Chapter 6: Education Benefits
At the beginning of your service as an AmeriCorps*VISTA member, you elect to receive the end-of-service stipend or the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award as your post-service benefit. The education award may be used to repay eligible student loans or pay for educational costs at qualified colleges and universities. If you choose the stipend, you may also be eligible for some education benefits.
Election of the post-service benefit is made before you attend Pre-Service Orientation. If you initially choose the education award, you may change your election to the stipend any time before the end of your tenth month of service by completing and submitting a Second Choice Prior to End of 10th Month AmeriCorps*VISTA Member Benefits Election Form (see Appendix B). You may not change from a stipend to the education award.
IF YOU ELECT THE END-OF-SERVICE STIPEND
Two types of education benefits are available to members who choose the end-of-service stipend:
- Deferment of eligible student loans and payment of accrued interest on deferred loans
- Cancellation of Federal Perkins Loans
STUDENT LOAN DEFERMENT DURING SERVICE
As a general rule, AmeriCorps*VISTA members may obtain a deferment (discussed later in this chapter) of payments on the principal of any federally guaranteed student loan for the length of their AmeriCorps*VISTA service. For federal student loans, interest deferments and/or subsidies may also be available. The terms and conditions of available defermentsdiffer depending on the type of loan, the date the loan was disbursed, and the policies of the individual loan holder. Some older federal student loan programs allow AmeriCorps*VISTA members a categorical deferment. Newer federal loan programs may require that you apply for an "economic hardship" deferment.
The Corporation does not grant student loan deferments, loan holders do. To apply for deferment, you must:
- Obtain a deferment form from the loan holder specific to your loan
- Complete the form and mail it to:
AmeriCorps*VISTA Certification Officer
Corporation for National and Community Service
1201 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20525
The AmeriCorps*VISTA Certification Officer confirms your status as an AmeriCorps*VISTA member and returns the form to the loan holder.
For federally backed student loans that are deferred, accrued interest is automatically paid by the U.S. Department of Education.
POST-SERVICE CANCELLATION OF FEDERAL PERKINS LOANS
If you choose to earn an end-of service stipend, you may be eligible for cancellation of a portion of your Federal Perkins Loan for completion of a full year of AmeriCorps*VISTA service. However, you may not receive an education award and related interest benefits from the National Service Trust (described below) for a term of service and have that same service credited toward repayment, discharge, or cancellation of other student loans.
For each of the first and second complete years of AmeriCorps*VISTA service when you elect the stipend, 15 percent of your total Perkins Loan obligation plus the accrued annual interest will be canceled. For the third complete year of service, 20 percent of your total Perkins Loan obligation plus the accrued annual interest will be cancelled.
To determine which student loans may be eligible for cancellation and to receive forms, contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 800-433-3243 or visit www.studentaid.ed.gov.
IF YOU ELECT THE SEGAL AMERICORPS EDUCATION AWARD
There are two types of education benefits to members who choose the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award:
- A $4,725 award in the form of a voucher (it is not cash) that can be used to pay for higher education (degree or nondegree) or to repay eligible student loans
- A postponement of payments on federal student loans during the time served in AmeriCorps*VISTA (called a forbearance)
OVERVIEW OF SEGAL AMERICORPS EDUCATION AWARD
You may be eligible to receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award from the National Service Trust, a repository in the U.S. Treasury for the education award program, when you successfully complete your term of service. The education award is granted in lieu of the end-of-service stipend (you cannot receive both). Additionally, you may receive an education award for only the first and second terms of service, regardless of the length of the term.An education award can be used in the following ways:
- To repay qualified student loans (loans in the student's name that are backed by the federal government or made by a state agency)
- To pay for all or part of the cost of attending a qualified institution of higher education
Within 30 days after completing your term of service and after the National Service Trust is notified of your eligibility to receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, you will receive an education award packet. The information provided to you in "Guidelines & Uses for the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award-Information for Loan Holders, Title IV Educational Institutions, and School-to-Work Programs" should be used as a reference to answer questions regarding the education award and its restrictions. This information should also be provided to your school or loan holder to facilitate payment processing.
