Supplemental Education Grants (SEG)
General Information
The CGMA Supplemental Education Grant (SEG) Program offers financial assistance by reimbursing certain costs associated with seeking a first undergraduate (associate and/or bachelor) degree, or a Vocational and Technical Training (VoTech) certificate, or a General Equivalency Diploma (GED), not otherwise covered by Coast Guard Tuition Assistance or similar programs.
CGMA will reimburse eligible clients up to $160 per per calendar year for documented education costs specifically required by a course of study.
In a family where there are two CGMA clients, grants of up to $160 may be provided to each client on behalf of the students within that family, so long as not more than $160 per calendar year is provided on behalf of any one student.
SEG availability is subject to annual funding level changes;
grants will be awarded on a first come, first served basis.
Eligibility Requirements
A CGMA client is eligible for the SEG if he or she and the student meet the following criteria:
Client: All CGMA clients on behalf of themselves or their eligible family members are eligible to participate in the supplemental Education grant (SEG) Program.
And the student is: Enrolled in his or her first undergraduate (associate or bachelor) degree program or
Pursuing a Vocational and Technical Training (VoTech) program approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs or Department of Education, and designed to prepare the student for entry into a career field or
Seeking a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) or
Enrolled in a degree-planning program authorized by the Coast Guard Institute (CGI). (See the Supplement to Coast Guard Institute Pub 1550.1, Vol. II for a list of colleges with CGI approved degree-planning programs.) or
Completing a correspondence course, which is part of an undergraduate degree or VoTech certificate program. Eligibility is based on the status of the CGMA client and the student as of the first day of the course for which the SEG grant is being provided.
Since this program is designed to help individuals obtain their first degree, students who already have an associate or bachelor degree and are seeking a second degree at the same level are not eligible, nor are those seeking a graduate degree.
Students seeking a degree from Charter Oak State College, Thomas Edison State College, The University of Phoenix, or Excelsior College (formally Regents College) who, though not formally enrolled, are following a degree plan prepared by the Coast Guard Institute are eligible.
Eligibility does not extend to CGMA clients who are currently delinquent in repaying any CGMA loan or who appear on the CGMA Restricted List.
Reimbursable Items
The costs of fees, books, study guides, supplies, equipment and other documented educational costs specifically required by a course of study may be reimbursed.More specifically, reimbursable items may include, but are not limited to:
Registration fees
Tuition is not reimbursable under this program. Other non-reimbursable items include:
Transportation
(paper, pencils and notebooks, etc.)
(MS Windows, Word, Lotus, etc.)Also not reimbursable is any item covered by other funding sources such as Coast Guard Tuition Assistance (CGTA), Coast Guard Foundation programs, or other similar programs inside or outside of the Coast Guard; or any item where reimbursement was not made within 1 year from the date of payment.
Notes
SEG grants may not exceed $160 per CGMA client per calendar year. In a family where there are two CGMA clients, grants of up to $160 may be provided to each CGMA client on behalf of the students within that family. However, not more than $160 per calendar year may be provided on behalf of any one student. Multiple grants may be given to an individual at different times during the calendar year, with the aggregate amount of these grants not to exceed $160 per individual, per calendar year. All SEG grants will be applied to the current calendar year, regardless of when costs were incurred. Any individual or family receiving SEG grants exceeding the grant limits in a calendar year, will be expected to repay the excess amount, whether the error is caused by the client or CGMA. Requests for reimbursement under this program must be received and processed within 1 year from the date of payment for a qualified item. Failure to complete the SEG Grant process, within 1 year from the date of purchase, whether the client, the Representative or the Regional Director causes the delay, will prevent issuance of the grant. Individuals receiving assistance under this program may also be eligible for assistance under other CGMA Education Programs.
