Active Military Benefits

• MyCAA is a DoD Scholarship for spouses of Active Duty, Reserve and National Guard service members in select pay grades.
• Provides up to $4,000 in financial assistance for licenses, certifications, national tests or associate degrees to pursue an occupation or career field.
• Only tuition is covered, all other charges are your responsibility
• To apply, please visit https://mycaa.militaryonesource.mil/mycaa/
• Contact your VMBS for a copy of your Education and Training Plan (ETP) to submit to your MyCAA Counselor.
  • Please allow up to one week for Ivy Tech to prepare your and an additional two weeks for MyCAA to review and approve your plan for funding.
• MyCAA funding must be approved prior to the start of class.
• If you have specific questions regarding the MyCAA, please contact your MyCAA Counselor.

• Students must set up an account prior to using TA: Military Tuition Assistance (MilTA)
• Classes can be requested up to 45 days prior to the start of classes
• TA provides up to $4,500 per fiscal year
• Only tuition is covered, all other charges are your responsibility
• Available to students on Active Duty and Reservists

• TA is not available to you; however, you are able to apply for the Indiana State National Guard Supplemental Grant
• You must submit a FAFSA by March 10 each year to apply for the Grant. Ivy Tech’s federal school code is 009917 to apply.
• The Grant will cover your tuition charges (similar to TA) and any non-grant-covered charges will be your responsibility.
• The Grant is only available for fall and spring semesters.

• Students must set up an account prior to using TA: ArmyIgnitED
• You will need a CAC reader to set up and access your account.
• Classes can be requested up to 60 days prior to the start of classes.
• TA provides up to $4,500 per fiscal year for up to 16 credit hours per DoD fiscal year
  • Funding is paid on a per-credit basis so you may qualify for partial funding of a class to ensure you receive funding for all 16 credit hours.
• Only tuition is covered, all other charges are your responsibility
• Active, Reserve, and National Guard may be eligible

• Students must set up an account prior to using TA: ArmyIgnitED
• You will need a CAC reader to set up and access your account.
• Classes can be requested up to 60 days prior to the start of classes.
• TA provides up to $4,500 per fiscal year for up to 16 credit hours per DoD fiscal year.
  • Funding is paid on a per-credit basis so you may qualify for partial funding of a class to ensure you receive funding for all 16 credit hours.

• Only tuition is covered, all other charges not covered by TA are your responsibility.

• You may also qualify for the Indiana National Guard Supplemental Grant
  • You must have used all benefits, or be ineligible for benefits, under Tuition Assistance to qualify for the Grant.
  • You must submit a FAFSA by March 10th each year; Ivy Tech’ federal school code is 009917 to apply.
  • The Grant will cover your tuition charges and any non-grant-covered charges will be your responsibility.
  • The Grant is only available for fall and spring semesters.

• Students must set up an account prior to using TA: Tuition Assistance.
• You do not need access to a CG workstation, but you will need a CAC reader to set up and access your account.
• Classes can be requested up to 90 days prior to the start of classes.
• TA is capped at $3,750.00 per DoD fiscal year.
• Only tuition is covered, all other charges not covered by TA are your financial responsibility.
• Available to Active Duty and Reserve service members.
• You must submit a copy of your TA Authorization form to your VMBS.

• Students must set up an account prior to using TA: How Do I Apply for Tuition Assistance?  Select your Base and then the Education button on the home page.
• Classes can be requested up to 60 days prior to the start of classes.
• TA provides up to $4,500 per fiscal year
• TA is authorized for tuition charges in addition to lab, instructional, computer, and enrollment fees, not to exceed $250 per semester hour.
• All other charges not covered by TA are your financial responsibility.
• TA Is limited to no more than 2 classes simultaneously
• Available to students on Active Duty
• You must submit a copy of your TA Authorization form to your VMBS 

• Students must set up an account prior to using TA
• Classes can be requested up to 60 days prior to the start of classes
• TA provides up to $4,500 per fiscal year
• Only tuition is covered, all other charges not covered by TA are your financial responsibility
• Students are limited to 18 credit hours per DoD fiscal year
• Only available to Active Duty and Reservists on AD Orders
• You must submit a copy of your TA Authorization form to your VMBS

The basic process to request TA for all branches is as follows:

• Set up an account with your respective service website
• Request TA on your service's website.
• Tuition rates and term dates have been pre-populated for easier selection
• If the class start/end dates selected do not match your enrolled class dates, your TA request will be denied.
• Once you receive a copy of your authorization, if necessary, provide a copy to your VMBS for processing.

