National Guard Student Loan Repayment Program

Through the National Guard Student Loan Repayment Program, soldiers with federal student loans may be eligible to qualify for up to $50,000 to use towards paying off your student loans. This program offers a lot of great perks to members of the National Guard and should be one of the top options you look into if you are looking to pay off your student loans. Continue reading to see the requirements to be eligible for this great program.

Eligibility?

In order to be eligible for the National Guard Student Loan Repayment Program, you must enlist for a minimum of six years in a specific grade within the National Guard. In the event that you’re in non-prior service soldiers, you must enlist in an MTOE or medical TDA unit only. You must also have a minimum score of 50 on the Armed Forces Qualifying Test also commonly referred to as the AFQT. Service soldiers who have had prior service cannot have more than 16 years total in the National Guard.

If you are a non-prior service (NPS) Soldier, you are eligible for the SLRP as a stand-alone incentive to include enlisting under the Split Training Option and/or Civilian Acquired Skills Program (CASP) options, provided you meet the following requirements:

• Enlist for a minimum six-year term of service.
• Enlist for critical skills (CS) vacancy in the grade of E-4 or below.
• Enlist into a qualifying position in most units (check with your recruiter for more details).
• Score a minimum of 50 on the Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT).
• Must not be enlisting as a 09R Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) cadet.
• Must not be enlisting in the Recruit Force Pool or Active First Programs.
• Must not be enlisting as a glossary non-prior service (GNPS) Soldier.

If you are a prior service Soldier, you are eligible for the SLRP as a stand-alone incentive, provided you meet the following requirements:

• Enlist for a minimum six-year term of service.
• Enlist/affiliate in the grade of E-7 or below.
• Enlist/affiliate into a qualifying position in most units. Check with your recruiter for details.
• Must have previously completed Army or Marine Corps Basic Combat Training (BCT) or complete Army BCT within 365 days from the date of enlistment, if you previously served in the Air Force, Navy or Coast Guard. Exception: A Soldier who previously served in special operations in the Air Force or Navy.
• Must have less than 16 years’ time in service (TIS) upon enlistment/affiliation in the National Guard.
• Must be Duty Military Occupational Specialty Qualified (DMOSQ) for your position.
• Must not have previously received the SLRP in your military career.
• Must not have previously received a Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) ROTC scholarship.
• Must not be enlisting as a non-09S SLRP Officer Candidate School (OCS) or as a 09R SMP cadet (except for the 09S SLRP option).
• Must have scored a minimum of 31 on the Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT).
• Must not be enlisting under the provisions of a conditional release from a Select Reserve component other than the U.S. Army Reserve.

If you are a current Guard member, you are eligible for the SLRP incentive, provided you meet the following requirements:

• Must meet all re-enlistment or extension eligibility criteria.
• Must extend within 365-91 days of your ETS for a minimum six-year term of service.
• Must re-enlist or extend in the grade of E-7 or below. NOTE: Acceptance of promotion to E-8 after the contract start date is authorized.
• Must be Duty Military Occupational Specialty Qualified (DMOSQ) for your position.
• Must have less than 13 years’ TIS at time of current ETS.
• Must not be in Mil-Tech status (includes an indefinite technician and temporary technician on assignment for more than 180 days in any continuous 12-month period). This includes a Mil-Tech Soldier in certain statuses while deployed.
• Must not be in AGR status. This includes an AGR Soldier in a TPU status while deployed.
• Must not be an officer who contracted for this incentive as an enlisted applicant.

What is the award amount?

Through the National Guard Student Loan Repayment Program, you may be eligible to receive up to $50,000 to use towards paying off your federal student loans.

• You must be DMOSQ in order to receive SLRP repayment. A Soldier who required BCT is not to be considered DMOSQ until completion of BCT (not applicable for 09S SLRP enlistment option).

What loans qualify?

The following loans qualify for the National Guard Student Loan Repayment Program:

• Stafford loans
• Grad PLUS loans
• Consolidation loans
• Perkins loans

How to apply?

This is a summary of the SLRP eligibility and restrictions. For all benefit programs, you should contact your recruiter, state point of contact or education services officer (ESO) for more information. Please head over to the official National Guard Website to find out more information regarding this program.

Questions?

If you still have questions or would like to know more information please reach out to us here or you can go back to the Student Loan Repayment Assistance Programs page.