NATIONAL SERVICE TRUST
The National Service Trust is an account in the U.S. Treasury from which the Corporation makes payments to education and financial institutions on behalf of AmeriCorps participants who havesuccessfully completed a term of service in an approved AmeriCorps national service position. The Office of the National Service Trust, frequently referred to as the Trust, is the department within the Corporation that manages all functions related to the AmeriCorps Education Award. (See the end of this chapter for resource information provided by the Trust.)EDUCATION AWARD AMOUNT
The AmeriCorps Education Award for a full year of service is $4,725. Occasionally, part-time, reduced part-time, and other special programs are offered (for example, a Summer Associates program) that include a "less than full year" award, which is reduced proportionally to reflect the length of the program. Such education awards count as one of the two awards that an individual may be eligible to receive during his or her lifetime.HOW TO QUALIFY
As an AmeriCorps*VISTA member, you are eligible to receive an education award from the National Service Trust if:1. You successfully complete a term of service in an approved national service position; and
2. You are a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States.
Your election is made when you complete a Member Benefits Election Form at the beginning of each term of AmeriCorps*VISTA service and indicate whether you want to receive an education award or an end-of-service stipend. Once you elect the stipend benefit at the beginning of your service, you may not change your mind and elect the education award. However, you can change your initial election of the education award to the stipend at any time before the end of the tenth month of service.
At least 45 days before your end-of-service date, you must complete a Future Plans Form and the Exit Form (see Appendix B). The sponsoring organization/supervisor will then complete the evaluation section, and sign and send both forms to the Corporation State Office. You are entitled to review the evaluation section before it is sent to the Corporation State Office.
The Corporation State Office is responsible for determining whether you have successfully completed a term of service and are eligible for an education award. The state office indicates your eligibility on the Exit Form and sets up your National Service Trust account.
As noted earlier, within 30 days after the Trust is notified of your eligibility, the Trust sends you a packet of information you need to access your Trust account. The packet includes an AmeriCorps Voucher and Payment Request Form and instructions for filling it out. This is the document you need to authorize payment from your account in the Trust. You can also access this form electronically through your online account.
AUTHORIZING PAYMENT USING PAPER FORM
To authorize a payment from your Trust account, you must sign and indicate the amount of payment on the AmeriCorps Voucher and Payment Request Form (hereafter referred to as the voucher). The loan holder (for payment of a qualified student loan) or the school (for paymentof current education expenses) must complete its section and send the form to the Trust Office at the Corporation for processing. Within 30 days of receipt of the completed voucher, payments will be made directly to the school or loan holder, not to you. The Corporation will notify you that a payment has been made and send you an updated statement and voucher to be used for future payments. This voucher will reflect the new balance in your Trust account. Throughout the process, you should keep copies of all documents you send. This process may be completed online beginning fall 2006.If you withdraw or fail to complete a period of enrollment in an institution of higher education to which the Corporation has made payments, the institution will need to provide a fair and equitable refund to the Corporation. Any refund will be credited to your Trust account.
RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS
Number of Awards
Individuals are eligible to receive up to two enrollments in the Trust for a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. Members may not qualify to receive more than two education awards regardless of whether they serve full-time or less than full-time terms of service. For example, if an AmeriCorps*VISTA member had previously served for four months as a member of AmeriCorps*NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) and received a prorated education award, the member is only eligible to receive one more education award. Or, if an AmeriCorps*VISTA member previously served part-time with an AmeriCorps state program, the member is only eligible to receive one more education award.Two-Term Rule
Although you may serve in Corporation programs for three years, you are only eligible to enroll in the National Service Trust for two Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards. Once you elect the education award, even if you do not complete your service requirement and do not receive an education award, that term of service counts as one of your two terms of eligibility.Time Limit on Use of Education Award
Each education award must be used within seven years of completion of the service period for that award.Ineligibility for Controlled Substance Conviction
An AmeriCorps*VISTA member who is convicted under federal or state law of the possession or sale of a controlled substance is not eligible to use the education award from the date of the conviction until the end of a specified time period based on the type of conviction. Contact the Trust office to learn more about this restriction.