What happens with my TA approval

• Once you are approved for TA
• We will place a hold on your account so you will not be dropped for non-payment.
• After the 100% refund period, we will credit your Ivy Tech account for the anticipated tuition payments.
• After the 60% completion date for the class, we will invoice the military for the actual tuition charges.
• If you adjust your TA authorization after Ivy Tech has credited your account and we are unable to receive funding from the military, you will be responsible for any balance due.

Upload your degree plan

• As part of your TA account setup, each Branch of Service requires a copy of your degree plan.  This can be pulled from MyIvy using the Degree Completion Tracker.   Please contact your VMBS for assistance with this step.

• You will need to first go to MyIvy
• Under Tools & Resources, select Degree Completion Tracker.
• Choose the Printer Friendly link to the right of the degree audit.
• The audit will open in a new window. Choose Print from the File
• From the list of printers in the Print dialog, choose Microsoft Print to PDF.
• Enter a filename and choose where you’d like to save the file, then click Save.
• The PDF degree plan can then be uploaded into your TA account for Service Review.

Important information about your TA portal

• Tuition rates are pre-loaded and if your actual tuition rate is lower, we will reduce the amount we invoice to reflect the actual tuition charges.
• Class term dates for pre-loaded and you must select the term dates that match your course schedule.
• If the term dates selected do not match actual class dates, your TA request will be denied.
• It is recommended that you request TA for each class individually so that if any updates are required it will not impact other courses/TA approvals.
• If you have a change in your enrolled classes or the class term dates, contact your Unit ESO/Ed Center to update your authorization.
• TA users must select their Home Campus when setting up their TA Accounts.  Your Home Campus is the Ivy Tech location you selected when applying to the college.   Please contact your VMBS for assistance if you are unsure what that campus is, or are having difficulty locating it in your TA portal.

• TA users are required to maintain a GPA of 2.0 for all undergraduate coursework in order to continue to receive funding.
• If you fall below this GPA, contact your Unit ESO/Ed Center for guidance on how to document an improved GPA to resume TA funding.
• TA users are required to earn a “C” or better passing grade in all coursework.  Students who do not earn a “C” or better will be required to reimburse the Military for the TA payments.  Contact your Unit ESO/Ed Center to learn how this process works for your Branch of Service.
• If you are using Tuition Assistance (TA), be sure you have requested and been approved according to the chart below.

A Military Leave of Absence is available to eligible service members who are temporarily called to active duty or deployed from their normal duty stations provided the following criteria is met:

• Orders must show the student will be deployed for a period of 30 consecutive days or more.
• Students must be in good standing in their class(es) and be receiving a passing grade at the time of deployment.
• Students must have met all prior attendance requirements.
• Students must provide copies of their orders to the Veteran Services Office and the Registrar’s Office.
• Students must meet with their professor(s) and complete the Student Deployment Agreement to be submitted to the Registrar’s Office, Veteran Services Office, Program Chair, and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs.

Students are not eligible for a Military Leave of Absence if:

• They are issued orders of deployment before the class begins.
• They are notified during the add/drop period for the term.
• The deployment is for an annual two week training period.

Active Duty, Reservists and National Guard students currently enrolled in a degree program at Ivy Tech have four options when they are deployed:

Option 1 – Drop course(s) with 100% refund: tuition will be removed from the students account.  Prior to dropping courses students must meet with the Veteran Services Office and/or Financial Aid to discuss possible ramifications to any financial aid used for the term.

Option 2 – Receive an ‘Incomplete’ for course(s).

