Federal tuition assistance

The Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) program provides tuition assistance for voluntary off-duty education programs for Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve component service members. FTA is available for courses that are part of an approved academic degree or certificate program.

Your service branch submits your FTA funds directly to the school. The Department of Defense (DoD) has directed a uniform per credit cap of $250 for tuition assistance (TA) and a fiscal year annual ceiling of $4,500. Note: Army students have a branch-specific annual ceiling of $4,000.

Each service branch has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application process, and restrictions. To find out how to get started, visit your unit’s Education Services Office (ESO), or go online to your branch-specific virtual education center found in the steps below.

Steps to use FTA

  1. Apply for your education goal in your branch’s virtual education center. Connect with your unit’s Education Services Office (ESO) if you need additional guidance.
    • All virtual education centers require a CAC reader for access.
    • If your desired program or any of your courses are not displayed in your virtual education center, please follow up at [email protected].
  2. Create a tuition assistance request (TAR) after your education goal and courses have been approved by your ESO. Once approved, download your Tuition Assistance Request (TAR).
  3. Request to use FTA funds at UMN. Upload your approved TAR in this form. This will provide the Third-Party Billing office with the needed information to apply FTA funds to your student account.