Buffalo Harbor Lighthouse– Built 1914 Education Services Debra Stancliff, M.S. Education Services Officer USCG-Sector Buffalo Buffalo Harbor Lighthouse– Built 1914 October 2016

Summary Tuition Assistance Grants/Educational Loans

TUITION ASSISTANCE

Tuition Assistance Active Duty & Selected Reserve Members on 180+ day AD orders Up To $250.00 semester credit hour ; $166.67 quarter hour Course(s) must be from Accredited/DoD MOU approved school AND be listed on an official degree plan $4,000 total - annually (Oct 1 – Sept 30) Covers tuition costs ONLY, no fees covered First Associates, First Bachelors, First Masters – no matter how others were obtained.

Tuition Assistance Grades: C or Higher for Undergrad; B or Higher for Graduate eTA applications - no paper applications accepted. Degree Plan Required after 6 semester hours – specific to member, showing where course(s) will be applied. Lifetime credit – 130 semester hours for undergraduate work, 40 semester hours for graduate work

Six Step Process Email/Deliver ESO a copy of the registration/tuition costs. Email/Deliver ESO Official Degree Plan from School Complete Sector Buffalo’s Request to File TA Form and forward for signature thru to Chain of Command Upload Reviewed Degree Plan to My Education Portal (WebTA) Create TA Application in My Education Portal (WebTA) Retrieve TA authorization from My Education Portal, Print, Submit to School

Tuition Assistance In order to utilize TA, a Request to file TA Application but be completed and on file with Sector Buffalo ESO. Additional Criteria must be verified. Final Signatures MUST be completed by OIC/CO If OIC is not available, please forward up to Sector Buffalo and request will be forwarded to CO of Military Personnel. Process/form varies by unit. Pending the unit, this could hold up TA processing. Member’s are to plan accordingly.

Tuition Assistance – Electronic Use of the electronic TA Application – webTA is mandated. All processing must be completed prior to 16 days before course begins. TA applications will not be processed within this window TA applications can be accepted 89 days in advance.

Members are encouraged to review for accuracy. TA Authorization Form Members are encouraged to review for accuracy. This form indicates funds are obligated for course. Student should not be starting without this form on file. ANY and ALL changes need to be reported by member to ESO. Only minor changes can be performed, major changes require new TA application. New TA applications must be within 16 day window.

Grants

Grant Assistance CG Mutual Assistance Supplemental Education Grants (SEG) – Up to 500.00CY  Client: All CGMA clients on behalf of themselves or their eligible family members are eligible to participate in the supplemental Education grant (SEG) Program.   And the student is: Enrolled in his or her first undergraduate (associate or bachelor) degree program   Pursuing a Voc &Technical Training (VoTech) program approved by the Dept of Veterans Affairs Department of Education, and designed to prepare the student for entry into a career field *   Seeking a General Equivalency Diploma (GED)   Enrolled in a degree-planning program authorized by the Coast Guard Institute (CGI).    Completing a correspondence course, a requirement for undergrad degree / VoTech program Application Process: All of these grants are based on a reimbursable system. Eligible items include: books, certain fees, supplies, syllabus specific items.

Coast Guard Foundation Grant Currently Suspended – April 2016 All active duty E-3 to E-6 and reserve E-3 to E-6 currently servicing on active duty order of at least one year are eligible. Reimbursement for text books and miscellaneous educational expenses For the MSEG, the maximum reimbursement per calendar year (CY) is $500.00. For the UOBEG, the maximum reimbursement per calendar year (CY) is $500.00. For the CGFEG, the maximum reimbursement per calendar year (CY) is $500.00. For the VPEG, the maximum reimbursement per calendar year (CY) is $250.00. For the SCEG, the maximum reimbursement per calendar year (CY) is $500.00. The Coast Guard Grants Programs are funded each year through generous gifts from the CG Foundation and the Vander Putten Family. Funding is not guaranteed to cover all requests each year.

CGMA Education Loan Loan program provides an interest free education loan of up to $3,000 to assist with education expenses. The student must be enrolled in a degree program at a regionally or nationally accredited college or university or in a VA approved vocational technical training program. This loan can be used to cover tuition, fees, course materials, and other education expenses that are not covered by another funding source. Loan CANNOT be used to purchase computers or general computer software. This is available to active duty members, reservists and permanent civilian employees. It can be used for eligible members' spouses and dependent children under the age of 23.

Contact Information Debra Stancliff Education Services Officer 1 Fuhrmann Blvd Buffalo, New York 14203 Debra.L.Stancliff@uscg.mil 716.843.9390