Credits for Your Military Education

Union Institute & University is proud to serve learners affiliated with the U.S. military. UI&U’s programs and services provide you with the opportunity to secure full credit for your military education and experience. You may be surprised at just how quickly you can complete your studies.

Introducing ACE Credit Assessment Services
You can assure yourself the quickest path to full credit for your military education by taking advantage of American Council on Education (ACE) credit assessment services. Since 1942, ACE has developed and refined credit assessment processes to recognize the educational value of military training and experience. ACE continuously evaluates military schools, correspondence courses, and occupations to determine the amount and level of academic credit each should be awarded. Through ACE, you have the opportunity to transfer much of the training you have received into academic credit, this includes basic training.

What Value Does Military Experience Have Toward Your Education?
UI&U charges tuition on a per credit basis. Our tuition rate is $473 per credit. Applying your ACE credits could save you thousands of dollars.  Best of all, using ACE credits costs you nothing!

How Does ACE Assess Your Military Education?
Your first step to applying for military education credits at UI&U is to request a transcript from your military service. Each service will provide you unofficial personal copies of your transcript and send UI&U an official copy at no charge. Each service branch has their own system for recording your military education and experience credits:

• The Army uses the AARTS system, which tracks your academic credits from military training, and standardized tests. The AARTS system is available to enlisted soldiers only at http://aarts.army.mil/.
• The Navy and Marine Corps use the SMART system. This system captures information regarding your training, experience and standardized test scores. The SMART system is available at https://smart.navy.mil/.
• The Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) automatically tracks your training, experience and standardized test scores. CCAF information is available through http://www.au.af.mil/au/ccaf/.
• The Coast Guard Institute (CGI) requires each service member to submit documentation of all training (except correspondence course records), along with an enrollment form, to receive a transcript. Unlike the other services, you will be unable to get into the transcript system after you leave the service, so it is important to enroll now. To order a copy of the official U.S. Coast Guard transcript, please visit the Coast Guard Web site at http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cgi/ve/official_transcript.asp.
• Under most circumstances, veterans are eligible to use their former service branches transcript program. However if you are not eligible for AARTS, SMART, CCAF, or CGI systems, you will need to fill out form DD-295 and provide your DD-214 (click here to request DD-214) to receive credit for your experience.

For more information on these services, you can visit the ACE Web site. Follow the steps listed below. For further details, please contact your base education officer.

1. Select "Transcript Services" from dropdown menu entitled Program & Service
2. Under heading entitled Military Programs, click on: "Transcripts for Military Personnel"
3. Complete the transcript application process

How Are the ACE Credits Applied to Your UI&U program?
In most cases, ACE-recommended credits will be used to fulfill your free-elective requirements. Get started as soon as you can; the longer you delay, the further away your degree will be.

Questions?
If you have any questions about UI&U and its offerings to military learners, please contact your enrollment counselor or admissions at admissions@myunion.edu / 800.486.3116 x1219.