DoD Gives Colleges More Time to Apply for Tuition Aid

In response to concerns from both lawmakers and higher education officials, the Department of Defense has extended the deadline for schools that want to participate in its tuition assistance program by 90 days.

More than 1,900 schools already have already signed up, submitting a required memorandum of understanding that outlines certain requirements for participation. In the agreement, schools commit to providing timely course enrollment, withdrawal and cancellation information, grades and an education plan outlining needed degree courses. The memorandum also addresses course credit transfer, limits academic residency requirements and mandates schools evaluate military training and experience for course credit.

Schools, senators urge changes to memorandum

However, some schools have balked at the agreement, saying it limits their ability to make certain academic decisions over transfer credits, for example. A bipartisan group of 52 senators backed these schools, sending a letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta urging the delay.

Today, the DoD extended the deadline for submission of the required memorandum of understanding from Jan. 1 to March 30, 2012. The DoD's tuition assistance program funds post-secondary education for current servicemembers, currently about 320,000 of them.

Currently, servicemembers enrolled in any Department of Education-accredited school can currently receive tuition assistance, within program guidelines. For more information, see the news story.

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