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Tuition Assistance
Active Duty Education Funding
The DoD pays for your college courses while you're still serving — up to $4,500/year. Best part: it doesn't touch your GI Bill.
$250
Per credit hour
$4,500
Annual cap (FY)
0
GI Bill months used
Branch Portals
| Branch | Portal |
|---|---|
| Army | GoArmyEd ↗ |
| Navy | Navy College Program ↗ |
| Marine Corps | Marine Online (MOL) ↗ |
| Air Force / Space Force | AU-ABC ↗ |
| Coast Guard | Coast Guard Institute ↗ |
The Smart Strategy: Stack TA + GI Bill
TA covers tuition → GI Bill covers the rest
Use Tuition Assistance to pay for classes (tuition only). Then use your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to collect the monthly housing allowance (BAH) and books stipend — without using any of your 36-month GI Bill entitlement for tuition. This is called the "Top-Off" strategy and it's the most efficient way to fund your education while on active duty.
How to Apply
- 1Get command approval — your supervisor must sign off before you enroll.
- 2Apply through your branch portal at least 2–4 weeks before class starts.
- 3Register for courses at your chosen accredited school.
- 4School invoices DoD directly — you pay nothing out of pocket for covered tuition.
- 5Maintain satisfactory academic progress or you may owe repayment.
⚠️ Watch Out
- ✗TA cannot be used after separation — plan your coursework around your ETS/EAS date.
- ✗Failing a course may require repayment to DoD.
- ✗Apply early — late TA requests are often denied.
Questions about Tuition Assistance?
We can walk you through the application process for your branch.
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