Segal AmeriCorps Education Award
Qualified Student Loans
Current Educational Expenses at a Qualified School
National Service Trust Fund
Students and alumni of American Humanics affiliated campuses seeking full time, half time or quarter time employment can enroll in the National Service Trust as an AH ProCorps Member. Full time members can earn an AmeriCorps Education Award of $4,725 for 1700 hours of service. Half time members can receive $2,362 for 900 hours and quarter time members can receive $1,250 for 450 hours. All terms must be completed within 12 months, except for reasons of compelling personal circumstances.
Members can use the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award to pay education costs at qualified institutions of higher education, for educational training or to repay qualified student loans. (See below for more details on qualified student loans and qualified institutions.)
If members serve at least 15 percent of a service term and leave for compelling personal circumstances (as determined by the AH ProCorps Program), members may be eligible for a prorated award based on the number of service hours completed.
Members can receive up to two Education Awards, and only for the first two terms of service. Even if members did not complete one of the first two terms of service, members cannot receive an Education Award for a third term. If members have received an Education Award for service in an AmeriCorps program other than AH ProCorps (such as VISTA or NCCC), members can only receive one award for AH ProCorps service. If members have already served two terms of service for another AmeriCorps, members cannot receive a third Education Award through AH ProCorps.
When members complete a term of service, AH will e-mail that member a link to a Corporation website where the online application for the Award is located. Members will not receive direct payment from the National Service Trust or American Humanics. Members will instead receive a voucher that is good for the amount of your Award. Members can then instruct the Trust to pay an approved lender and/or qualified college or university. Each voucher is good for up to seven years.
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Qualified Student Loans
The national service legislation defines qualified student loan as a loan backed by the federal government under Title IV of the Higher Education Act (except PLUS Loans to parents of students), or under Titles VII or VIII of the Public Health Service Act. AH ProCorps members may also use their Education Awards to repay a student loan made by a state agency, including state institutions of higher education. Education Awards may not be used to repay any other type of loan, even if the loan was obtained for educational purposes. Members can use their Award to repay defaulted student loans as long as the loans meet the definition of qualified student loan.
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Current Educational Expenses at a Qualified School
Current educational expenses, as authorized under 42 U.S.C. § 12604(c), include:
- The "Cost of Attendance" for a degree- or certificate-granting program of study at a qualified school; and
- Educational expenses for non-degree courses offered by qualified schools, such as continuing education courses.
- A school is qualified if it is a Title IV institution of higher education. This includes most colleges and universities and graduate schools, and many school-to-work programs.
Current educational expenses are expenses that were incurred after you became an AmeriCorps member. Current educational expenses are based on:
- The "Cost of Attendance" for a degree or certificate-granting program at a qualified school and
- Educational expenses for non-degree courses, such as continuing education courses offered by qualified schools.
For credit or degree courses, the cost of attendance may include tuition, books and supplies, transportation, room and board, and other expenses. Each school's financial aid office determine a student's cost of attendance based upon standard U.S. Department of Education guidance.
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National Service Trust Fund
Housed in the United States Treasury, the Trust Fund was established by the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 to finance AmeriCorps Education Awards. All Education Awards, along with approved accrued interest payments, are paid out of the Trust.
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