- The school will either apply the funds to new charges or refund the appropriate amount to the student.
Status updates are sent to all applicants throughout the review process. If you submit a request for aid, you should receive at least one status update by the end of the first month of classes. If you do not receive something by the end of the first full month of classes, contact our office to inquire about the status of your application. Our office breaks down the review process into 5 phases:
- Phase 1 Applying for aid
- Phase 2 Determining eligibility
- Phase 3 Calculating an award amount
- Phase 4 Reporting grades
- Phase 5 Issuing award payments.
Our first phase of processing revolves around the application for aid. The process begins when a student submits an application form to request aid. When the form is received in our office, the information is added to our database system and an update message is emailed to the applicant confirming initiation of the review process.
You, the student, must Submit an application form before the beginning of each semester that you want aid. Aid does NOT automatically carry over from one semester to the next. The window to submit an application opens approximately 2 months prior to the beginning of each semester and closes around the 2nd week of the semester. See the section on “Due Dates/Deadlines” for specific dates. (For the Fall 2023 semester, we will continue to accept applications through the end of September.)
The application form is transitioning to the MS 365 SharePoint environment. CAC Login is now required. At this point members of the Army National Guard should have access to use the SharePoint-based application form. We are working to open that access to members of the Air Guard and State Guard. If any member has a problem getting the CAC login to work, please email our office for assistance, ng.tx.txarng.mbx.trp@army.mil.
Find the SharePoint site here: https://armyeitaas.sharepoint-mil.us/teams/TXARNGEducationandIncentives-StateTA
The improved experience from using the SharePoint site includes:
- Simpler application form
- Easier access to upload required supporting documents
- Better access to the status of a current aid request
- Ongoing information on historical usage of State TA
- Data is secured; CAC login is required
Air National Guard and Texas State Guard: Are welcome to attempt the SharePoint application. If unable to login, you can email our office providing your military email address. We will NOT send any emails to your military inbox. Your military email address is used ONLY to verify your credentials to login. We can try to add you manually using your military email address. Email our office at ng.tx.txarng.mbx.trp@army.mil.
If we are not able to grant you access, you will be emailed a link to access an alternate application site. The alternate option is not SharePoint based so it does not have the advantages mentioned above.
Our office reviews each application to determine whether an applicant meets all the qualifications for a State TA award and to calculate the qualifying amount for reimbursement. The review process focuses on 3 categories of eligibility. An applicant must get a GO in all 3 in order to be approved to receive a State TA award. The 3 categories are Military Service Eligibility, Financial Eligibility, and Scholastic/Academic Eligibility. Phase 2 of our process focuses specifically on Military Service Qualifications. The other 2 categories are reviewed in phases 3 and 4.
Military Service qualifications are essentially the items listed on the Statement of Understanding page that an applicant signs as part of the application form. Those detailed items can be summarized in these 6 general terms that are verified each semester of a person applies for aid:
- Currently serving Guard member (not IRR or ING)
- Completion of Basic Training
- Military service will continue beyond the end of the semester
- Qualifying pay grade
- Qualifying degree program
- Satisfactory participation with military unit
We reach out to a representative of each component to verify the specific military criteria. This provides leaders in any of the 3 TMD components with a mechanism to utilize the State TA benefit as a tool to manage and reward their members that are consistently maintaining the military standards of performance.
More Information
Our office reviews each application to determine whether an applicant meets all the qualifications for a State TA award and to calculate the qualifying amount for reimbursement. The review process focuses on 3 categories of eligibility. An applicant must get a GO in all 3 in order to be approved to receive a State TA award. The 3 categories are Military Service Eligibility, Financial Eligibility, and Scholastic/Academic Eligibility. Phase 2 of our process focuses specifically on Military Service Qualifications. The other 2 categories are reviewed in phases 3 and 4.
Military Service qualifications are essentially the items listed on the Statement of Understanding page that an applicant signs as part of the application form. Those detailed items can be summarized in these 6 general terms that are verified each semester of a person applies for aid:
- Currently serving Guard member (not IRR or ING)
- Completion of Basic Training
- Military service will continue beyond the end of the semester
- Qualifying pay grade
- Qualifying degree program
- Satisfactory participation with military unit
We reach out to a representative of each component to verify the specific military criteria. This provides leaders in any of the 3 TMD components with a mechanism to utilize the State TA benefit as a tool to manage and reward their members that are consistently maintaining the military standards of performance.
