The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) provide education reimbursement programs that allow members opportunities for education upgrading, professional development, accreditation of military training, and preparation for career transition.

As a result of unexpected budget reductions to Education Reimbursement programs, adjustments are underway. A complete policy review and renewal of the Education Reimbursement Benefit is being done in order to conform to fiscal constraints, while still meeting the needs of the CAF.

All Individual Learning Plan (ILP) holders and applicants should be aware that many ILPs have not been endorsed or funded for fiscal year 2019/2020 since May 8, 2019. This has affected both Regular Force and Primary Reserve members.

Effective July 4, 2019, the following categories of ILPs are being processed for funding in the following priority order:

1. Cases that went before Appeals Board that were successful but denied solely due to funding;
2. Any Continuing Education Officer Training Plan ILPs (Grandfathered or New);
3. Grandfathered Ill and Injured ILPs for courses that started or will start between April 2018 and January 2020 (funding obligation cannot extend past March 31, 2020);
4. Grandfathered Primary Reserve ILPs, for courses taken in Academic Year 17/18 and 18/19;
5. Grandfathered Skills Completion Program
6. Grandfathered Regular Force ILPs that started or will start between April 2018 and January 2020 (funding obligation cannot extend past March 31, 2020 and funding must have been requested on ILPs prior to March 22, 2019), and
7. New Ill and Injured ILPs (but only courses that meet the eligibility of Regular Force applicants and are in the interest of the CAF).

Note A: In accordance with past practice, courses for any of the above ILPs will not be funded if submitted for retroactively.

Note B: No courses will be funded (Grandfathered or New) that would result in a breach of the lifetime cap of $38,000 (in Canadian dollars).

Grandfathered ILPs are those ILPs that were endorsed and funded at a time before March 22, 2019. ILPs are endorsed when a program is vetted by the Regional Academic Advisor, the academic institution is approved, and the program of study is in the interest of the CAF. ILPs are funded each fiscal year, by course and semester for Regular Force members, and by semester for Reserve Force members. Only endorsed and funded ILPs are being reimbursed.

Efforts are ongoing to address the funding shortfall for categories of new ILPs, and updates will be provided as soon as information is available.