Congress established the National Service Trust to provide an AmeriCorps Education Award for members who successfully complete service in AmeriCorps. You can use your AmeriCorps Education Award to pay educational expenses at qualified institutions of higher education, for educational training, or to repay qualified student loans. The award - recently renamed the Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards after Eli Segal, one of the pioneers of the national service movement and the first CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service - is $4,725 for a year of full-time service, and is prorated for part-time. You have up to seven years after your term of service has ended to claim the award.

At the time you use the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, you must have received a high school diploma, or the equivalent of such a diploma.

If you successfully completed a term of service with AmeriCorps*VISTA in an approved national service position, you are eligible to receive either an AmeriCorps Education Award or an end-of-service stipend of $1,200. The AmeriCorps Education Award option is subject to available National Service Trust allocations to AmeriCorps*VISTA and must have been selected prior to the start of service.

You can use your AmeriCorps Education Award in any of the following ways—or a combination of them.

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.

You may also use your Segal AmeriCorps Education Award to repay a student loan made by a state agency, including state institutions of higher education.

Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards may not be used to repay any other type of loan, even if the loan was obtained for educational purposes. You can use your AmeriCorps Education Award to repay defaulted student loans as long as the loans meet the definition of qualified student loan.

Pay 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.

Your school is qualified if it is a Title IV institution of higher education. This includes most colleges and universities, and includes graduate schools.

Pay Current Educational Expenses While Participating in an Approved School-to-Work Program

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.

Extend the 7-Year Deadline

By law, you have seven years within which to use your AmeriCorps Education Awards. The period begins the date you complete your term of service in AmeriCorps. This time limit may be extended if certain circumstances have prevented the award from being used during this time period.

These circumstances can include:

• Performing another term of service in AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps during the seven year period; or
• Being unavoidably prevented from using the award during the seven-year period. Examples of unavoidable situations which may warrant extensions include serious illness or disability, military service, death of a family member, or important service records being destroyed or inaccessible by the program. Any period of incarceration as a result of a conviction of a criminal offense will not be considered an unavoidable situation.

You must request the extension in writing before the end of the seven-year period. The request can be either by mail or can be made electronically. A notice will be mailed to all members prior to the end of their seven-year period reminding them of the expiration of their awards.

For further information on how to request this extension, contact the National Service Trust toll-free at 1-800-942-2677.

Contact the National Service Trust

For questions concerning your Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, please contact the National Service toll-free at 1-800-942-2677. Operators are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m - 6:00 p.m. (EST).

For duplicate vouchers and to report a change of address, please e-mail edawardvoucher@cns.gov.

For More Information on Your AmeriCorps Education Award

• Amount, Eligiblity, and Limitations
• Loan Postponements, Interest Payments, and Financial Aid
• Tax Implications
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Check Your Account Balance

The Corporation is not in a position to provide advice about your income taxes or how you use your education award. However, for a discussion on how the education award may affect other financial aid and income taxes, see The Effective Education Award by National Service Fellow Brandon Rogers.

My AmeriCorps / AmeriCorps Online Payment System

Accessing and managing your Segal AmeriCorps Education Award has never been easier. My AmeriCorps provides a one-stop shop for AmeriCorps State and National, VISTA and NCCC applicants, members and alumni - presenting a wealth of information and frequently requested forms and services. By registering to use the system, you can check your award balance, access important financial forms and, most importantly, quickly and easily make payments to your educational or financial institution. The system also provides you with the ability to:

• Modify contact information (name, addresses, e-mail address)
• View and print tax statements and forms
• View and print pay statements (as applicable)
• Access customized letters certifying your term of service with an AmeriCorps program

Click here to log in to My AmeriCorps today!

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