• Students must notify their VMBS and Registrar’s Office of their home campus within 30 days of returning from a deployment with their unit.  If the student does not contact their home campus within 30 days of the end of the deployment period listed on the military orders then the “Incomplete” will be converted to an “F”.
• Students have 30 days to complete the coursework listed on the Student Deployment Agreement from the date of documented return.
• Students can request an extension if they have extenuating circumstances preventing completion within 30 days by submitting a letter of request and providing supporting documentation to the Academic Affairs Office.
• If coursework is not completed within the allotted timeframe then the ‘Incomplete’ grade will be converted to an “F”.

Option 3 – Continue with courses via correspondence (e-mail, mail, etc.) assuming reasonable accommodations can be made to fulfill the requirements of the course.  This option is not available for skills development courses that start with “0”.  Students should meet with each professor to make adequate arrangements.  Students must contact their professor and their VMBS immediately if internet services, or other necessary resources, are not available at their final duty station.

Option 4 – If the student has completed at least 75% of the class, then with the professor’s approval, a “Final Grade” for the course may be assigned.  The decision to allow the assignment of a “Final Grade” is solely the decision of the professor for the course.

If there is an extension to, or change of, military orders the student is required to notify their VMBS and the Registrar’s Office immediately via email, mail, fax, etc.  A copy of the revised orders must be received from the student for the Military Leave of Absence to remain in effect.

I don’t’ see my class dates when I log in to request TA

• Students can only see start/end dates for classes that are currently within the TA request window for their Branch of Service.
  • If you are enrolled in a class whose dates do not show, then the request window may not be open. Please wait until the request window for your Branch of Service opens and complete your TA request.
• Once the deadline to submit a TA request for a class passes, the dates will no longer show in the TA portal. In this case, you will be unable to request funding for the affected class(es) and you will need to find other funding options to cover that tuition cost.

I have classes that start in the first 8 weeks as well as in the 2nd 8 weeks of the semester, what do I do?

• It is recommended that you request funding for each class you are enrolled as a separate TA authorization. This avoids confusion and potential errors if any changes need to be made. 
• Log into your TA portal when the window is open for each enrolled class and request funding. When we receive your first TA authorization for the semester, we will flag your account, so you won’t be dropped for non-payment.
  • After the 100% refund drop period, we will credit your account for the pending TA payment. As additional TA authorization comes in, we will continue to credit those funds to your account.

What if I’m taking classes at different Ivy Tech locations? How do I request TA funding for that?

• All TA funding is based on your home campus. When you set up your TA accounts with the military, select the campus that you selected as your home campus when you applied to Ivy Tech. 
  • When you request funding, all classes will be processed and approved under that campus, regardless of where the actual instruction takes place.
  • If you do not see your home campus listed in your TA portal, please reach out to your campus VMBS for assistance.

What happens if I change classes after my TA is approved?

• TA approval is course-specific and can only be used for courses that apply to your declared degree program.
  • If you make a schedule change and do not update your TA approval, then we will not be able to bill the military for the new class and the tuition charges will become your responsibility.
• If you register for a class, and then change it to another class with the same start/end dates. (ex. your TA was approved for ENGL 111 from 8-21 to 10-12 but you changed to MATH 123 from 8-21 to 10-12) then you can contact your Unit ESO/Ed Center and request that they update the authorization to reflect this class change. Once a revised authorization is issued, turn a copy into your campus VMBS and we will update our records and invoice for the correct class.
• If your class change also changes the start/end dates for the new class, then you will need to terminate the old TA authorization and submit a new authorization with the correct course information in addition to the new start/end dates.

I missed the deadline to request funding for my class, now what?

• Unfortunately, all branches of service have hard deadlines for TA approvals. Once an approval window has closed, there are no waiver opportunities for retroactive funding. If this occurs, you will need to find another method of payment to cover the cost. 
  • If you have not already filed a FAFSA, do so as you may qualify for additional aid that can help pay for your classes, federal school code 009917.
  • Mark your calendar for the next TA window so you don’t miss out again.

Why does my TA authorization say the government is paying $0?

• Each student is only authorized so many credit hours per fiscal year. Any TA credits approved beyond this limit will reflect a military payment of $0.
• Classes funded at $0 will not pe paid by the military, but they will still be counted towards your total number of TA authorized credits and will also be used to calculate your overall GPA for TA benefits.
  • You will need to find other financial means to finance $0 approved courses.

