Military Tuition Assistance

TA is available for courses that are offered in the classroom or by distance learning and are part of an approved academic degree or certificate program. The courses must be offered by schools that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and are signatories to the current DoD Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (DOD MOU).

As a member of the armed forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard) who has been on active duty for a period of more than 30 days, you, your spouse, and dependent children are eligible to receive in-state tuition at public colleges and universities in the state where you reside or are permanently stationed.

Once you or your family member is enrolled and paying in-state tuition, you will continue to pay the in-state tuition rate as long as you remain continuously enrolled at the institution, even if you are reassigned outside the state.

Before you can apply for Military Tuition Assistance, you’ll first need to contact your installation’s education office. There, you’ll receive college counseling to assist you in developing an education plan. When considering an academic program, keep in mind Clatsop’s educational certificates and degrees. Up-to-date information about program requirements can be obtained from Clatsop through an academic advisor to ensure that you are accessing the most up-to-date information for your chosen career field. Once you’ve selected a program and developed an education plan, you can submit your Military Tuition Assistance request.

You can visit the Department of Defense TA DECIDE. It is a dynamic information and comparison tool that is designed specifically to aid participants of DoD’s Tuition Assistance (TA) program in making informed choices on schools and education programs.  Please click here https://www.dodmou.com/TADECIDE/

• 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. 

• Clatsop Community 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 on when a student stops attending. These funds are returned to the military Service branch.

• The return of TA funds aligns with the return of unearned student aid rules applicable to federal student aid and with rules put forth by the Department of Defense. When TA funds are returned, the student is responsible for any tuition charges no longer covered by TA funds. For this reason, it is very important that students understand the financial implications of withdrawing or ceasing to attend class.

• In instances when a Service member stops attending due to a military service obligation, the educational institution will work with the affected Service member to identify solutions that will not result in student debt for the returned portion.

Click here to access or download a .pdf with detailed information on the cost of attendance.

Clatsop Community College monitors its Cohort Default Rate (CDR) on an ongoing basis. The responsibility for the monitoring rests with the Director of Financial Aid. The CDR is the measurement of a “cohort” of students who received Federal Direct Loans at Clatsop and entered repayment in a single federal fiscal year (October 1 -September 30).

Clatsop’s CDR for the most recent year measured, 2018 is a draft rate of 12.8%. The previous CDR’s have been 16.7% in 2017, 17.8% in 2016, 19.7% in 2015, and 21.7% in 2014.

Clatsop has an aggressive default management process involving personal contact and information dissemination with all students who have borrowed and left Clatsop for any reason. This aggressive effort has reduced Clatsop’s CDR over the past five years.

If the Clatsop CDR raises to 30% or higher a default prevention plan must be created and enforced. The penalties from ED for consecutive high CDR’s can include the potential loss of eligibility to participate in Title IV financial aid programs.