VA Education Benefits can be received by veterans, reservists/guardsmen, spouses and children of 100% service-connected deceased or disabled veterans under the programs listed below. For information on applying for the benefits, contact the Certifying Official or go to the GI Bill® website at http://www.va.gov/

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Financial Aid

You may also be eligible for other financial aid. To determine what aid you qualify for, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

You can find more information about Financial Aid at UTM on their website, visiting Scholarships, Grants, & Other Funding, or by stopping by our One Stop located in Clement Hall. The One Stop employees are trained to help all student populations on topics such as financial aid, registration, tuition, and billing.

If you would like help connecting with One Stop staff, please reach out to Jason Earley, Veteran Services Coordinator. He will be glad to assist.

Guidelines to follow to receive Education Benefits
  1. Notify Certifying Official of your class schedule each semester you want to receive benefits.
  2. Notify Certifying Official of Change of Major or Minor.
  3. Only classes needed for your degree may be certified for veteran benefits
  4. Classes already passed cannot be certified for benefits unless catalog states must make a grade of 'C' or above.
  5. Excessive electives cannot be certified.
  6. Notify Certifying Official of any change to schedule to include dropping a class, withdrawal from a class or school, or stop attending classes. Failure to notify official may result in an overpayment from VA.
Post 9/11 GI BILL® (Chapter 33)

Veterans who have served at least 90 days of active duty service after September 10, 2001 and received an honorable discharge will qualify for the Post-9/11 Gl Bill® . To qualify for the full benefit a veteran must have served at least 3 years of active duty after September 10, 2001. Those who qualify for the Active Duty Gl Bill®, the Reserve GI Bill® or REAP will have the option to choose which benefit best suits their need.

For those who served on active duty after 9/10/2001, please view the eligibility percentages.

Montgomery GI Bill® (Chapter 30)

Veterans enlisted after July 1, 1985 and participated in the pay reduction program may apply for the Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill®. Student receives a monthly payment. The rate will vary with the length and type of service. Members are eligible for this benefit up to 10 years from date of separation from the military. To receive payment, student must certify enrollment monthly using the WAVE program.

Reservists Montgomery GI Bill® (Chapter 1606)

The Selected Reserve includes the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve and the Army National Guard and Air National Guard. Eligibility for the program is determined by the Selected Reserve component. Student may receive up to 36 months of educational benefits. The benefit entitlement ends 15 years from the date of your eligibility for the program or on the day you leave the Selected Reserve.

Dependents GI Bill® (Chapter 35)

Benefit may be paid to spouse or child of a service-connected deceased or 100-percent-permanently disabled service-connected veteran. Marital status of a dependent child is not a factor in determining eligibility. Dependents determined eligible may have up to 45 months of benefits and may use the benefit until they reach age twenty-six.

Federal Tuition Assistance Program

Students using Federal Tuition Assistance must speak to their Educational Service Officer or their unit's counselor prior to enrolling.

Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) Presentation

State TA / Tennessee STRONG Act Application

The Department of Defense (DoD) has mandated a uniform Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) fiscal policy across the services programs which include Army, Air Force, Marines and Navy. The FTA program pays for tuition only. The FTA will pay up to a fiscal ceiling of $4,500 (reach out to your branch for more detail). Students may receive FTA payments for no more than a lifetime total of 130 undergraduate semester hours and 39 graduate semester hours.

FTA will be authorized IF:

  • The college is regionally or nationally accredited AND is a participant in ArmyIgnited.
  • The funded course(s) meets a requirement listed in the service member's personalized degree plan provided by the school (this can include prerequisite courses).
  • An undergraduate GPA of 2.0 for FTA-funded courses is maintained
  • An graduate GPA of 3.0 for FTA-funded courses is maintained
    (Students using Federal Tuition Assistance must speak to their Educational Service Officer or their unit's counselor prior to enrolling.)

Branch specific information:

Tennessee National Guard STRONG Act Tuition Reimbursement Program

Download the information packet

What is the STRONG Act Tuition Reimbursement Program?

The Tennessee STRONG program is a state tuition assistance program designed to assist our eligible national guardsmen to successfully attain a college degree. As a reimbursement program, payments will be made directly to UTM on behalf of the member.

How Do You Apply to TN STRONG?

For further questions and information covering requirements and assistance for the TN STRONG Act: http://www.tn.gov/military/section/education-incentives

UTM's STRONG ACT Contacts: Jason Earley (Veteran Services Coordinator): veterans@utm.edu

Tuition Deferment

Service members, veterans and dependents of veterans eligible for Department of Veteran Affairs education benefits or other governmentally funded educational assistance, subject to the conditions and guidelines set forth in Tennessee Code Annotated 49-7-104 as amended, may elect, upon formal application, to defer payment of required tuition and fees until the final day of the term for which the deferment has been requested. Application for the deferment must be made no later than 14 days after the beginning of the term and the amount of the deferment shall not exceed the total monetary benefits to be received for the term. Students who have been granted deferments are expected to make timely payments on their outstanding tuition and fees balance once education benefits are being delivered and eligibility for such deferment shall terminate if the student fails to abide by any applicable rule or regulation, or to act in good faith in making timely payments.

To fill out a deferment form please click on the link below, you will need your UTM username and password. Please select the appropriate term, chapter benefit you are using, electronically sign, and press "Submit Form". https://dynamicforms.ngwebsolutions.com/casAuthentication.ashx?InstID=18daebe3-69cd-437e-af4a-f0e3d95f6286&targetURL=https://dynamicforms.ngwebsolutions.com/Submit/Form/Start/7a016a6c-bb4a-4a53-91b7-fb5ab6fb6d76