My billed tuition amount does not match the per-credit rate in my TA portal.

Ivy Tech is a flat-rate tuition school which means that once a student is enrolled in 12 or more credits the semester tuition charges remain the same.

• To ensure that we are always invoicing the military for the maximum allowable amount, we have pre-loaded our tuition rates to reflect the highest amount a student could be charged for the semester. We only bill the military actual tuition charges, even if you were approved for a higher amount.

I am a full-time student being charged flat-rate tuition, but the military was not invoiced for the full tuition charge.

• When a student is enrolled in 12 or more credits with Ivy Tech, they qualify for flat-rate tuition. However, the military only allows us to invoice using the flat-rate amount when the student has 12 or more credits approved for TA funding. 
  • If the total credits approved for TA for the semester is less than 12, then we must invoice at the per-credit rate. Any difference in these amounts is placed on your student account as is your responsibility. 

I tried to make a payment on my balance due in MyIvy but my TA payments aren’t showing and it wants me to pay for all of my charges.

• After the 100% refund drop period, we credit your account for pending TA payments. If you have classes starring at the beginning of the semester as well as later, then the credit will be applied at different times.  Normally you can wait until all credits have been applied and make payment on the balance remaining. 
  • Or you can set up a payment plan and make partial payments in advance of the TA credit to your account.
    • Once the credit is applied and your account balance is $0, automatic payments will stop.
    • If the credit is applied and a balance remains, then the automatic payments will continue until the balance is paid.
    • If at any time you ended up overpaying your account, the excess payments made by you will be refunded.

I have TA approval for all of my classes, but I still have a balance due on my Ivy Tech account.

• TA only covers the cost of your tuition – books, consumables, and all other fees are your financial responsibility.
• If you have not requested funding for all of your classes yet, that may be part of why you still have a balance due.  Verify that you have requested funding in a timely manner for all classes to ensure full TA benefits for each semester.  

I want to use my post 9/11 GI Bill benefits with TA, how does that work?

• TA can be combined with your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.  In this case, we coordinate the payments from the military and the VA for the allowable charges for each.  Using both benefits will not impact your MHA as this is based upon the number of credits reported to the VA, regardless of how much we end up reporting to them for tuition charges.

• The military will apply the number of credit hours used towards your lifetime limit of 130 credits as an undergraduate student and the VA will apply the total full months of MHA paid towards your lifetime limit of 36 months of benefits.

I am in the Guard and want to use my Ch 1606 benefits with TA, how does that work?

• Students can use TA to cover their tuition charges while collecting Ch. 1606 benefits to cover additional costs only if they are enrolled at least ½ time for the semester.
  • Students who enroll less than ½ time must select if they would like to use TA or receive a Ch. 1606 stipend.

I want to change my major, how does that affect my TA?

There are generally limitations on the number of times a student can change their major or program and still be allowed to use TA. Please reach out to your Unit ESO/Ed Center for guidance on these limitations and the correct process to update your TA account.

• If you have already changed your major or program with Ivy Tech, make sure you have also updated your major or program in your TA portal and uploaded the new degree plan. The military makes all decisions on TA funding approvals.
• If you have updated your major or program with the military but have not updated your program with Ivy Tech. Please reach out to your academic advisor or your campus VMBS for assistance.

I am enrolled at another school but want to take classes at Ivy Tech to transfer back, how does that work with TA?

• The process of attending classes at two different schools while using TA varies based on your branch of service. Please reach out to your Unit ESO/Ed Center for guidance.  Army IgnitED users can also refer to this guide.

What if I withdraw from a class before the end of the semester?

• If you drop within a 100% refund period for the class, we will not bill the military and you will not owe the college or the military anything.
• If you withdraw from the class (earn a W), or stop attending (earn a FW), then we calculate the amount of tuition the military owes based on the days you attended. We invoice the military for earned tuition and any additional tuition due will become your responsibility.
  • You may owe both the military and Ivy Tech for unearned tuition.

What if don’t earn a “C” or better in my class?