PRORATED SEGAL AMERICORPS EDUCATION AWARD
In rare circumstances, AmeriCorps*VISTA members who leave service early (excluding members terminated by the Corporation State Director for misconduct and for cause) may qualify for a prorated Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. The Corporation State Director has the authority to approve member eligibility for a prorated education award if the member must leave service early because of a compelling personal circumstance, such as:
- Serious or critical illness or disability of the AmeriCorps*VISTA member
- Death, critical illness, or disability of an immediate family member (spouse, domestic partner, parent, sibling, child, or guardian) if this event makes completing a term unreasonably difficult or impossible
- Conditions attributable to the program and not to the AmeriCorps*VISTA member, such as natural disaster, strike, or premature closing of a project or program that makes completing a term unreasonably difficult or impossible
A prorated education award may be given for public policy reasons or other extenuating circumstances as determined by the Corporation, such as:
- Fulfilling military service obligations
- Fulfilling jury duty obligations
- Electing not to complete service after a period in deferral of service status
- Accepting an employment opportunity by a member who is a recipient of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
- Accepting a Fulbright Scholarship and other honorary awards requirements
Compelling personal circumstances do not include leaving a program to enroll in school, to obtain employment (other than described above), or because of dissatisfaction with the program.
If you leave AmeriCorps*VISTA service for compelling personal circumstances or for the public policy reasons listed above and have completed at least 15 percent of the required term of service, you are eligible for a prorated portion of the education award that corresponds to the portion of your term served. For example, if you served 219 calendar days (which is 3/5 of a service year), you would earn an education award of $2,835 ($2,835 = 3/5 of $4,725).
To qualify for a prorated education award, a minimum of 55 calendar days must be served. Any service short of 55 days (15 percent of your term of service) makes you ineligible for any credit toward an education award.
Early Departure for Another AmeriCorps Program
If you are accepted into another AmeriCorps program and are required to begin training or service in the other program prior to the conclusion of your AmeriCorps*VISTA service, you are also eligible for a prorated education award, provided you served at least 335 calendar days as an AmeriCorps*VISTA member.QUALIFIED LOANS
You can use your education award to repayqualified student loans you have or may acquire. Generally speaking, a "qualified student loan" is any federally backed student loan that is in the sudent's name. The Trust's legislation has been modified to include loans made directly to members by state agencies, such as the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education or a state university or college. This adjustment is subject to change each year with the Corporation's appropriation statute. The Corporation cannot authorize payment of nonqualified loans.If you do not know if your loans are qualified, ask your lenders. Otherwise, you may earn an education award and be unable to use it for the purposes you require. There should also be a citation on the loan papers, referring to Title IV of the Higher Education Act, Title VII or VIII of the Public Health Services Act, or the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education.
There may be student loan programs offered by schools that are not qualified. Members must be sure to ask their loan holders to see if the loans are qualified using the definition in the Trust's legislation. They should get written confirmation if there is any question. A loan program that pays off previous qualified education loans and creates a new loan for the purpose of offering a single payment option, such as credit card consolidation, is not a qualified loan. Your education award cannot be used to repay this type of loan. There is a federal consolidation loan, however, specifically for this purpose that is a qualified Title IV loan. Members who want to consolidate qualified student loans need to make sure that they do it through a Title IV Federal Consolidation Loan if they want to use their Education Award to repay it or have the interest paid on it.
INSTITUTIONS MATCHING THE EDUCATION AWARD
Many institutions of higher education offer to match the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award or make available to AmeriCorps*VISTA alumni other financial aid benefits, such as scholarships, tuition waivers, and in-state tuition. Attending one of these institutions can increase the value of your education award. To view the list of institutions that offer these benefits, go to: http://www.lifetimeofservice.org/?education.If your schools of interest are not listed, ask these schools to consider matching the AmeriCorps Education Award or offering special opportunities to former AmeriCorps*VISTA members.
QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
U.S. Schools
For purposes of the education award, a "qualified institution of higher education" is one that has a Title IV Program Participation Agreement with the U.S. Department of Education (Title IV refers to a section of the Higher Education Act that authorizes student aid). This means that the school participates in federal student aid programs (i.e., the institution has an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education whereby students are eligible to receive federal financial assistance to attend the school). This assistance includes Pell Grants or one of the federal loans listed under "Common Qualified Student Loans."A school may be fully accredited and offer quality graduate degrees, but unless it is a school that participates with the U.S. Department of Education in Title IV financial assistance, the education award, by law, cannot be used there. You should make sure the school you wish to attend orhe student loan you expect to repay to an existing school is qualified before you select the education award.
