Federal Tuition Assistance covers credit hours beyond a bachelor’s degree, pays tuition only, and usually can’t be used in conjunction with GI Bill. GI Bill is paid directly to the Soldier and can be used to pay tuition, fees, books, etc., but has very strict eligibility guidelines based on each Soldier’s service. NGTW CAN BE USED WITH GI BILL- NGTW will be applied to tuition first so that your GI Bill can be used to cover all addition costs, if you choose to use them both.
1-1. Application Process: Guardsmen (Air and Army National Guard) who want to participate in the Arkansas National Guard Tuition Waiver (NGTW) Program must submit an application each semester to the Arkansas National Guard Education NGTW at: ng.ar.ararng.list.education-office@mail.mil The NGTW includes ALL semesters, such as Fall, Spring, Summer I and II, and Winter and May intercessions. 1-2. Submission Deadlines: Applications may be submitted up to 60 days prior to the start of the course/semester, but MUST be submitted no llater than 30 days after the start of the course/semester. Applications submitted after the deadline WILL NOT be granted the NGTW for that semester without an approved Exception to Policy (ETP) through the Education Services Office (ESO). 1-3. Other Funding Each Guardsman must submit applications for all federal, state, and institutional grants and scholarships for which they are eligible. The Guardsman must complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.ed.gov/sa/, the Arkansas YOUniversal Financial Aid Application at scholarships.adhe.edu/, and any additional forms/applications required by the institution in which they attend.
2-1. Who: The NGTW Program is open to all enlisted and officer personnel of the Arkansas Army and Air National Guard who have not previously been awarded a Bachelor’s Degree, are residents of the State of Arkansas, are in “Good Standing” with their unit and who have completed Initial Active Duty Training (Basic Training or had the Basic Training requirement waived by the Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (ROTC). The Guardsman must be enrolled in an Arkansas state-supported public institution and in a degree seeking program. Guardsmen who have been deployed or discharged may have a continuation of eligibility (see paragraphs 2-3 and 2-4). 2-2. In “Good Standing”: “Good Standing” refers to a Guardsman who is NOT under a Suspension of Favorable Actions for serious misconduct at the time of application for, but not limited to, absent without leave (AWOL), substance abuse violations, or any other serious adverse actions. See Army Regulation 135-178 Chapters 11 and 12 or Air Force Instructions 36-3208 and 36-3209. 2-3. Continuation of Eligibility: Guardsmen who are discharged for non-medical reasons, or medical reasons that are not service connected, are eligible for the semester in which they are enrolled. Guardsmen who are medically discharged due to a service connected condition will remain eligible for up to 5 years from their date of discharge. In a and b above, the benefit will end once the Guardsman receives the benefit for 120 credit hours or completes the degree program in which they were enrolled. 2-4. Deployment or Mobilization: In the event that a mobilization or deployment interrupts the enrollment of a Guardsman currently receiving NGTW, the Guardsman will remain eligible for a period of time equal to the semester in which they were enrolled. It is the Guardsman’s responsibility to notify the institution in which they attend as soon as possible, via copies of the orders for mobilization or deployment. Each institution will handle the mobilization in accordance with Arkansas Code § 6-61-112
3-1. Authorization of Use: NGTW will only be awarded for programs leading to an undergraduate degree up to a bachelor’s degree, in a state-supported public two (2) or four (4) year institution within the State of Arkansas. Guardsmen cannot have previously been awarded a Bachelor's Degree. NGTW will cover tuition for all approved courses and mandatory institution fees. Each Guardsman is responsible for other costs, such as non-mandatory fees, room and board, textbooks, parking permits, etc. 3-2. Schools: Eligible Arkansas institutions may be found at http://www.adhe.edu//locations. No private or out-of-state institution is eligible for use this program (i.e. Central Baptist College, Harding University, or University of Phoenix). Guardsmen may be enrolled in more than one institution concurrently; however, a separate application must be submitted for each institution in which the benefit is being requested. 3-3. Hours Covered by the NGTW: There are no minimum or maximum credit hours, per semester, for this program. NGTW will not pay for more than a total of 120 credit hours or after a Guardsman receives a Bachelor’s Degree. Only credit hours covered by this benefit, to include remedial courses, count toward the 120 credit hour limit.
4-1. Drop I Add dates: Classes dropped after the drop/add date may not be covered by the benefit and the Guardsman may be responsible for paying for those classes directly to the institution in which they attend. 4-2. Academic Progress: Each Guardsman must maintain satisfactory academic progress as determined by the state-supported institution in which the Guardsman is enrolled. 4-3. Becoming Ineligible: A Guardsman will become ineligible for NGTW, and subject to recoupment for that semester, if the Guardsman is dismissed from the institution for academic or disciplinary reasons, if the Guardsman’s service in the Arkansas National Guard is terminated or becomes unsatisfactory, fraud or misrepresentation of information in the application, or failure to complete the semester in which NGTW was awarded. To maintain eligibility, a Guardsman must not drop more than 6 credit hours during the period in which the benefit is received, unless dropping the courses is necessary due to mobilization/deployment or a medical reason approved through the appeal/ETP process in section 5. Classes dropped before the add/drop date are not counted towards those 6 hours. 4-4. Misconduct: A Guardsman will become ineligible for NGTW, and subject to recoupment of ALL funds paid on the Guardsman’s behalf, if the Guardsman engages in serious misconduct or fails to remain a satisfactory participant in active drilling status with the Arkansas National Guard.
In the event a Guardsman is denied for NGTW, has the benefit terminated, or is ordered to repay funds issued on their behalf, in accordance with the provisions of NGAR 621-203, the Guardsman may request an ETP in writing to their Air Wing or the Education Services Office within 30 days from the date of denial/termination/ recoupment. ETP’s must contain, at a minimum, the Guardsman’s name, unit/wing of assignment, institution name and location, and semester/year in question and the reason for the ETP.