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JST and CCAF Transcripts for Military Service

Did you know that with your JST or CCAF transcript that you may be eligible to receive credits for college?

As a service member or veteran going to college, you will want to make the most of your time there. Even if you have never been to college before, you could start school with some credits under your belt.

Through the military service and training you have had which is documented in your Joint Service Transcript (JST) or Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) Transcript.

JST: Joint Service Transcript and CCAF Transcript

This works through your Joint Services Transcript (JST) or your Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) Transcript. These will allow you to submit your military service and training to obtain college credit towards your degree or other educational programs.

The JST is for the following branches:

• Army Service Transcript
• Marine Corps Service Transcript
• Navy Service Transcript
• Coast Guard Service Transcript

The JST were formerly known as the SMART transcripts.

The Air Force is the only branch that’s different and uses the CCAF transcript instead of the JST.

How Can the JST and CCAF Transcripts Help My Educational Goals?

By using these transcripts, you can gain college credit based on the knowledge you have already learned from your time in military service.

Your military training, education, and occupational experiences are evaluated by the American Council on Education (ACE) and documented on the Joint Services Transcript or the Community College of the Air Force Transcript.

These transcripts are official records that contain college credit recommendations that are based on military experience, academic exam scores, CLEP, DSST, ACT and any academic courses that were completed while in the military.

How Do The Recommendations Translate to Actual College Credits?

Your college or university will evaluate the college credit recommendations on your transcript to determine the amount of transfer credit you have earned. This credit can be used for requirements for a specific major, general education or electives.

This type of credit will give you a head start on your education, it will mean having to take fewer classes, and will save you money as you won’t have to spend as much on tuition, fees, and books. You can also use the credit for certain prerequisites so that you can move on to the main classes you want to take.

The Military Guide  is the official source of information for all military courses and occupations that are evaluated by the American Council on Education (ACE).  However, our School Finder tool can assist with your search to find which colleges accept ACE credits.

Which Colleges Accept ACE credits?

There are nearly 2,000 colleges and universities, many of which are military-friendly colleges, that accept ACE credit recommendations from the JST/CCAF.

>> To find a list of schools that accept ACE credit (or Credit for Service) please visit our College Search Tool.

Who Is the Joint Service Transcript For?

The JST is open to all enlisted, officers, and warrant officers, both active duty and veterans, from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard.

What About the Community College of the Air Force Transcript?

The Community College of the Air Force is a federally-chartered degree-granting institution that serves the Enlisted Air Force. They partner with more than 1,500 civilian academic institutions to serve approximately 300,000 active, guard, and reserve enlisted personnel.

How do I get my official military transcripts?

How Do I Get My JST?

You will need to visit the DoD’s JST site, login and create an account. If you are an active duty service member or have a CAC and were prior enlisted, you don’t have to register. If you are prior Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy and don’t have a CAC reader, then you will need to register.

Once you are logged in, you will have access to your JST. You can then send your JST to your specific school.

How Do I Get My CCAF Transcript?

There are several options for ordering your official transcript. All of them are hard copies.

Option #1: Free online option from CCAF. You must access this from a .MIL network. You can have the transcript mailed to your address of choice. You will need to login to the Air Force Virtual Education Center.

Option #2: Free written request. Processed in 10-15 days after they receive it. You will need to mail in a transfer request form.

Option #3: First class mail and overnight through Credentials Solutions. This is a 3rd party, and the fees are not covered by the Air Force. It will then get transmitted to CCAF electronically, and their staff will print and mail out your transcript.

Option #4: View unofficial transcript. This is for active, reserve, and guard only and you can do this through the Air Force Virtual Education Center through the Air Force Portal.

 

If you are interested in using your time in the military for your education, you will need to use your Joint Services Transcript or your Community College of the Air Force transcript depending on your branch. By doing so, you could save yourself time, money, and be able to move ahead faster on your educational journey than you otherwise would be able to.

 

Next Step: Within your profile at CollegeRecon’s Search Tool, you can easily upload your JST or CCAF transripts to provide to schools to have your credit estimates provided for free.

 

 

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