Federal Tuition Assistance
ArmyIgnitED Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA)
Servicemembers must speak with their Educational Services Officer (ESO) or military service counselor regarding the approval of tuition assistance benefits prior to enrolling in courses.
TA funds are a unique, distinct source of financial aid available to eligible servicemembers and must be the first payer.
For eligible Soldiers, FTA funds up to $250 per semester hour for up to 16 semester hours each fiscal year — all towards tuition to advance your education.
Here’s a look at the FTA lifetime limits of the program:
- 130 undergraduate semester hours.
- 39 graduate semester hours.
- 21 certificate/diploma semester hours.
FTA will pay toward one credential at each of the post-secondary levels: certificate/diploma, associate degree, bachelor's degree, master's degree, graduate-level certificate. (Doctor’s degrees do not apply.)
Exceptions: Initial state teacher certifications, chaplain certification or prerequisites for the Inter-service Physician Assistant Program (IPAP) may be eligible after receiving a master’s degree. Remember, FTA is tuition assistance, which means it is for tuition only. It does not cover fees, examinations, e-Learning, or other expenses that are outside of an official degree plan.
Enrolling in ArmyIgnitED
ArmyIgnitED Steps:
- Soldier Responsibility - Setup a Login.gov account
- Soldier Responsibility - Create an ArmyIgnitEd Student User account
- Soldier Responsibility - Create an Education Path
- Select education level
- Select Area of Study
- Select Education Institution (Central Michigan University)
- CMU Responsibility- Once you submit your Education Path, CMU will review it for approval.
- Soldier Responsibility - Register for courses using CMU course search and registration https://courseregistration.apps.cmich.edu/
- Soldier Responsibility – Check ArmyIgnitEd to see if course enrollments are listed in the Enrolled Courses section. Select Request TA button for each course and scroll down to the bottom to submit. (If course enrollments are not listed in ArmyIgnitED, please contact militaryTAsupport@cmich.edu.)
Step-by-Step Instructions for the new ArmyIgnitED portal
- Create a Student User Account
- Create Education Paths and Tuition Assistance Requests
- Create Special Program Paths and Tuition Assistance Requests
- Navigate Student Dashboard
- Withdrawals and Recoupment
(Please do not manually add courses. Students should only request TA from the enrollments listed. If they do not see their enrollments listed in ArmyIgnitED, please have them contact milcompliance@cmich.edu.)
FTA can be a huge help in driving down the cost of your education. If you are National Guard, also be sure to ask your state education office for other benefits and programs they provide National Guard Soldiers. If you are Michigan National Guard, browse to https://mingstapapp.state.mi.us and find information about the Michigan National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program (MINGSTAP).
Federal Tuition Assistance for other services
Air Force/Air Guard Tuition Assistance
CMU students in the Air Force must apply for Air Force Tuition Assistance through the AF Portal.
Marine Corps Tuition Assistance
The Marine Corps will pay:
⦁ $250 per semester credit hour, or
⦁ $4,500 per fiscal year
Marine Corps Tuition Assistance Eligibility
⦁ First time users can only take one course for their first enrollment, all others are limited to a maximum of two courses at a time
⦁ Must have a minimum GT score of 100 or a minimum TABE score of 10.2
⦁ Must complete Marine Corps Institute (MCI) Personal Financial Management (Course ID 3420G).
Marine Corps Tuition Assistance Details
⦁ TA can't be used if you have had or are pending disciplinary action.
⦁ TA can't be used to pay for flight training.
⦁ TA can't pay for the same course more than once.
⦁ TA can't be approved retroactively. Applications must be submitted and command approved before the course starts.
⦁ You must earn a grade of D or higher or P for passing all non-graduate level coursework, and C or higher for graduate-level courses. If not, you have to repay all TA funds for that course.
⦁ TA is authorized for graduate studies through the master's degree level; doctoral programs will not be funded
⦁ Only schools with an approved DOD Voluntary Education Partnership MOU are eligible to participate in DOD Voluntary Education programs including military tuition assistance.
⦁ The rules and regulations regarding TA can be found in MCO 1560.25.
Navy Tuition Assistance Program
There are currently no Tuition Assistance Programs for the traditional Navy Reserve.
TA is available to Navy enlisted and officers on active duty, and reservists on continuous active duty. Enlisted reservists ordered to active duty for 120 days or more and reserve officers ordered to active duty for 2 years or more may be eligible. To qualify, you must:
have at least three years time-in-service before applying for benefits.
be on active duty for the whole length of the course.
attend an accredited school
get counseling from a Navy College Office or Virtual Education Center Counselor
provide all grades from previously funded TA courses
enlisted with less than 16 years of service must have 12 months or more remaining on their current enlistment
officers must be O-3 or above and agree to remain on active duty at least two years following the completion of the course.
Coast Guard Tuition Assistance
Tuition Assistance (TA) is authorized for Active Duty military and Reserve members affiliated with the Selected Reserve (SELRES).
Note: Members of SELRES must be drilling reservists with satisfactory progress in the current anniversary year and have met the participation standards for the previous anniversary year.