Marine Corps Cuts Tuition Assistance by 80%

In an effort by the government to cut costs, the Marine Corps announced an 80 percent reduction in tuition assistance on Tuesday. The Marines were the first military branch to announce cuts, but further cuts are anticipated as the Department of Defense looks to trim its budget.

The change lowers maximum tuition assistance from $4,500 to $875 per year, or five semester hours reimbursed at $175 each. The Marine Corps reports that amount is equal to the average class load taken by most Marine students in a year.

Impact of changes on Marines unclear

Although these changes to the military's tuition assistance program were anticipated, it's still unclear how many students will be affected and to what extent, Stephanie Styll, a spokeswoman for University of Maryland University College Asia at Yokota Air Base in mainland Japan, told Stars and Stripes newspaper. Some analysts believe other aid such as Pell Grants and GI Bill benefits can help make up the difference for many Marines.

In addition to the cuts, new eligibility rules are being adopted by the Marine Corps, and include requiring Marines receiving tuition assistance to have at least one year of service. Despite the cuts in tuition assistance, the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post-9/11 GI Bill remain unaffected.

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