9
3–19. Civilian education
Maximum points: 135 for promotion to SGT and 160 for promotion to SSG.
a. Civilian education (valid for promotion points). The total number of credits an accredited
institution grants towards a degree will be the basis for granting promotion points. Promotion
points are authorized for civilian education conducted at institutions recognized nationally, or
regionally accredited, by the U.S. Department of Education. Recognized educational institutions
are those institutions listed on the U.S. Department of Education Web site at
http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation. Transcripts will be used to award promotion points for colleges
or universities. Soldiers currently enrolled in a college or university are required to provide a
single transcript from their current college and/or university consolidating all past civilian
education. Soldiers that have multiple transcripts who are not currently enrolled in a college
and/or university may take these transcripts and grade slips to the local education center for
assistance. The local education center will provide only an assessment of the total number of
non-duplicated post-secondary credits for submission to the unit as the source document to
update the HR system of record and/or personnel records with the total number of credit hours.
Continuing education units are not authorized promotion points. The total semester hours
earned must be updated in the HR system of record and/or personnel records and reflected on
the Soldier’s enlisted record brief (ERB)/Soldier record brief (SRB), which will be the source in
determining promotion points. Soldiers will receive two (2) promotion points for each semester
hour completed. All quarter, contact, and/or clock hours will be converted to semester hours.
For conversion of semester hours see DODI 1322.25. When a college is not listed in the HR
system of record, requests to have the college added must be emailed to
, with a copy of the Soldier‘s transcript and
verification of the college accreditation. Accreditation can be verified at
http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation.
b. Foreign transcripts. Soldiers with college credits from foreign colleges or universities
(except those countries listed in AR 601 – 210) must have those credits evaluated by any
organization who is a member of the National Association for Credential Evaluation Services
(http://www.naces.org/). The Defense Activity for Non-traditional Education Support (DANTES)
Web site has a listing of transcript evaluation services. The foreign transcript evaluation is
required to establish the commensurate U.S. level of education and institutional legitimacy.
c. Degree completion. Twenty promotion points will be granted to any Soldier who completes
a degree while on active duty. If recommended for promotion to SSG, the Soldier must have
completed the degree while in the rank of SGT to receive these points. If recommended for
SGT, the degree must have been awarded after enlistment in the Army, USAR, or ARNG prior
to being promoted to the rank of SGT.
d. College Level Examination Program and Defense Activity for Non-traditional Education
Support courses. For Soldiers who have not completed any post-secondary courses and chose
to test-out through these programs or who have not had the College Level Examination
Program (CLEP) and/or DANTES credit recommendations consolidated on one college
transcript, may receive two promotion point per credit hour for CLEP general and subject
examinations, DANTES Subject Standardized Tests, and American College Test proficiency
examinations. Points will not be awarded for credit recommendations that duplicate already
earned credit in that subject area or discipline. Education center personnel may assist with the
review or assessment of credit awards for possible credit duplication. Foreign language CLEP
examinations will be awarded promotion points based on the Soldier’s total score. The score is
then converted to semester hours of credit based on the conversion table listed in the
“Explanation of Asterisks” section of the CLEP and/or DANTES report.
e. Technical certifications. Fifteen promotion points are granted for each HRC, HQ Army
Continuing Education System-approved MOS-enhancing credentialing (directly related to a