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SSACI > Grants/Scholarships - by Program > Indiana National Guard Supplemental Grant Indiana National Guard Supplemental Grant

A grant that guarantees up to 100% of certain tuition costs will be met by the State of Indiana for eligible members of the Indiana Air and Army National Guard. The National Guard Supplemental Grant (NGSG) covers only certain tuition charges and does not cover other expenses such as room and board and textbooks. It is subject to available funds.

The grant amounts are based on 30 hours of enrollment per academic year, or 15 hours per semester (or the equivalent at trimester and quarter schools). At colleges that charge by the credit hour, students enrolled in at least 12 but less than 15 credit hours per semester will have their grants reduced if the actual tuition falls below the approved tuition used to estimate the grant. Students at colleges that charge a flat fee for enrollment in 12-15 credit hours will receive the maximum grant amount provided they are enrolled full-time. Note that some colleges charge a flat fee to some students but charge by the credit hour to others if they are enrolled in evening, accelerated, adult, technology state-wide or similar programs.

To be eligible an applicant must be certified by both the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana (SSACI) and the Indiana National Guard (ING) and attend a state funded college or university: all campuses of Ball State University, Indiana State University, Indiana University, Ivy Tech State College, Purdue University, University of Southern Indiana and Vincennes University and only these schools. It can be used only in the fall and spring semesters and not summer school.

SSACI Eligibility: Applying for the NGSG requires that the FAFSA be filed every year.

  • The student must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) so that it is received by March 10th of each year they intend to enroll in college. If necessary, the FAFSA must be corrected to make it error-free by the June 10th receipt date deadline of the filing year. Filing an error-free FAFSA means the student will be automatically considered for state need-based tuition-specific aid including the NGSG. Receipt date deadlines hold for both full time and part time students.
  • If the student is determined by FAFSA data to be dependent on their parents for financial support, the student's parents must be residents of Indiana since at least December 31st of the previous year. If the student is determined to be independent of their parents, the student must be a resident of Indiana since at least December 31st of the previous year.
  • SSACI requires that the student must be a high school graduate (including home-schooled students) or have a GED. The ING might have other restrictions.
  • The student must be seeking their first associate or bachelor degree at a state college or university. The NGSG cannot be used for graduate school or for professional degrees such as in law.
  • Students can receive a total of eight semesters of state aid in any combination including any state grants used prior to, after, or concurrently with the NGSG.

National Guard Eligibility: Being certified by the Indiana National Guard means starting at the unit command level and then proceeding to the headquarters or airbase education offices for final approval before the start of classes. Certification must be done for each term of enrollment.

  • The student must be in active drilling status. The unit commander is the sole determiner of this status. This applies to each academic term.
  • The student cannot have been AWOL at any time during the 12 months prior to their enrollment in college for any academic term. The unit commander is the sole determiner of this status. This applies to each academic term.
  • The student must complete all the required ING paperwork and must have all the paperwork approved by the appropriate ING education office before the start of classes. This applies to each academic term. Forms and process differ by ING branch, Air and Army. Students should contact their unit commander for details.
  • The student's name and other pertinent data as required by SSACI must be on an official list submitted to SSACI by the appropriate Air or Army education offices of the ING, usually before classes start each term the student is enrolled.

The Indiana National Guard reserves the right, in cooperation with SSACI, to revoke for cause the NGSG at any time.

If there are questions about Indiana National Guard eligibility and certification, the student should start with their unit commander. If the questions are about SSACI eligibility or tuition charges or financial aid in general, the student should go to the Financial Aid Office of the school they plan to attend or contact SSACI directly at

State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana
150 W. Market Street, Suite 500
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-232-2350
grants@ssaci.state.in.us

National Guard Extension Scholarship
There is a limited scholarship, called the National Guard Extension Scholarship, that is available to former Guard members who left the Guard under honorable discharge conditions, used the NGSG in the past, and who served on active duty overseas since Sept. 10, 2001.  Former Guardsman who believe they might qualify for this program and want additional information should contact

Indiana Army National Guard Education Services Office, JFHQ-IN-J1-ARP-ES,
9301 East 59th Street
Lawrence IN 46216 or
call (317) 964-7023

Click here for National Guard Extension Scholarship application and rules.