Tennessee STRONG Act Tuition Reimbursement for the National Guard
Program at a Glance
- Location: Tennessee (community colleges, technical colleges, public universities and private schools based in Tennessee)
- Status: Open; submit within 45 days of your last class
- Maximum benefit: 100% of the maximum resident tuition after federal tuition assistance and other aid, plus course and program fee reimbursement capped at $3,500 per fiscal year for undergraduates and $7,500 for graduates (subject to available funds)
- Who it’s for: Tennessee National Guard members in good standing pursuing a first associate’s, bachelor’s or graduate degree, or a certificate or diploma
- How to apply: Send the reimbursement request, transcript and account summary to the state tuition assistance manager for your branch
- Last verified: November 2026
About the Program
The STRONG Act pays last, after federal tuition assistance, scholarships and grants, and it pays the school instead of you. You need a 2.0 GPA for undergraduate study or 3.0 for graduate study, and graduate students have to have completed advanced leadership training. Private schools are capped at the state average in-state tuition. Reimbursement covers up to 130 undergraduate or 40 graduate semester hours. Fee reimbursement starts July 1, 2026 and runs through September 30, 2027, and it depends on available funds. If your federal tuition assistance is suspended for academic performance, STRONG Act funds are unavailable for the length of the suspension. Complete packets are due within 45 days of the last day of class, and incomplete ones are returned without action. The state page lists separate email addresses for the Army and Air Guard managers.
Official source: Tennessee Military Department: State TA and the STRONG Act
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Last checked Nov 10, 2026.