All tuition assistance system questions other than missing courses or degree programs should be directed to your Education Services Office (ESO) or your unit/branch. 

Members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard are eligible for Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA), also called Military Tuition Assistance or MilTA. TA is able to be applied to a servicemembers’ in-state tuition expenses. Tuition Assistance is usually paid directly to the institution.

Student Accounts is your main contact for payments to your account or missing or incorrect TA funds.

Steps to Apply: Tuition Assistance

1. Contact Your Branch or Education Service Office (ESO).

Each branch has a distinct process of applying for tuition assistance, with most starting with to talk with your command about taking courses. If you have questions or need assistance with applying, your ESO will be able to help.

If you have not been assigned an ESO or do not know which ESO you report to, contact your branch or unit for the location and contact point.

2. Complete Your FAFSA.

Even if your/your families' income doesn't qualify you for federal aid, a FAFSA is needed for university- or state-specific grants. Many students use TA and federal grants from FAFSA at the same time.

If you need assistance with filing a FAFSA, reach out to us or to the Office of Financial Aid.

3. If you are not already considered for in-state tuition, you are able to submit an in-state tuition appeal.

In-state tuition can only be considered if the student plans to relocate physically to North Carolina for their degree program, including for ASU Online and Flight Path.

You can find the required documents to file a tuition appeal and who to send it to in our VA Benefits FAQs page. 

4. If you have private insurance (TriCare®, BCBS, etc.), complete a medical insurance waiver.

Appalachian requires that every student have some form of health insurance. If a student does not have health insurance privately or through their parents, they can choose the student health insurance plan provided by the university. 

If you have a private health insurance like TriCare®, Blue Cross Blue Shield®, Aetna®, etc., you can complete a medical insurance waiver to void the automatic insurance charge to your bill. This will need to be done each semester.

4. Send your authorizations/vouchers to thirdpartybilling@appstate.edu.

Student Accounts does not automatically receive authorizations or vouchers, so you would benefit from sending them directly to Third-Party Billing.

Your funds are more likely to be added to your account on time if vouchers are sent to us. If vouchers are not sent, sometimes the only information we receive is to input grades, which prompts us to bill at the end of a semester instead of the beginning or middle.

Missing Courses or Degree Program in TA Portal?

If courses or a degree program is missing from the TA portal that you use, reach out to our office so we can manually add it. Sometimes course codes, names, and degree programs change each new academic year. 

If you are planning to take courses that require specified credit hours or course codes (AMU, MUS, Selected Topics), you will need to provide us with your course list and amount of credit hours for each course. TA portals will not allow us to enter duplicate courses of the same course code, so we will have to add those courses manually before you can select them for invoicing.

Grades and Grade Requirements

Our office reports grades on your behalf within the 30 day course completion window as set by most branches. It is ultimately your responsibility to make sure that your grades are reported and accurate to avoid recoupment of funds.

Recoupment (pay back) of funds will occur for courses below minimum grade requirements: 

  • Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard: Grade of "C" or lower for any undergraduate-level course; Grade of "B" or lower for any graduate-level course.
  • Army: Grade of “D” or lower for any undergraduate-level course; Grade of “C” or lower for any graduate-level course.
  • Incomplete (I) grades must be changed to the final grade within 6 months (1 semester) to avoid recoupment. Grades below the requirement after a period of Incomplete will be recouped.
  • Grades labeled as "W" (withdraw) have the option to be waived, but some branches have distinct situations for a waiver. Contact your ESO or branch for details on the process. 

Limitations

  • Maximum of $250 per credit hour
  • Cannot exceed $4,500 per fiscal year (10/1 - 9/30)
  • Comprehensive fees or course fee charges are not included

Concurrent Uses

Chapter 1606: All qualified members are authorized to use both TA and Ch. 1606 concurrently when enrolled in a program of education that is half-time or greater. Concurrent use is not authorized when enrolled less than half-time. 

Chapter 33: Active Duty, National Guard, and Reservist members may receive Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill®) benefits for the same courses for which they receive TA if they are eligible for Chapter 33. Schools must deduct TA benefits from the overall tuition and fees submitted to VA, and Ch. 33 is used to pay toward the remaining out-of-pocket costs. We cannot submit for TA use if you currently have 100% benefit percentage for Ch. 33.

Our office will only report TA allowable amounts once your Chapter 33 tuition and fees payment has been calculated.

North Carolina National Guard Tuition Assistance Program (NC TAP)

NCTAP is an educational reimbursement program for actively drilling Army and Air National Guard members of North Carolina. It is available for use before attending IADT.

Members must have a minimum obligation of two years remaining as a member of the North Carolina National Guard from the time of application.

Student Accounts is your main contact for payments to your account, applying TA to your account, or missing or incorrect TA funds.

Steps to Apply: NCTAP

1. Complete the NCTAP Application.

Complete an online application: NC TAP Application.

No applications are accepted after the following deadlines set by the National Guard ESO:

  • Fall Term: August 1 - August 30  
  • Spring Term: January 1 - January 30  
  • Summer Term I: April 12 - May 10
  •  Summer Term II: June 1 - June 12  

Take care of ETS dates and flags early. 

2. Complete your FAFSA.

Even if your/your families' income doesn't qualify you for federal aid, a FAFSA opens opportunities for university- or state-specific grants. If you need assistance with filing a FAFSA, reach out to us or to the Office of Financial Aid.

3. If you are not already considered for in-state tuition, you are able to submit an in-state tuition appeal.

In-state tuition can only be considered if the student plans to relocate physically to North Carolina for their degree program, including for ASU Online and Flight Path.

You can find the required documents to file a tuition appeal and who to send it to in our VA Benefits FAQs page. 

4. If you have private insurance (TriCare®, BCBS, etc.), complete a medical insurance waiver.

Appalachian requires that every student have some form of health insurance. If a student does not have health insurance privately or through their parents, they can choose the student health insurance plan provided by the university.

If you have a private health insurance like TriCare®, Blue Cross Blue Shield®, Aetna®, etc., you can complete a medical insurance waiver to void the automatic insurance charge to your bill. This will need to be done each semester.