Tuition Assistance Calculator

What Tuition Assistance covers

TA pays directly to your school for tuition charges at an accredited civilian institution. Under 10 U.S.C. § 2007 and DoDI 1322.25, the program supports the following:

Courses — undergraduate, graduate, vocational, certificate
Schools — accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accreditor
Formats — in-person, online, hybrid, asynchronous
Locations — any state or country (no requirement to attend a base school)

What it does NOT cover: books, lab fees, parking, application fees, registration fees, courses already paid by another federal source (e.g., GI Bill while still on active duty), proficiency exams (use CLEP/DSST through DANTES instead).

The two caps you must know

Per-credit-hour cap: $250/semester hour. If your school charges more than $250/SH, you pay the difference out of pocket. Many public state schools and military-friendly online schools price below or at $250 (e.g., AMU, Purdue Global, Excelsior, ASU OL, University of Phoenix Military, etc.). Selective private universities (Harvard, Stanford, etc.) charge $1,500+/SH and you'd absorb the entire difference.

Per-fiscal-year cap: $4,500. A fiscal year runs October 1 to September 30, NOT the academic year. You can use up to $4,500 ÷ $250 = 18 semester hours/year at the full TA rate. Strategy: time your courses across the October FY rollover to maximize use.

Service-specific implementations

The DoD sets the policy. Each service runs its own portal and may add restrictions:

Army: ArmyIgnitED (formerly GoArmyEd). Soldiers must register, get course pre-approval, and submit grades. Soldiers in IET cannot use TA.
Navy: Navy College Program through MyEducation portal. Has NCPACE (Navy College Program for Afloat College Education) for sea-duty.
Air Force / Space Force: AFVEC (Air Force Virtual Education Center). Most flexible; Airmen and Guardians can use TA throughout active duty including AIT post-graduation. Note Air Force has paused/restored TA multiple times — check current AFVEC status.
Marines: LIFELearning. Marines must complete the WebAIM TA orientation and supervisor counseling.
Coast Guard: ETQC. TA available to AD and certain Reservists on active service.

Reservists: National Guard and Reserve members generally do not receive TA. State VA agencies sometimes offer State Tuition Assistance for Guard members; check your state National Guard website.

Service obligation — the cost of using TA

Using TA creates an active-duty service obligation (ADSO). The general rule:

Service obligation period: Typically 2 years of active duty from the date of the LAST TA-funded course completion. Varies slightly by service.
Recoupment if you separate early: Pro-rated repayment of TA received during the obligation period. Collected through DFAS by debt action on your final pay.
If you fail or non-medically withdraw: Full repayment of TA paid for that course. No exceptions for "I changed my mind." Documented medical withdrawals may be waived case-by-case.

For separating members within 2 years: do the math. If you've used $4,500.00 this FY and plan to separate before your ADSO expires, that's potentially $4,500.00 you'll repay via final-pay collection.

TA vs Post-9/11 GI Bill — which to use when

Both fund civilian higher education, but they have different rules and timing.

TA (active duty): Use while serving. Pays directly to school. Has the $250/SH and $4,500/year caps. Creates 2-year ADSO.
Post-9/11 GI Bill (post-separation typically): Pays tuition up to in-state public rate; private capped at the National Maximum ($30,908.34 for the 2026-27 academic year). Pays BAH and book stipend. 36 months of benefit.
Top-Up: Active-duty members can use Post-9/11 GI Bill alongside TA to cover the difference (the over-cap portion). Reduces remaining GI Bill months.
Strategy: Use TA fully while AD; save GI Bill for post-separation when you need BAH coverage. Top-Up only if you need a specific course that exceeds the TA cap AND you have GI Bill months to spare.

Maximizing TA — practical playbook

Pick a regionally accredited school priced at ≤$250/SH. Several military-friendly online schools deliberately price at exactly $250/SH for full TA coverage.
Plan your courses across the October FY rollover. Two courses in September (FY ending) + two in October (new FY) = 4 courses, $4,500 + $4,500 = $9,000 in TA in about 90 days.
Submit TA request 14+ days before the course start date. Same-day approvals are not guaranteed.
Verify your school is on the DoD MOU list at dodmou.com. Schools NOT on the MOU list cannot receive TA payment.
Get supervisor counseling at the start of each FY. Required by Marine LIFELearning; recommended for all services to avoid mid-year denials.
Track your FY use cumulatively. The TA portal shows your remaining FY budget — check it before each course request.
Complete every course you start. A failed grade triggers full repayment AND can ban you from future TA for 6-12 months.

Tuition Assistance — frequently asked questions

How much does Tuition Assistance pay?

TA pays up to $250 per semester hour and up to $4,500 per fiscal year (Oct 1 – Sep 30) per service member, per 10 U.S.C. § 2007 and DoDI 1322.25. If your school charges more than $250/SH, you pay the difference out of pocket. At full rate, you can take up to 18 semester hours of TA-funded courses per FY.

Can I use TA at any school?

Yes — at any school that is (1) regionally or nationally accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accreditor AND (2) on the DoD Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) list at dodmou.com. Schools not on the MOU list cannot receive TA payment. Format does not matter (in-person, online, hybrid).

What is the active-duty service obligation (ADSO) for TA?

Using TA creates a 2-year ADSO from the date of your LAST TA-funded course completion. If you separate before the obligation expires, DoD will recoup the TA paid during the obligation period (pro-rated by service-specific rules) through DFAS debt collection on your final pay.

What happens if I fail or withdraw from a TA course?

Full repayment of TA paid for that course, no exceptions. The amount is collected via DFAS debt action on your pay. Failing a course can also trigger a 6-12 month ban on future TA approvals under most service implementations. Documented medical withdrawals may qualify for waiver case-by-case.

Can I use TA AND GI Bill at the same time?

Yes — via Top-Up. While on active duty, you can apply Post-9/11 GI Bill to cover the over-cap difference between TA and your actual tuition. Top-Up reduces your remaining GI Bill months. Generally, save GI Bill for post-separation when you need the BAH stipend; use TA fully while AD.

Do Reservists and Guard get TA?

Generally no — TA is for active-duty members. Some Reservists on long-term active orders (Title 10, 30+ days) may qualify under service rules. Many state National Guards offer State Tuition Assistance for guardsmen — check your state NG website for the state-specific program.

Is TA taxable?

No. TA is excluded from gross income under 26 U.S.C. § 127 (employer-provided educational assistance) for the first $5,250/year. Since the DoD cap is $4,500, TA stays fully under the tax-exclusion limit. You will not see TA on your W-2.