More Information
Our office reviews each application to determine whether an applicant meets all the qualifications for a State TA award and to calculate the qualifying amount for reimbursement. The review process focuses on 3 categories of eligibility. An applicant must get a GO in all 3 in order to be approved to receive a State TA award. The 3 categories are Military Service Eligibility, Financial Eligibility, and Scholastic/Academic Eligibility. Phase 2 of our process focuses specifically on Military Service Qualifications. The other 2 categories are reviewed in phases 3 and 4.
Military Service qualifications are essentially the items listed on the Statement of Understanding page that an applicant signs as part of the application form. Those detailed items can be summarized in these 6 general terms that are verified each semester of a person applies for aid:
- Currently serving Guard member (not IRR or ING)
- Completion of Basic Training
- Military service will continue beyond the end of the semester
- Qualifying pay grade
- Qualifying degree program
- Satisfactory participation with military unit
We reach out to a representative of each component to verify the specific military criteria. This provides leaders in any of the 3 TMD components with a mechanism to utilize the State TA benefit as a tool to manage and reward their members that are consistently maintaining the military standards of performance.
More Information
Academic or Scholastic Eligibility is the final factor in qualifying for State Tuition Assistance. This is accomplished by students sending an OFFICIAL transcript AFTER the semester is over to report final grades. Only OFFICIAL transcripts will be accepted. Unofficial versions or screen shots of your grades will NOT be accepted.
PLEASE NOTE: Send in your official transcript AFTER your grades have posted. If a transcript is received without the grades showing, a new transcript will have to be ordered.
Electronic transcripts.
The general rule is to send your transcript to our office in an electronic/digital format. Most schools now provide an electronic PDF version that can be ordered online and sent electronically to our office. If this option is available to you, this is the method you should use. Find the online transcript order site for your college/university. On the transcript order page, you must manually enter our information as the recipient:
- Name: Texas Military Dept. State Tuition Assistance
- Email address: statranscripts@gmail.com
Non-Electronic transcripts
If your school does not offer electronic transcripts, order a paper copy for yourself. Pickup in person or have it mailed to YOUR OWN ADDRESS. Once you have it, scan it and upload a copy to the State TA SharePoint page. If you cannot access that page, email a copy to our office.
Once we receive your transcript, we will record your grades into our system and then email you a confirmation. At certain points it may take a few days from receiving the transcript to update the grades. Please be patient, but if a week passes or the deadline approaches with no confirmation from our office please send an email to confirm if we received your transcript.
More Information
Academic Eligibility is the final factor in qualifying for State Tuition Assistance. This is accomplished by students sending an OFFICIAL transcript AFTER the semester is over to report final grades. Only OFFICIAL transcripts will be accepted. Unofficial versions or screen shots of your grades will NOT be accepted.
PLEASE NOTE: Send in your official transcript AFTER your grades have posted. If a transcript is received without the grades showing, a new transcript will have to be ordered.
Electronic transcripts.
The general rule is to send your transcript to our office in an electronic/digital format. Most schools now provide an electronic PDF version that can be ordered online and sent electronically to our office. If this option is available to you, this is the method you should use. Find the online transcript order site for your college/university. On the transcript order page, you must manually enter our information as the recipient:
- Name: Texas Military Dept. State Tuition Assistance
- Email address: statranscripts@gmail.com
Non-Electronic transcripts
If your school does not offer electronic transcripts, order a paper copy for yourself. Pickup in person or have it mailed to YOUR OWN ADDRESS. Once you have it, scan it and upload a copy to the State TA SharePoint page. If you cannot access that page, email a copy to our office.
Once we receive your transcript, we will record your grades into our system and then email you a confirmation. At certain points it may take a few days from receiving the transcript to update the grades. Please be patient, but if a week passes or the deadline approaches with no confirmation from our office please send an email to confirm if we received your transcript.
More Information
The final step in our processing cycle is to issue payment of an award to a college. We combine award payments as much as possible. This means for an example, all students receiving State TA and attending classes at the University of Texas will have their award payments combined into a single lump-sum transaction issued to UT. This means we cannot issue the payment until ALL of the UT students have provided an official transcript to our office.
