The following terms and their definitions are for the purpose of this part:

Academic. Relating to education, educational studies, an educational institution, or the educational system.

Academic skills. Competencies in English, reading, writing, speaking, mathematics, and computer skills that are essential to successful job performance and new learning. Also referred to as functional or basic skills.

Active Guard and Reserve (AGR). National Guard or Reserve members of the Selected Reserve (SELRES) who are ordered to active duty or full-time National Guard duty for a period of 180 consecutive days or more for the purpose of organizing, administering, recruiting, instructing, or training the Reserve Component (RC) units or duties as prescribed in 10 U.S.C. 12310. All AGR members must be assigned against an authorized mobilization position in the unit they support. (Includes Navy full-time support (FTS), Marine Corps Active Reserve (ARs), and Coast Guard Reserve Personnel Administrators (RPAs)).

American Council on Education (ACE). The major coordinating body for all of the Nation's higher education institutions. Seeks to provide leadership and a unifying voice on key higher education issues and publishes the “Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services.”

Annual TA Ceiling. The maximum dollar amount authorized for each Service member for TA per fiscal year. Each Service member participating in off-duty voluntary education programs will be entitled to the full amount authorized each fiscal year in accordance with DoD policy.

Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript System. A document sent directly from the Army American Council on Education Registry Transcript System Center to the educational institution to articulate a soldier's military experience and training and the American Council on Education-recommended college credit for this training and experience. The JST consolidates data from the legacy Army/ACE Registry Transcript System.

Degree requirements. A document provided by the educational institution that outlines required courses and conditions to complete an educational program. The document presents the general education, major-related, and elective course requirements, degree competencies (e.g., foreign language, computer literacy), and other requirements (e.g., examination, thesis, dissertation, practicum, grade point average, credits by course level, or academic residency) for the specified program of study. This document becomes the basis for the evaluated educational plan.

DoD Installation. For the purposes of this Instruction, any active duty military, Reserve or National Guard owned, leased, or operated base, reservation, post, site, camp, building, or other facility to which DoD personnel are assigned for duty.

Education advisor. A professionally qualified, subject matter expert or program manager in the Education Services Series 1740 or possessing equivalent qualifications at the education center. The following position titles may also be used for an education advisor: Education Services Specialist, Education Services Officer (ESO), Voluntary Education Director, Navy College Office Director, and Education and Training Section (ETS) Chief.

Education center. A DoD installation facility, including office space, classrooms, laboratories, or other features, that is staffed with professionally qualified personnel and to conduct voluntary education programs. This may be located at an active duty military installation, Reserve and National Guard facility (state readiness center, armory, unit, etc.), or recruiting center (leased space inside a shopping mall or office building). For Navy, this is termed the “Navy College Office.”

Educational institution. A college, university, or other institution of higher education. For the purposes of this Instruction, the parent/home/main campus and any sub-campuses included in the signed MOU with DoD.

Educational institution agent. A lawful agent of the educational institution is limited to persons who have written authorization to act on behalf of the educational institutions.

Educational institution representative. An employee of the educational institution.

Eligible adult family member. The adult family member, over the age of 18, of an active duty, Reserve, National Guardsman, or DoD civilian with a valid DoD identification card.

Evaluated educational plan. An individualized official academic document provided by the educational institution that:

(1) Articulates all degree requirements for degree completion or in the case of a non-degree program, all educational requirements for completion of the program;

(2) Identifies all courses required for graduation in the individual's intended academic discipline and level of postsecondary study; and

(3) Includes an evaluation of all successfully completed prior coursework, and evaluated credit for military training and experience, and other credit sources applied to the institutional degree requirements. At a minimum, the evaluated educational plan will identify required courses and where appropriate, College Level Examination Program, DSST (formerly known as the DANTES Subject Standardized Tests) Program, and potential American Council on Education recommended college credits for training and experiences. For participating SOC Degree Network System institutions, the SOC Degree Network System Student Agreement serves as this evaluated educational plan. For some educational institutions this may be termed a degree audit.

Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). A manpower pool consisting principally of individuals who have had training, have previously served in the Active Component or in the SELRES, and have some period of their military service obligation or other contractual obligation remaining. Some individuals volunteer to remain in the IRR beyond their military service or contractual obligation and participate in programs providing a variety of professional assignments and opportunities for earning retirement points and military benefits.

Joint services transcript (JST). An official education transcript tool for documenting the recommended ACE college credits for a variety of professional military education, training courses, and occupational experience of Service members across the Services. The JST consolidates data from legacy documents such as the Army/ACE Registry Transcript System, the Sailor/Marine ACE Registry Transcript System, the Community College of the Air Force transcript, and the Coast Guard Institute transcript.

Needs assessment. A process used to determine the staffing requirements, course offerings, size of facilities, funding, or other standards for delivery of educational programs.

Off-duty. Time when the Service member is not scheduled to perform official duties.

Ready Reserve. Composed of military members of the Reserve and National Guard, organized in units or as individuals, or both, and liable for involuntary order to active duty in time of war or national emergency pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 12310 and 12301 and 14 U.S.C. 712 in the case of members of the Coast Guard Reserve. The Ready Reserve consists of the SELRES, the IRR, and the Inactive National Guard.

Sailor/Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript System. A document sent directly from the Sailor/Marine ACE Registry Transcript System Operations Center to the educational institution to articulate a Sailor's or Marine's military experience and training and the American Council on Education recommended college credit for this training and experience. The JST consolidates data from the legacy Sailor/Marine ACE Registry Transcript System.

Semester-hour TA cap. The maximum dollar amount authorized for TA per semester-hour (or equivalent) credit. A Service will pay no more than the established DoD cap per semester-unit (or equivalent) for tuition.

Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC). A consortium of over 1,800 colleges and universities, created in 1972 that seeks to enhance the educational opportunities to Service members who may have difficulty in completing college programs due to frequent military moves.

Third Party Education Assessment. A third-party evaluation of voluntary education programs covered by the DoD Voluntary Education Partnership MOU.

Top-Up. An option, under the Montgomery G.I. Bill and the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, that enables active duty Service members and certain Reservists to receive from the VA those tuition costs that exceed or are not authorized in the amount of TA provided to the Service member by his or her Service. Entitlement is charged differently depending on which G.I. Bill program a Service member uses. The Montgomery G.I. Bill entitlement is charged based on the dollar amount of benefits VA pays to the individual. The Service member will be charged one month of entitlement for each payment received that is equal to the full-time monthly rate for the Montgomery G.I. Bill. The Post-9/11 entitlement is charged based on the enrolled amount of time and the individual's rate of pursuit during the period of enrollment. If a Service member is attending classes part-time or at the 1/2 time level, the charge is 1/2 month of Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits for each month enrolled and receiving G.I. Bill benefits.

Troops-to-Teachers program (TTT). A DoD program to assist transitioning Service members and veterans in meeting the requirements necessary to become a teacher and facilitating their subsequent employment.

Tuition assistance (TA). Funds provided by the Military Services or U.S. Coast Guard to pay a percentage of the charges of an educational institution for the tuition of an active duty, Reserve or National Guard member of the Military Services, or Coast Guard member, enrolled in approved courses of study during off-duty time.

Voluntary education programs. Continuing, adult, or postsecondary education programs of study that Service members elect to participate in during their off-duty time, and that are available to other members of the military community.