It is not possible to determine whether a school is Title IV merely by the name of the school. Most two- and four-year institutions in the United States are Title IV schools. Thousands of technical and trade schools are Title IV as well. Art schools, beauty schools, and truck driving schools may be Title IV. To become a Title IV school, an institution has to meet certain requirements and obtain a Title IV Program Participation Agreement with the U.S. Department of Education.
To Find Out If a School Is Qualified
- Ask the financial aid office if the school is a Title IV institution.
- Learn if students who attend the school are eligible to use Pell Grants, Perkins Loans, or Stafford Loans to attend the school. If students are eligible for these loans, it is a Title IV school. These loans are examples of some of the most common types of Title IV assistance.
- Call the toll-free number at the U.S. Department of Education's Federal Student Aid Information Center between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time), Monday through Friday. That number is 1-800-433-3243. You also can conduct an online search at the Department of Education's Web site at www.ed.gov.
Foreign Schools
The education award may be used to attend many schools outside the United States. You should always check to see if the school qualifies before enrolling if you intend to use the education award to pay for school.If the school outside the United States participates in the U.S. Department of Education's Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award can be used there. You can find out if a particular school participates by calling the Department of Education at 1-800-433-3243. Individuals who use this number should ask if the school participates in the FFEL Program. The caller should have the name and location of the school before making the call. This number is not for questions concerning using the education award; it is to see if a foreign school participates in the FFEL program.
Another way to approach attending schools overseas is to obtain a qualified student loan to attend the foreign school and use the education award to repay the loan. The loan would be paid like any other qualified student loan.
Also, many Title IV post-secondary institutions in the United States offer educational opportunities abroad. As long as the member is considered by the qualified U.S. school to be a student at the school and the payment goes to the U.S. school, this is an allowable use of the education award.
QUALIFIED EXPENSES TO ATTEND SCHOOL
The Segal AmeriCorps Education Award can be used to pay the portion of a member's cost of attendance that is not covered by other sources of financial aid, such as scholarships, loans, grants, and tuition or fee waivers. The U.S. Department of Education developed the term "cost of attendance" for use by Title IV schools. Schools use it whenever a student applies for federal financial assistance. It is the school's estimate of what it will cost for a student to attend for a specific period of time.For a full-time student, qualified expenses can include tuition and fees, an allowance for books, room and board, transportation, and other expenses. It is important to note that every Title IV school determines the cost of attendance for its students. This is not an amount determined by the member or by the Trust. The cost of attendance should be used by the school to calculate the amount for which the student is eligible to use the education award.
The AmeriCorps Education Award can be used for that portion of the cost of attendance that has not already been covered by other sources of financial assistance.
The cost of a computer may be included in the cost of attendance. The school's financial aid office will know if that particular school includes computers in the cost of attendance. Students should be able to learn the cost of attendance from the financial aid office before submitting their voucher for payment.
BOOKSTORES AND THE EDUCATION AWARD
The law requires that the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award be designated to a qualified school (and holders of qualified loans). The Trust strongly encourages you to first take your education award voucher to the financial aid office of the qualified school you wish to attend. The financial aid office monitors financial assistance received by students and is able to determine how much of a student's award voucher the member is eligible to use and whether a student's cost of attendance has been met by other sources. The financial aid office can legally represent the school in verifying that certain requirements are met. A bookstore cannot do this.
To avoid a series of small payments to a bookstore throughout the semester, the member should consult the financial aid office for the calculated budget figure for books and supplies for the term and request that amount as a lump sum.
Because school bookstores are unable to monitor the amount of financial assistance students are receiving and cannot determine if the education award voucher will cause students to exceed their cost of attendance in financial assistance, these vouchers will be returned to the school for additional certification by the financial aid office before a payment can be made.
LOAN POSTPONEMENT AND INTEREST PAYMENT
LOAN POSTPONEMENT
AmeriCorps*VISTA members who earn an education award are eligible for a type of student loan postponement called forbearance. You may be eligible to postpone the repayment of your qualified student loans while serving as an AmeriCorps*VISTA member.During forbearance based on national service, interest continues to accrue. If you successfully complete your term of service and earn an education award, the Trust pays all or a portion of the interest that accrued on your qualified student loan during this period. This accrued interest paid by the Trust, like the education award, is subject to income taxes.
To place a loan in forbearance, you need to request it from the loan holder. Only the loan holder has the authority to grant forbearance. In the forbearance process, the National Service Trust, or its designee, merely verifies that you serve in an approved national service position. If the loans are in default, the loan holder is not required to place the loans in forbearance. There may be ways, however, to bring a loan out of default to make it eligible for forbearance. Contact your lender for further information.
Process for Requesting Forbearance
You, as the borrower, must request any of the various types of postponements for qualified student loans. Only the loan forbearance form sent by the Office of the National Service Trust or accessed electronically through your online account may be used for a forbearance based on your AmeriCorps*VISTA service.Occasionally, a loan company may ask for additional information or require you to complete one of its forms. After filling out the borrower's portion of a forbearance request form (either the standardized form or the lender's form), you should submit it to the Corporation's Trust Office (the address is listed at the end of this chapter). Be sure to make a copy for your records.
Be sure to include the loan holder's name and address and your service dates. Once the Trust receives the request, it certifies that you participate in an AmeriCorps*VISTA project and then forwards the documents to the loan holder. Normally, the loan holder notifies you when forbearance has been granted. If you have not heard from the loan company within three weeks from the time you mailed the form to the Trust, you should call the loan holder (most have toll-free lines) to make sure the paperwork was received and forbearance was granted.
Forbearance or Deferment?
National service is only one of several circumstances that allow borrowers to postpone the repayment of their qualified student loans. Other situations include being a student, serving in the military, being unemployed, teaching in specific high-need areas, or working as a volunteer with a nonprofit organization. Some of these postponements are called deferments, and some are called forbearances.
Deferment is a postponement of repayment of your student loan for the length of your AmeriCorps*VISTA service.
- For Federal Perkins Loans, subsidized Stafford Loans under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program, and subsidized Direct Stafford Loans, you do not have to pay principal or interest during deferment.
- For unsubsidized FFEL Stafford Loans, unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loans, FFEL PLUS Loans, and Direct PLUS Loans, you can postpone paying principal, but you are responsible for the interest.
If you are not eligible for a deferment, a forbearance permits you to postpone or reduce payments for the length of your AmeriCorps*VISTA service. Unlike deferment, for which the federal government pays the interest for you, interest continues to accumulate for loan forbearance. If you do not pay the interest as it accrues, it will be capitalized.
Special requirements and conditions are associated with each deferment and forbearance, depending on the type of loan and when it was made. These special conditions may include time limitations and quarterly interest payments.
AmeriCorps*VISTA members who are earning an education award may be eligible for loan forbearance or deferment based on the fact they are earning an award or based on one of the other circumstances described above. There are several advantages for obtaining forbearance based on national service versus another type of forbearance. Forbearance based on national service does not count against the three-year time limit associated with other types of postponements. Interest payments are not required during the term of national service, even on a quarterly basis. The National Service Trust, however, only pays the accrued interest for the terms of service for which you elected the education award. Remember that any accrued interest paid on behalf of a member is subject to income taxes.
If members wish to learn more about other types of postponements for which they might be eligible, they should review their promissory note or contact their loan holder or the U.S. Department of Education.
Perkins Loans, State Agency Loans, and Forbearances
The Segal AmeriCorps Education Award can be used for two types of qualified student loans not currently covered by the federal laws requiring loan holders to approve forbearance based on national service. There is currently no federal requirement for a loan company to grant forbearance for federal Perkins Loans or loans issued to a member by a state agency.If an AmeriCorps*VISTA member finds that a holder of either of these two types of loans will not grant forbearance based on national service, there may be other postponement options available. For example, the member may be eligible for a deferment or forbearance based on economic hardship during the service period. Members should contact their loan holders if they wish to learn about other types of postponements for which they may be eligible.
Because both the Perkins Loans and loans issued by a state agency are included in the National Service Trust's legal definition of qualified student loan, AmeriCorps*VISTA alumni can use their education awards to make payments against them.
PAYMENT OF ACCRUED INTEREST
You are eligible to have the National Service Trust pay all or a portion of the interest that accumulates on your qualified student loans while you are earning your education award. These payments are made in addition to the education award and they are not deducted from your education award balance. They are, however, reflected as an additional award, and the payments are shown accordingly. To be eligible to have accrued interest paid, the loan must have been in forbearance or deferment during the service period and the member must have successfully completed a term of service.The Trust cannot pay for interest that accrued outside a member's service period. It also cannot pay interest if the member did not earn an education award. Members who elect the stipend are not eligible for this interest payment.
Generally, the Trust pays all interest for full-time members who complete their term of service and a portion of the interest for members who had to end their service early for compelling reasons and have received a prorated award. The portion that the Trust pays is based on a formula contained in the regulations that govern the National Service Trust.
Process for Getting Interest Paid
The Trust pays the interest when it has both of the following:
- Verification from the sponsoring organization via the Exit Form that the member has completed service and is eligible for an education award
- Documentation from the loan holder showing the total amount of interest that accrued during the term of service
You, the member, and the loan holder must complete the Interest Accrual Form (sent to you by the National Trust or accessible electronically via your online account), which provides the required dual signatures: Authorization of the payment by the member and certification of the interest amount by the loan holder.
You may initiate the process to have your interest paid. The Trust cannot make any payments on your behalf until the required certification has been received from the Corporation State Office, which oversees your program, and a Trust account has been established for you. These actions may occur only after your completion of service. You need to make sure that your loan holder informs the Trust of the total amount of interest that accrued during your service period. To have this interest information sent to the Trust, you should complete the top portion of the Interest Accrual Form and send it to your loan holder(s). Each loan holder completes the lender portion of the form and forwards it to the National Service Trust at the address on the form. You may want to ask the loan company for a copy of the completed form for your records.
Beginning in fall 2006, you and the lender may accomplish this process online. Members should use the paper form if they have not registered for the electronic processing service.
TAX IMPLICATIONS
FEDERAL TAX
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has determined that payments from an education award and interest payments made on behalf of a member during a particular calendar year areconsidered taxable income in that year. These payments are reported to the Internal Revenue Service if they total at least $600 in the year. By January 31, the Trust will send you an IRS Form 1099-MISC that states the amount reported to the Internal Revenue Service. This amount must be included as income on your tax return. The Trust does not withhold any amount from the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award. Payments not processed by the Trust within a given calendar year are not included on your Form 1099-MISC even though your voucher request was submitted before the end of the year.TAX CREDITS
As a result of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, many AmeriCorps*VISTA members who use their Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards may obtain substantial relief from federal taxes. This relief comes in the form of the Hope Scholarship Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit, as well as in the form of a deduction for certain interest payments on qualified student loans. These benefits are generally available to people who are paying qualified tuition and related expenses to an eligible institution of higher education either for themselves or for members of their families.CONTACTING THE NATIONAL SERVICE TRUST
The Corporation's Office of the National Service Trust is able to answer many questions on AmeriCorps education benefits. The Trust also has a toll-free number where customer service representatives are available to answer general award questions, make address changes to your account, provide a duplicate voucher, or provide detailed information about specific awards or payments. The customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time). The telephone number is 888-507-5962 or 202-606-7511. The fax number is 202-606-3484. You may also send your changes or questions to the Trust at edawardvoucher@cns.gov, or:
ACCESSING EDUCATION AWARD INFORMATION ONLINE
You may also access your education award account online and print the AmeriCorps Voucher and Payment Request Form. Remember that you will not have an account until you have completed your term of service. To access your education award account, go to the AmeriCorps Web site at http://www.americorps.gov and follow these steps:- Click Alumni under the heading "For Individuals"
- Click AmeriCorps Education Award
- Click Check Your Account Balance
A screen will appear for you to register for an account number and a PIN, which you will need to access your Trust account. Your account number and PIN will be e-mailed to you immediately. Enter your account number and PIN to view and print your five-page education award packet. A summary page will show all awards you have earned and all payments (including interest payments) that have been made on your behalf. If you have outstanding receivables, your education award will be placed on hold until the established debt is rescheduled.
