Veterans Affairs Benefits

The My Career Advancement Account Scholarship program is open to spouses of active-duty service members, National Guard and reserve members under qualifying Title 10 orders in pay grades E-1 through E-5, W-1 through W-2 and O-1 through O-2. The authorization of the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act allows military spouses to remain eligible for the financial assistance offered through the MyCAA Scholarship if their sponsor is promoted above the eligible ranks as long as the spouse has an approved Education and Training Plan in place.

• Spouses of service members in the National Guard or reserve in the pay grades listed above.
• Spouses who have completed high school or obtained a GED.
• Spouses who have financial assistance documents approved before the active-duty service member’s date of separation or the active-duty service member’s release from Title 10 military orders.

After spouses have created an Education and Training Plan and received My Career Advancement Account Scholarship approval, they can request financial assistance on a course by-course basis no earlier than 60 days before and one day prior to the start of the course. Courses that have different start and end dates must be on separate financial assistance requests.

• Spouses married to service members in pay grades E-6 and above, W-3 and above and O-3 and above, unless a spouse has an approved Education and Training Plan in place prior to their sponsor’s promotion above the eligible ranks.
• Spouses who are a member of the armed forces currently on Title 10 orders.
• Spouses who are married but legally separated, or under court order or statute of any state or U.S. territory, from a member of the armed forces on Title 10 orders.
• Spouses whose National Guard or reserve military sponsor is in a warning orders/alert, post deployment/demobilization or transition status.
• Spouses who are unable to apply for financial assistance while their military sponsor is on Title 10 orders or before the sponsor’s date of separation.

An Education and Training Plan must be completed by the school or institution. An ETP will provide a detailed summary of the courses a spouse must take to complete the program/degree. Spouses will load the document into their My Career Advancement Account for review. The SECO staff will review the plan to ensure it is completed correctly and supports the spouse’s career goals. The review process can take up to 14 business days. Spouses will NOT be able to apply for My Career Advancement Account financial assistance until the ETP has been approved.

Once approved, the ETP is locked and can only be edited by a SECO staff member. Spouses can only change their stated career goal once.

Coursework changes will require assistance from a SECO career coach if needed after the ETP is approved.

Spouses can only have a maximum of five Education and Training Plans over the three-year funding lifetime of their My Career Advancement Account Scholarship.

If incorrect information is provided, the spouse must call a SECO career coach at 800-342-9647 to see if an edit can be made to the document. Edited financial assistance documents must be resigned electronically by the spouse.

Part 1. Policy Statement: Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded. When a student withdraws, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of TA funds originally awarded. To comply with the Department of Defense (DOD) policy, Bates Technical College will return any unearned TA funds on a prorated basis through at least the 60% portion of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending. In instances when a Service member stops attending due to a military service obligation, Bates Technical College will work with the affected service member to identify solutions that will not result in a student debt for the returned portion in compliance with the DOD policy.

Part 2. Rational or Purpose: This policy serves to fully inform students receiving military tuition assistance (TA) of the required actions the College must take to comply with the DOD Memorandum of Understanding Return Policy for Military Tuition Assistance (TA) funds rules and align with the return of unearned student aid rules applicable to the Federal Student Aid as required under section 484B of the Department of Education Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Part 3. Scope: This policy applies to all students receiving Military Tuition Assistance (TA) for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard.

Part 4. Definitions: Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is a benefit paid to eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. Congress has given each service the ability to pay up to 100% for the tuition expenses of its member. Each service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application processes and restrictions. This money is usually paid directly to the institution by the individual services. This policy only applies to this type of educational benefit. The TA program is a benefit that is available only while the student is in the service. This policy does not apply to Veterans or Veterans benefits.

Part 5. Procedures: To remain in compliance with the Department of Defense’s policy, Bates Technical College will return any unearned TA funds through at least 60% of the semester on a prorated basis. The amount of unearned TA that is returned is based on the date of withdrawal from the course. After 60% of the semester has passed, TA will not be evaluated for a return to the DOD. As an institution, the DOD will be billed after 60% of the semester has passed to reduce the amount of incorrect TA funds being disbursed by the DOD to Bates Technical College. We will only bill for the amount the student earned given their enrollment.

Schedule for returning unearned TA: Bold type identifies the 60% complete point

10-week Course Withdraw submitted
Before or during weeks 1-2 100% return
During weeks 3-4 75% return
During weeks 5-6 50% return
During weeks 7-8 40% return (60% of course is completed)
During weeks 9-10 0% return

For courses that have durations differing from those listed above: Unearned TA funds will be returned on a prorated basis, depending on the length of the course. To determine the amount of TA that needs to be returned, the institution will determine the date the withdrawal was submitted, and then divide that by the number of days in the term to determine the percentage of TA that was earned by the student.