Army Tuition Assistance

Tuition Assistance Basics:

Tuition Assistance funding is capped at $4000 per year OR 16 semester credit hours.  Tuition Assistance does not cover any associated fees or textbooks for the class(es). Tuition Assistance Requests (TARS) may be submitted 60 days prior to start of class and must be approved no later than 7 days prior to the start date. TARS will only be approved for classes that apply toward the declared program/major with the school.  Requesting TA does not enroll you in a PPSC class--it only secures funding. TA funded classes that do not receive a grade of "C" or higher are subject to recoupment by the Army.  This includes withdrawing from the class.  If military duty prevents  you from completing the course satisfactorily contact the MVP office at Fort Carson.

Who Can help?

PPSC has a full-service Military and Veterans Programs office in the Fort Carson Education Center, Bldg. 1117, room 117 to provide drop in support by a team of Army TA subject matter experts.  On site student support includes: application, placement testing or exemption, course enrollment, academic advising, and tuition assistance.  This office also orders and evaluates Joint Service Transcripts (JSTs) for possible military credit automatically once you have enrolled in 6 credit hours with PPSC. Contact information: 719-502-4200 during business hours Monday-Thursday 0800-1700 and 0900-1700 on Fridays.

Fort Carson Army Education Center, Bldg. 1117, reception desk or call 719-526-2124 for ArmyIgnitED specific issues.

How to Get Started:

1.  Become a student at Pikes Peak State College:

• Complete a PPSC Application.  Answer Yes to COF and Selective Service. Make sure you answer yes to being Active Duty--used to code you as Active Duty so that you are charged the lower online tuition rate capped at the TA cap of $250 per credit hour AND instate tuition rates for active duty. 
  
• First Time Students--attend a Mandatory Orientation for PPSC.
• College Readiness--complete Accuplacer test (in person Fort Carson office walk-in Monday --Thursday 0830-1430, and 0930-1430 on Fridays. EdReady (web) or submit prior college transcripts showing college level ENG and/or Math for placement exception emailed to mvp@pikespeak.edu subject line Army placement exemption. TA will not fund developmental/co-requisite classes without a test score to demonstrate need.
• Register for classes through your student portal through Navigate on your Dashboard or Add/Drop classes on your "Student" tab at the top of the page.  Recommended registration deadline to ensure Tuition Assistance processing is 18 August 2022. 
  
• Print or screen shot your Detailed Student Schedule (located in your student portal, Student Tab, Registration Tools, Detailed Schedule with drop dates).

2. Complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)--You may be eligible for PELL Grant to help pay for books and fees. Free FAFSA assistance for soldiers and their families is available through the TRIO EOC office in the Fort Carson Education Center, Bldg. 1117, room 108.  Contact Robin Young at 719-526-6819 / robin.young@csupueblo.edu for more information or to schedule an appointment.

3. Set up your ArmyIgnitED v.2 Account: (New account setup required even if you had an old ArmyIgnitED account in v.1)

What you need: Your CAC card, Your PPSC Student ID # (ex. S0123456789) and The Degree or Program you selected at PPSC.

• Go To https://www.armyignited.army.mil/
• Insert CAC card and then Click on Login.
• It will ask for your PIN, enter it and then Login.
• This brings you to your Dashboard with menu selections on the left side.

Setting up your Educational Goal:

• Click on "Educational Goal
• Select your goal type -- PPSC students will select Associates Degree unless enrolled in a PPSC Bachelor's Program.
• Select your Academic Institution--Pikes Peak State College.
• Select a Degree Program--this should match what you selected on your PPSC application.
• Check the box that says "No Degree Plan File" and Next (you will upload an Evaluated Degree plan later)
• Select Semester Hours and Next
• Review and Submit.  Once approved or disapproved, you will receive a message in your student message section of this portal.  Contact the Education Center at 719-526-2124 if you have questions.

Virtual Briefing and TA User Agreement:

• You must complete the Virtual Briefing and accept the TA user agreement annually--this covers TA regulations and should be read carefully.
• Face to Face TA Briefings and open lab hours to assist with ArmyIgnitED are offered by the Fort Carson Education Center, call 719-526-2124 for details.

Creating a TAR (Tuition Assistance Request):

• You will need your Detailed Student Schedule with start and end dates (print out or screen shot).
• From your dashboard select "Apply for Funding".
• Verify contact information and update as needed.
• Read the User Agreement and select "I Agree Continue
• Confirm that Pikes Peak State College is showing and Main Campus is displayed (you do not need to change if taking classes on other campuses)
• Enter your Student Number (S#) and then Next.
• Look at your class schedule and identify the start and end dates Select the matching term by dates and Next.
• Select your course by subject and course number (i.e. ENG 1021).  You can search by subject.  PPSC has all courses loaded--do not manually add a class.  Call 719-502-4200 if you cannot find your class.
• Verify: Code = ENG 1021 (ex), Title - English Composition I, Level - Undergraduate, Location = either DL/Online or Campus, Credit Hours - (see your schedule) and Credit Type = SH.
• Cost per class--Resident rate with COF either campus or DL/Online Active Duty Military (CCC online and PPCC online charge the same).
  
• You will see a confirmation page "Tuition Assistance Request Application: Application Submitted.  PPSC will pull a digital copy of your approved TAR from the portal--print a copy for your own record.  YOUR Army Education Counselors can assist if an approved TAR needs to be edited (section cancelled so you enroll in a new part of term, etc.).
• Do not submit multiple classes on the same TAR.  Repeat steps above for each class. Classes with multiple start dates cannot be entered on the same TAR due to a system issue.  Creating individual TARs for each class will allow for different parts of term and prevent having to resubmit all classes if one needs to be cancelled.
• Tuition Assistance will be posted to your student account after the drop date for each course.  If you drop a class by the drop date, we will reject that TA during the invoicing process. 

Last but not Least--

Let us know you are planning on using TA to ensure you are being charged the correct rate. Submit an Intent to Use Army TA Form

Request your Evaluated Student Degree Plan once you've enrolled in two TA funded classes. Request an Evaluated Degree Plan -- Army TA Users