TTU To Offer Tuition Deferment Program For Service Members

Tennessee Tech has partnered with the Tennessee Army National Guard to defer tuition and fee payments for certain military members.

TTU Director of Financial Aid and Veteran Affairs Mary Benedict said the program will be offered to guard members utilizing the Tennessee STRONG Act.

“It stands for Tennessee Support, Training and Renewing Opportunity for National Guardsmen. It was implemented in 2017 and it really is a reimbursement program,” Benedict said. “It’s designed to fill the gap between state and federal assistance to pay up to 100-percent of tuition.”

Benedict said Guard members earning their first undergraduate degree will be eligible to participate in the program. Tech is one of a few post-secondary institutions partnering to offer this type of incentive for students utilizing STRONG Act benefits.

Tech administrators and Tennessee Army National Guard leadership signed a formal letter of intent earlier this week. University President Phil Oldham said the partnership emphasizes continued support for military service members.

“At Tech, we talk about the ‘long purple line’ and the success of students in our ROTC program,” Oldham said. “ROTC has been active on our campus for more than 65 years and we are proud of that program and those students. This agreement is another way that long purple line that connects this university with military personnel and veterans continues.”

National Guard members interested in taking part in the program can contact the university’s Military and Veterans Affairs office.