How to apply for National Guard Federal Tuition Assistance

Step 1:  Register for classes at your college.

Step 2:  Go to the financial aid office at the college and ask them to put a "tuition hold" on your tuition payment because you are waiting on TA funding approval from the military.  Do not pay up front for your classes.
*For Clark College in Vancouver, WA you can also request a tuition hold via email at rroche@clark.edu.

Step 3:  Gain access to the TA website.  https://www.education.ng.mil/  Click "apply" in the right side of the header bar then roll down and click on "ARNG FTA." 

This will redirect you to: https://minuteman.ngb.army.mil/Benefits/Unsecured/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fbenefits%2f%3f1&1 

Click on the brown “Log in with CAC” button to apply.

You will need CAC access to get into the site. 

The computers at your local armory or recruiting station will have CAC access however the best solution is to buy a CAC reader and set it up with your personal computer at home.

You can purchase a CAC reader here for $17.79 (This is the reader that I use and works for DoD websites including AKO).  You will need to configure your CAC reader with your computer.  I followed the step by step instructions at http://www.militarycac.com/.

 

Step 4:  Enter your class information into the site.  You should be able to pull this information from your student schedule.
The cost per credit hour can usually be found on your college website, or you can use the "flat rate calculator" at the bottom of the Tuition Assistance application page. 

Step 5:  Submit a degree plan to your state education office.  A degree plan shows that the classes you are taking count towards your degree.  See a sample degree plan below.  You can get a blank degree plan from your college counseling office or website.  Be sure it shows the name of the college you are attending and include the name of the courses and the amount of credits for each class that you intend on taking.  If you change your classes or your intended degree, be sure to submit a new degree plan.

Fill out a degree plan and submit it to your state education office.

*In Washington State, send your degree plan to education@ng.army.mil and mike.an@us.army.mil

Step 6:  You will be notified by email once the funding has been approved.
This may take a day or up to a few weeks depending on your state.  If you don't hear from you education office with a few days, call them.
*In Washington state the education office can be reached at 253-512-8899.

For other states this information can be found once you login to the minuteman web portal or you can call the ARNG Education Support Center at 1-866-628-5999.

If you found this site helpful or if you think there is something we can improve, please let us know by commenting on our page.  If you have additional questions you can post them below or contact your state education office.