2023 Tennessee Code › Title 49 - EDUCATION (§§ 49-1-NEW — 49-50-1703) › Chapter 4 - FINANCIAL AID (§§ 49-4-101 — 49-4-1008) › Part 10 - TENNESSEE SUPPORT, TRAINING, AND RENEWING OPPORTUNITY FOR NATIONAL GUARDSMEN (STRONG) › Section 49-4-1005 - [Repealed effective 6/30/2025] Limitations and conditions on eligibility for tuition reimbursement

The following are limitations and conditions on eligibility for tuition reimbursement under the program:
(1)
A member must maintain satisfactory academic progress and, for undergraduate, vocational, or technical programs, a minimum grade point average of 2.0, and for a master's program, a minimum grade point average of 3.0, as determined by the educational institution attended for the semester for which the member applies for tuition reimbursement;
(2)
A member receiving tuition reimbursement under this part who ceases to be eligible for the reimbursement because the member fails to maintain satisfactory academic progress or the required grade point average at the end of any semester may regain eligibility for tuition reimbursement at the end of any subsequent semester in which satisfactory academic progress and the required grade point average are established;
(3)
Tuition reimbursement must be paid to an educational institution on behalf of a member for no more than one hundred twenty (120) semester hours or eight (8) full-time equivalent semesters toward a member's first bachelor's degree. A member ceases to be eligible for tuition reimbursement under this part upon the first of the following events to occur:
(A)
The member has attempted one hundred twenty (120) semester hours toward the member's first bachelor's degree, inclusive of any postsecondary semester hours earned prior to receipt of tuition reimbursement under this part;
(B)
The member has completed eight (8) full-time equivalent semesters toward the member's first bachelor's degree; or
(C)
The member has earned a first bachelor's degree;
(4)
Tuition reimbursement must be paid to an educational institution on behalf of a member for no more than forty (40) semester hours toward a member's first master's degree. A member is no longer eligible for tuition reimbursement under this part upon the first of the following events to occur:
(A)
The member has attempted forty (40) semester hours toward the member's first master's degree, inclusive of any post-baccalaureate semester hours earned prior to receipt of tuition reimbursement under this part; or
(B)
The member has earned a first master's degree;
(5)
(A)
Tuition reimbursement must be paid to an educational institution on behalf of a member for no more than twenty-four (24) semester hours toward a certificate or diploma from a vocational or technical program. A member is no longer eligible for tuition reimbursement under this part when the member has attempted twenty-four (24) semester hours toward a certificate or diploma from a vocational or technical program, inclusive of any semester hours earned in that same vocational or technical program prior to receipt of tuition reimbursement under this part. It is not required that tuition reimbursement under this part apply toward a member's first certificate or diploma from a vocational or technical program;
(B)
(i)
Notwithstanding §
49-4-1003
:
(a)
As used in this subdivision (5)(B), "educational institution" means a private college of technology that:
(1)
Maintains a campus in Nashville, Tennessee that has operated as an automotive school for more than eighty (80) years;
(2)
Offers an associate of applied science degree in five (5) automotive specialties, as well as diploma programs;
(3)
Is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology; and
(4)
Has its primary campus domiciled in another state.
(b)
For purposes of this subdivision (5)(B), all references to terms defined in §
49-4-1003
that refer to an "educational institution" refer only to an "educational institution" as defined in subdivision (5)(B)(i)(a);
(ii)
Notwithstanding subdivision (5)(A), the adjutant general shall reimburse the tuition charged by an educational institution to a member pursuant to this subdivision (5)(B) if the member completed the member's initial active-duty training in April of 2022, began enrolling in classes at the educational institution in August of 2022, and timely submits an application for tuition reimbursement;
(iii)
Tuition reimbursement under this subdivision (5)(B) must be paid to the educational institution in accordance with subdivision (5)(A);
(iv)
Notwithstanding §
49-4-1005(8)
, a member applying for and receiving tuition reimbursement under this subdivision (5)(B) is not required to apply for and use federal tuition assistance at the educational institution;
(v)
Notwithstanding subdivision (5)(B)(iv), a member applying for and receiving tuition reimbursement under this subdivision (5)(B) is required to comply with the limitations and conditions on eligibility for tuition reimbursement under the program as set forth in §
49-4-1005(1), (2), (7), and (10)
; and
(vi)
This subdivision (5)(B) is repealed on July 1, 2024;
(6)
Notwithstanding subdivisions (3) and (4), a member who is enrolled in an officer-producing program at an educational institution is exempt from the semester and semester-hour limits for tuition reimbursement under this part for up to thirty (30) additional semester hours for the limited purpose of allowing the member to complete the courses required to accept a commission upon graduation with the member's first bachelor's or master's degree;
(7)
Tuition reimbursement amounts that a member is eligible to receive under this part must be offset and reduced by the aggregate amount of state and federal education financial assistance received by the member during the semester or educational term, unless federal law or regulation requires otherwise, in which case federal priority controls. Such assistance includes, but is not limited to, the Tennessee Promise scholarship, the Tennessee Reconnect grant, the Tennessee HOPE scholarship, and similar state assistance, as such assistance programs or grants may be amended, as well as Tennessee student assistance awards, the federal Pell grant, Montgomery GI Bill benefits, Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, and federal tuition assistance program benefits;
(8)
Members eligible for federal tuition assistance must apply for and use federal tuition assistance;
(9)
Members receiving a reserve officer training corps scholarship must exhaust the benefits of the reserve officer training corps scholarship in order to be eligible for tuition reimbursement under this part;
(10)
Members must be in good standing and currently active in the Tennessee national guard; and
(11)
(A)
Members must submit an application for tuition reimbursement under this part within ninety (90) days of course completion.
(B)
Notwithstanding subdivision (11)(A):
(i)
Members eligible for tuition reimbursement under subdivision (5)(B) must submit an application for tuition reimbursement within ninety (90) days of course completion if the course is completed on or after July 1, 2023; and
(ii)
Members eligible for tuition reimbursement under subdivision (5)(B) must submit an application for tuition reimbursement no later than August 1, 2023, for courses completed by the member between August 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023.
Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 485, s 2, eff. 5/17/2023.
Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 485, s 1, eff. 5/17/2023.
Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 216, s 5, eff. 7/1/2021.
Amended by 2017 Tenn. Acts, ch. 229, s 5, eff. 4/24/2017.
Acts 2004, ch. 477, § 5.