Commonwealth of PA . Department of Military and Veterans Affairs .

Receive up to $4500 per fiscal year toward tuition and fees at Pennsylvania State colleges, Universities and Community Colleges.

The Pennsylvania Army National Guard Federal Tuition Assistance Program is to provide up-front assistance to Soldiers pursuing their Education goals. ARNG FTA can be applied to a course or program taken at a regionally or nationally accredited, public or private college, university, vocational, technical or trade school located inside or outside the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or toward authorized fees. Authorized fees include those fees charged to all students for enrollment purposes or fees directly related to the instruction of the course or program.
Yes! This means that we can help soldiers pay for fees at Pennsylvania State Colleges, Universities and Community Colleges.
The total amount of ARNG FTA (tuition and fees) each soldier is entitled to receive will not exceed $4,500.

To apply for PAARNG Federal TA soldiers must be a member of the PAARNG and remain in an active drilling status through the end date of the course or be a Soldier serving on Full time National Guard Duty Operational Support less than 179 days. Soldiers should submit an application via www.virtualarmory.com 30 days prior to the start of their course or up until the date the course begins whichever is more advantageous to the Soldier.

Using your AKO username and password log onto the website.
Under Soldier Tools click Apply for Tuition Assistance.
To begin the application process, you must review and accept the Statement of Understanding (by selecting YES for each item)
Ensure that all information is correct and/or filled in. When finished, click the “NEXT STEP” button.
Click the “SELECT SCHOOL BUTTON”.
Select your school either by state, or you can search for the name of the school.
Continue filling out your degree goal, and your class begin and end dates. Then click on the “NEXT STEP BUTTON”.
To add your classes, click on the “ADD NEW COURSE” button. Repeat for the amount of courses you have.
Add your course information then click the “ADD” button.
Once all courses have been entered click on the “NEXT STEP” button.
On the last screen you must click on the “REVIEW RECOUPMENT POLICY” link. Once you have reviewed the policy, the select AGREE or DISAGREE then click “SUBMIT APPLICATION” button.

Soldiers will submit application electronically thru www.virtualarmory.com 30 days prior to the start of their course.
A 'Soldier Statement of Understanding' must be read, and signed for each application.
If and when funds are available once an application has been submitted it takes approximately 24 hrs for the Education Center to approve.
The ESO will send a copy of the SES (Soldier Education Statement) letter of acceptance and instruction to the soldier's school via fax detailing the amount to be paid to the school, and specific invoice instructions listed below.
Schools are to sign the Soldier Education Statement if all information is correct. If information is not correct, update with the correct validation codes, fax back to the Education Center to be updated. Once the SES (Soldier Education Statement) is signed this becomes the billing invoice.
Upon receipt of the school's signed SES statement the FTA manager ESO will coordinate the payment of amount stated on the SES with the school.
There are two (2) options for the payment of ARNG FTA. In both cases, the government's portion of the tuition and/or fee cost will be paid directly to the school (not to the soldier).
- CREDIT CARD PAYMENT by TELEPHONE. This is the preferred method.
- ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). Schools needs to provide the Education Center with their Tax-ID number, Account number and Routing number.
- School officials may direct questions to the Education Staff at 717-861-9238.
At the conclusion of the course, the SOLDIER WILL forward a grade report or transcript to the Education Office, that indicates the successful completion of the funded course(s). Official copies and student copies of grade reports or transcripts are acceptable; however, photocopies and copies printed off the Internet are not acceptable. This CRITICAL STEP in the process. The U.S. Government will pursue collection/recoupment of ARNG FTA funds if a soldier fails to provide a grade report or transcript at the conclusion of his or her course(s).

Soldiers who are eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve, Chapter 1606, 1607 (and/or the MGIB Kicker Program) may receive ARNG FTA up to the current authorized levels provided the student is enrolled at least 1/2 time or more. The Department of Veterans Affairs defines 1/2 time as enrollment in between 6 and 8 credits or semester hours, which is generally considered to be enrollment in two classes at the same time. In this case, ARNG FTA, and the MGIB-SR and MGIB Kicker Programs may be combined and may exceed 100 percent of tuition costs.

Soldiers eligible to receive the MGIB-Active Duty, Chapter 30, the Veteran’s Education Assistance Program (VEAP), Chapter 34 or Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA), Chapter 35 are eligible to receive ARNG Federal TA simultaneously for the same course and exceed 100 percent of tuition costs provided they have not contracted for a MGIB Kicker in the ARNG. Soldiers eligible to receive the MGIB-AD, VEAP or DEA who have contracted for a MGIB Kicker in the ARNG may only use ARNG FTA for course(s) that are beyond what is considered full-time enrollment by the school. The Department of Veterans Affairs defines full-time enrollment as 12 or more credit or semester hours.

The viability of the ARNG FTA program hinges upon the amount of funds provided to the Pennsylvania Army National Guard by National Guard Bureau each fiscal year. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that a soldier will receive tuition assistance under this program. ARNG FTA is provided on a first-come, first-serve basis. Soldiers must apply for ARNG FTA prior to the end of the late registration period for their course(s).

Enlisted soldiers and warrant officers must have sufficient time remaining before their current service obligation/Expiration Term of Service (ETS) to complete the course unless involuntarily separated with an honorable discharge.
Commissioned officers must have four (4) years of Selected Reserve service remaining from the date of completion of the course for which FTA is provided.

What regionally or nationally accredited institutions are based in Pennsylvania?

ARNG FTA can be approved for course(s) or programs taken at the following degree granting and non-degree granting Pennsylvania-based institutions. All of the institutions listed appear in the most recent edition of the Accredited Institutions of Postsecondary Education (AIPE) published by the American Council on Education. ARNG FTA may also fund courses or programs taken at institutions located outside Pennsylvania that appear in the AIPE. If you are attending a school outside Pennsylvania and you would like to know whether it appears in the AIPE contact the Education Services Office at (717) 861-9238.
Pennsylvania-based degree granting institutions
Pennsylvania-based non-degree granting institutions