National Guard Money for Higher Education

Are you interested in continuing your education? Are you hoping to receive some sort of financial assistance? If you answered yes to these questions and are part of the National Guard, you are in good position. The Guard offers benefits including but not limited to the following:

– 100 percent tuition assistance up to a total benefit of $18,000 over four years

– Montgomery GI Bill

– Army National Guard Kicker

– Post-9/11 GI Bill

– National Guard Scholarships

– ROTC Program

– Student Loan Repayment Program

With one or more of these programs, you can do more than pay for college. You can also receive money for other expenses that you may incur as you chase after a better education.

Tuition Assistance

With the Federal Tuition Assistance Program, the National Guard can pay up to 100 percent of your tuition up to $18,000. This award is based on in-state institution tuition rates. If this is not enough money to carry you through your college career, you can rely on one of the many other programs that are detailed below.

Did you know that some states also offer state tuition waivers? With these, you can further reduce the percentage of tuition that you are asked to pay.

Tip: this program is awarded on a first come, first served basis so it is important to apply as soon as possible.

Montgomery GI Bill

Do you need money in addition to help paying your college tuition? This is when the Montgomery GI Bill can really help. With this, you will receive a monthly expense allowance of up to $300. You can do whatever you want with this money, as it is not sent directly to the school but instead to you personally. As you can imagine, funds from the Montgomery GI Bill are best used for school supplies and text books.

Army National Guard Kicker

This is a supplement to the Montgomery GI Bill and offers up to $350 per month for living expenses. Over the course of three years, the maximum you can receive through the Army National Guard Kicker Program is $12,600.

Post-9/11 GI Bill

Have you served at least 90 days of Active Duty after September 11, 2011? If you meet this requirement, you may qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. This bill can cover up to 100 percent of your tuition costs, based on the length of time that you have spent serving your country. Along with this, you may be eligible for an additional stipend of $1,000 that can be used for books and other supplies.

Note: ask your recruiter if your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits can be transferred to your dependents. In some cases, you may be eligible for this.

ROTC Program

The ROTC Program is a college elective that puts you on the fast track to earning a commission as a second lieutenant in the Army upon graduating from college. As a member of this program, you may qualify for scholarships as well as a monthly allowance.

Note: you can only qualify for an ROTC scholarship if you agree to a service commitment.

Student Loan Repayment Program

Are you part of the military? Did you already take out student loans to pay for your education? In this case, it is important to consider the Student Loan Repayment Program. If you qualify, the National Guard could pay off up to $50,000 in student loans.

More Programs

Although the above programs are most popular, there are others offered by the National Guard that you may want to consider. For example, there are services that help you earn college credits while you serve.

Do you have more questions about money for higher education offered by the National Guard? If so, contact your local recruiter to discuss your situation and what you can apply for in the future. You may be surprised to find that you qualify for multiple programs.

No matter which National Guard program you take advantage of, once you are qualified you know that you are going to receive money to help better your education ? and that is all that really matters.