Yes, the payment is issued to the college, not to the student. Once UT receives the funds, the appropriate amount will be credited to each student account. When appropriate, the college can issue a refund out to the student or the funds can be applied to new charges on the student account.
The overall payment of all awards to all the colleges will normally run from 6 to 12 weeks after the end of the semester. Because of the time it takes to receive all transcripts and the time it can take for the college to apply an award to a student account, it is impossible to predict when a payment may be applied to a student’s account any more accurately. Once the TMD accounting office issues the payment transaction, an email notice goes out to a student advising that payment is on the way. This marks the end of this phase and the end of the overall process for the semester.
The final step in our processing cycle is to issue payment of an award to a college. We combine award payments as much as possible. This means for an example, all students receiving State TA and attending classes at the University of Texas will have their award payments combined into a single lump-sum transaction issued to UT. This means we cannot issue the payment until ALL of the UT students have provided an official transcript to our office.
Yes, the payment is issued to the college, not to the student. Once UT receives the funds, the appropriate amount will be credited to each student account. When appropriate, the college can issue a refund out to the student or the funds can be applied to new charges on the student account.
The overall payment of all awards to all the colleges will normally run from 6 to 12 weeks after the end of the semester. Because of the time it takes to receive all transcripts and the time it can take for the college to apply an award to a student account, it is impossible to predict when a payment may be applied to a student’s account any more accurately. Once the TMD accounting office issues the payment transaction, an email notice goes out to a student advising that payment is on the way. This marks the end of this phase and the end of the overall process for the semester.
Due Date/Deadline Summary for the 2023-2024 Academic Year:
If you are applying for:
|
Fall Semester
|
Spring Semester
|
1) Application Submission Deadline |
September 15, 2023 |
February 16, 2024 |
2) Supporting Documents Due Date |
September 30, 2023 |
March 1, 2024 |
3) Official Transcript Due Date |
January 16, 2024 |
June 5, 2024 |
** NOTE: If you request State TA for Fall and Spring, you must provide separate supporting documents and an official transcript for each semester, by the due dates listed above for each semester.
- Applicants will receive multiple email status updates throughout the semester. If you are not receiving status updates, contact the Education Office to ensure that your application was received and is being processed.
- The tuition award will only reimburse classes that are successfully completed. Classes that are withdrawn, incomplete or failed will not be reimbursed.
- Official transcripts are required to confirm grades.
- This program does not pay until after the end of the academic semester. Therefore, it is the applicant’s responsibility to work with the school to satisfy the payment requirements at the beginning of the semester. Most schools will not defer charges based on your application for State Tuition Assistance.
- Schedule changes should be reported by submitting an updated course schedule and fee statement to the Education Office.
- The State TA award will be issued at the completion of the academic semester and only after an official transcript is received in the Education Office.
- By Texas State law, this program is only authorized to issue payments directly to a college or university in Texas. We cannot issue payments to out of state institutions or to individual persons.
- Payments are sent as a bulk payment that includes all awards for all approved recipients at a given school. Schools may take days or weeks from the date the payment is received in their accounting system before process the payment. It may take additional time for the school to update the student’s account.
- If the STATE TA payment creates a positive balance on the student’s account, then the school may issue a refund of the appropriate amount. The school may offer other options to handle the positive account balance.
MISSION:
In alignment with the TMD Strategic Plan, The State Tuition Assistance Program supports TMD’s overarching goals of Retention, Building Resiliency and enhancing Community Support.
GOALS
- Recruitment and Retention of highly qualified Soldiers, Airmen and State Guard Members.
- Increase the number of TMD Members who complete an undergraduate degree.
- Promote postsecondary education which accelerates military readiness and resiliency as well as personal and professional development.
- Improve and expand upon the quality of services offered to the state’s workforce and community.
- Increase representation in the STEM disciplines such as cyber space security, computer science, natural or biological sciences, education, engineering, mathematics, physics, public health and the sciences.
- Develop a cadre of future leaders for Texas and America by facilitating the completion of higher education.
VALUES
- Military Service
- Scholastic Eligibility
- Successful completion of classes
- STEM Degrees that increase employee knowledge and skills that contribute to the TMD Agency and Mission.