AmeriCorps Education Award
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Once you have completed your exit paperwork and you are finished with your 300/1700 hours, JusticeCorps will process your exit with AmeriCorps. Your award will be activated within two weeks. If you login to your my AmeriCorps account at https://my.americorps.gov, you should be able to see your award and direct it to where you want it to go.
You can use your award for current educational expenses, or to pay off qualified school loans (see FAQ’s for a discussion of which loans qualify). You will be able to choose how much of the award you want to use at a time. If you direct your award to your school, you will receive it in two disbursements (you will receive half of the amount in the beginning of your semester and the rest half-way through). If you are planning on more education, check out this list of schools that double the value of your award by matching it.
Note that Law School and Grad school aren’t the only type of further education that qualify You can use the award at any Title IV educational institutions, which are usually colleges and universities. However, a number of trade schools are also on the two lists. These include schools for:
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Flight training
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Massage
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Cooking
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Salon training
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Auto mechanics
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Court reporting
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Many others
Check out this list of Title IV Schools.
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If you are not planning on further education and you’re debt-free, other options include:
Wilderness education programs like National Outdoor Leadership Schools (NOLS) and Outward Bound accept the Ed Award (NOLS even matches the award).
International travel is also an option. Global Service Corps provides service-learning community development programs in Tanzania, Cambodia, and Thailand with optional academic credit. The Ed award can be used toward program fees, airfare, and related expenses.
Legislation was passed in 2009 to allow certain AmeriCorps members 55 years old and older to transfer Education Awards that they earned to their children or grandchildren under specific conditions.
You can take up to 7 years after your term of service has ended to use your award.
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AmeriCorps has more information on its website about the award: