Segal AmeriCorps Education Award

Terms of service

A member may serve up to nine terms of service across the various AmeriCorps streams regardless of the type of term (full time, half time, quarter time, etc.) as depicted below. However, a member may only receive the value of two full-time education awards.

• AmeriCorps State and National – four terms
• VISTA – five terms
• NCCC – two terms

As of August 20, 2010, the amount of the Segal Education Award increased by tying it to the maximum amount of the Pell Grant in any given year. The amount a member may receive by completing a term will change to correspond to the value of the Pell Grant and may change every year. Moreover, members who served two terms prior to joining City Year but earned less than the value of two full education awards for those terms (i.e. a partial amount for a “half-time,” “quarter-time,” “reduced half-time,” etc. term) may be eligible for a discounted education award for their City Year service. Explore additional information on term limits and the education award amount.

Eligibility

The Segal AmeriCorps Education Award is taxable in the year it is used. Eligibility is based on a minimum of 1,700 service hours, completion of all City Year graduation requirements and serving for the entire program length. A school is qualified if it is a Title IV institution of higher education.

Search to see if your school is a Title IV institution.

Access your award

The easiest way to manage your award and make payments to institutions or lenders is to register for a My AmeriCorps account. By registering to use the system, you can check your award balance, access important financial forms and quickly make payments to your educational or financial institution.

How to form a strategy to use your award

The award can be used to go to specific schools or repay qualifying student loans. There are general terms that guide the use of the award, and the award is subject to taxes. Use this Education Award site on nationalservice.org to learn more about the award, form a strategy on how to use it and discover other post-service opportunities related to school and student loans.

• Beginning in 2026, Colorado will join Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon & Wisconsin where alumni who use their Segal Education Award in those states will not owe state income tax on the Award amount used in that year. Please note there will still be federal income tax on the award.
• Read our blog on how to use your Segal Education Award for more ideas!

AmeriCorps Schools of National Service

AmeriCorps Schools of National Service are colleges and universities that offer scholarships, application fee waivers and other benefits (including some that match or augment the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award) for AmeriCorps alums, including City Year alums.

Note: Arizona, Maryland, Nebraska and West Virginia offer in-state tuition to AmeriCorps alums.

Other ways to use your Segal Education Award

The Purpose Confluence

The Purpose Confluence is a social entrepreneurship that is expanding the spending options for the AmeriCorps Segal Education Award and 529 College Savings Plans. They strive to build a collection of non-traditional options that will offer those searching to explore what life has to offer when it comes to learning, growing and gaining purpose, including outdoor programs, trade schools and even yoga and scuba certification!

National Outdoor Leadership School

National Outdoor Leadership School is the world’s most comprehensive wilderness school. Students learn leadership, communication and good judgment through developing outdoor skills, practicing risk management and building wilderness medicine expertise in a hands-on environment. National Outdoor Leadership School accepts use of the Segal Education Award for course tuition and will match that award up to $2,000 on semester courses.

Outward Bound

Outward Bound is a nonprofit educational organization that serves people of all ages and backgrounds through challenging learning expeditions that inspire strength of character, leadership and service to others, both in and out of the classroom. You can use your AmeriCorps Education Award to pay for an Outward Bound wilderness expedition thanks to their partnership with Western Colorado University Center for Learning and Innovation’s Outdoor and Experiential Learning program. You do not need to be a current Western Colorado University student.