• If you earn less than a “C”, the military will recoup any tuition payments made on your behalf which is separate from your account with Ivy Tech.
• Each branch of service has different recoupment options that vary based on your status and the amount due. Please reach out to your Unit ESO/Ed Center for further guidance.
• All branches of service will allow you to continue to use TA while in repayment for a failed class, provided all established eligibility requirements are still met.

Where can I find contact information for my Unit ESO/Ed Center?

• Air Force – the Air Force uses a Virtual Education Center to support its airmen. Please log in to your TA account and submit a help desk ticket for assistance with your question.
• Army/Army National Guard – Contains a link to the current PDF listing of all Ed Centers worldwide for all Active, Reserve, and Guard units. You can also log into your ArmyIgnitED account and submit a help desk ticket. 
• Coast Guard – Select your base to find your education center information. 
• Navy/Marine Corps - The Navy uses a virtual education center. To make changes to your TA authorizations or request any information or guidance from the Navy please log into your MyNavy Education account and submit an Issue Tracker. 

How can I get an official transcript for the courses and exams I completed while active duty?

You can request a copy of your official CLEP and DSST transcript be sent to the college for evaluation through  www.getcollegecredit.com.

How can I request transfer credit for my military training and experience?

The VA requires your official military and prior college (if applicable) transcripts to be evaluated with the current college you are enrolled.

To request your official military transcripts, please click on the appropriate link below and have your official transcript sent to Ivy Tech Community College.

ARMY, COAST GUARD, MARINE CORPS, and NAVY

AIR FORCE

Where can I take CLEP and/or DANTES exam for college credit?

Ivy Tech Community College testing center provides CLEP and DANTES (DSST) testing.

I was just given military orders that will prevent me from completing my current classes, what can I do?

Ivy Tech has a Military Deployment – Leave of Absence policy.  Be sure to take action as soon as you are aware of active duty orders, there are requirements to be satisfied prior to your departure. Further information is found here.

I am an out of state student what does TA pay for?

The DOD limits the maximum tuition amount that any student can receive to $250 per credit hour. Currently, Ivy Tech’s out-of-state tuition rate is higher than that amount.   In this instance, we will bill the military for the $250 allowed, and any additional tuition charges to your account will be your responsibility. 

What if I already completed my certificate program certificate but want to continue to earn an associate degree?

• All branches of service limit TA to one credential per level. Also, they will not fund any training that is lower than any credentials already earned.  If you have not already earned an associate degree or higher, then you may be able to use TA funding to continue your studies. 
• If your declared program with the military is a Certificate or Technical Certificate and you want to update to an associate degree program, you will need to update your TA account and obtain your Service’s approval for the change. Once this change is made, the process to use TA remains the same.

I want to use TA through the Army but do not know how to use the Portal, who can help me?

• Army IgnitED has posted several How-To’s to assist students with navigating the portal. You can reach out to your Unit Ed Center or refer to the following for assistance.
  • How to create a TA request
  • How to Create an Education Goal
  • How to sign an amended TA request.

I have a hold on my TA account and am unable to submit a TA request.

• If you have a hold on your TA account and are unable to request funding for a future class, please reach out to your Unit ESO/Ed Center for guidance. Common reasons for a hold are:
  • Failed a previous course and have not set up a repayment plan. Contact your ESO/Ed Center to set up a repayment plan.
  • Missing degree plan (required after completion of 6 credit hours). Upload a copy of your degree plan from MyIvy.
  • The end of Service date is before the end date of the class. If you have signed a new contract, the revised dates may not have been updated in the TA system yet. Contact your ESO/Ed Center to have the dates corrected.
  • Pending military disciplinary action – if you are not in good standing with the military, they will not authorize TA. Contact your unit to determine when you will be eligible to use TA once again.
  • Program completion/graduation. A new program must be submitted, and the degree plan approved.
  • Missing grades. If your prior grade was not reported, reach out to your campus VMBS for assistance in having it uploaded for you.
  • GPA is below 2.0. GPA is calculated based only on classes funded with TA.  Contact your ESO/Ed Center for guidance on how to document an improved GPA.  In many cases, it will require you to receive $0 TA approvals until your GPA improves.