Can Military Spouses Get Tuition Assistance
Each branch of the military offers education assistance programs. These are for their branchs service members and dependents.
One example is the Spouse Education Assistance Program. The program is sponsored by the U.S. Army and offers a need based scholarship. It is for the spouses of Army soldiers who are pursuing an undergraduate degree.
How Do I Get Started With Mycaa
Eligible spouses can establish a MyCAA Account by visiting the MyCAA website. Once spouse profile information is provided, MyCAA will verify spouse DEERS benefit eligibility. Eligible spouses will be allowed to create their Career and Training Plan and request FA when they are within 30 days of course start dates. Additionally, spouses are responsible for applying to their selected school or program and enrolling in each course included in their approved MyCAA Career and Training Plan.
The Montgomery Gi Billselected Reserve
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Montgomery GI BillSelected Reserve program offers education and training benefits for members of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine, or Navy Reserve, as well as the Army National Guard and Air National Guard.
In limited instances, service members may also be able to receive benefits after leaving the Selected Reserve.
The maximum benefit is currently $384 a month for up to 36 months of college or other education.
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Navy Student Loan Repayment Program
You must serve a minimum of 3 years on active duty during your first enlistment to be eligible for this repayment program. Like with the Army, you can receive 33 % or up to $1,500 toward your principal balance, whichever is greater. You can receive a maximum of $65,000 in loan forgiveness, but your loans cant be in default.
What Loans Qualify for Navy Student Loan Repayment:
- Stafford loans
How to Apply For the Navy Student Loan Repayment Program:
You can visit Navy.com for more information, or contact a Navy recruiter.
Who Offers Military Spouse Scholarships
Many entities honor the service and sacrifices military members and their families make. Many state and federal governments, nonprofits and colleges may offer scholarships for military spouses.
At last check, 87% of dependents of service members and veterans receive financial aid if they qualify. Most were pursuing a degree at the undergraduate level. A wide range of military spouse scholarships come from branches of the military such as the Army, Navy and Marines. Others may also come from Federal and State governments.
One example is the . Spouses of armed forced personnel who served in these conflicts are eligible to apply.
You need to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid . It may award from $4,498 to $7,152.
Charitable foundations also extend scholarships to military spouses. The National Military Family Association offers military spouses who hold a valid military ID. Awards range from $500 to $1,000. Scholarship funds may be used towards degrees, certifications, and licensures.
Private donors, and individual colleges are yet another option. These may provide scholarships that also pertain to specific fields of study. One example is the Army Nurse Corps Association Scholarship. Military spouses who are also nursing or anesthesia students may apply.
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Military Spouse And Family Healthcare
Active-duty military families — regardless of which branch of service their spouse serves in — receive benefits through the military’s healthcare, which is called Tricare. While Tricare is technically not an insurance company, it often operates a lot like one, helping military families receive healthcare and pay medical bills.
There are two kinds of Tricare that active-duty families, medically retired families and families of activated guardsmen and reservists can use: Tricare Select and Tricare Prime. You can learn about the differences between them here.
If you are a non-activated guard or reserve family, you can still use Tricare under the programs designed specifically for you. Learn more about them here.
Military retiree families can also receive Tricare. They use this set of Tricare programs.
Dental insurance is provided to military families through United Concordia . You can learn more about United Concordia dental coverage here.
Military Spouse And Family Benefits
The military can be a difficult lifestyle for a family, but it does come with some excellent benefits. Some of those are in the form of cash, and some are in the form of discounts. In addition to the bi-monthly paycheck, military service members receive benefits like money for housing, subsidized groceries and healthcare.
Don’t know exactly how to get your military spouse and family benefits or want to know more about what they are? Read on.
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Do Military Spouses Get College Benefits
There are a range of college benefits for military spouses. One example is the Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts Program. MyCAA is an employment assistance program.
It provides up to $4,000 of financial help to eligible military spouses. Spouses must be pursuing a license, certification or Associates degree. It must be in a portable career field and occupation. There are lists of approved schools in each state. Many schools also offer a reduced tuition. Military spouses may enjoy this benefit too.
Financial Aid By Service Branch
James Ursano Scholarship Program
Army Emergency Relief also administers the James Ursano Scholarship Program, which helps the children of Army soldiers pay for their first undergraduate degree. Applicants may receive the scholarship for up to four academic years as long as they meet the requirements. However, students must reapply each year. Award amounts vary.
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society – NMCRS Education Assistance Program
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society was established to provide financial, educational, and other means of assistance to Sailors, Marines, and their dependents. Interest-free loans and grants are offered to children or spouses of an active-duty, retired, or deceased Sailor or Marine.
Funds range from $500-$3,000 per academic year. Recipients can use the funds to pursue undergraduate/postsecondary education at a two-year or four-year college, technical, or vocational institution in the United States.
Air Force Aid Society – General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant Program
The Air Force Aid Society was established to help Air Force members and their families weather financial distress and pursue their postsecondary education goals. This need-based grant program is for spouses and children of active-duty Air Force members, retirees, or deceased members pursuing an undergraduate degree full time. Grant funding ranges from $500-$4,000. Students must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA, and children must be younger than 24 during the award year.
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Scholarships For Military Families
Eligibility: Applicants must be spouses of U.S. military service personnel or dependent children under age 24. Applicants need at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Applicants must be enrolled or plan to enroll full time at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or vocational or technical school for the academic year.
Award amount: $3,000
Scholarships Supported By Civic Groups And Charitable Associations
Many charitable groups exist around the country to support the needs, both financial and emotional, of military families. A large number of these groups support scholarships for the children and spouses of active duty military personnel, veterans and POW/MIAâs. While many of these programs may not offer the same level of financial assistance as their state supported and military supported counterparts, they do provide valuable assistance to military spouses struggling to pay for college.
The few examples that follow illustrate the types of scholarship programs offered by charitable foundations and civic groups around the country. Interested students can find further information on scholarship programs for military spouses by contacting local military family support groups.
Military service-members and their families occupy a unique position in the American population. They sacrifice much to defend the ideals of our nation, and one of our most precious ideals is the right to a higher education. Scholarships for military spouses provide more than just financial assistance, they provide a validation of the great sacrifices military families make on behalf of all of the citizens of the United States.
NEW:Scholarship search engine: fast, free, no registration required. Try it today!
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Chapter 30 Montgomery Gi Bill
Persons who entered active duty after July 1, 1985, and had their military pay reduced by $100 per month for 12 months qualify for this program. This is a non-refundable contribution. These persons also must have served a minimum of two years, earned a high school diploma or its equivalent either prior to or during the qualifying enlistment and must have an honorable discharge.
Coast Guard Mutual Assistance Supplemental Education Grant
The CGMA program is designed for coast guard spouses that are seeking a college degree, technical training certificate, or a vocational degree. The assistance programs offer financial assistance by reimbursing spouses rather than paying upfront for their education.
Lets move on and go over some scholarship programs that are designed specifically for helping military spouse education.
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The National Military Family Association Scholarship
The NMFA scholarship can be used by military spouses for both education assistance and employment purposes. The NMFA awards selected individuals with an average of $500 to $1,000 to achieve your education goals. You can use the award for any education purposes from degrees, certifications, licenses, to technical degrees.
This program typically offers applications to spouses twice a year so make sure to look both at the beginning of the year and the end.
Other Financial Assistance Options For Veterans
For service members who dont meet eligibility requirements, each branch of the armed forces has related “aid” or “relief” societies, which are non-profit organizations dedicated to providing assistance to military members and their dependents. Quite often, these agencies offer college scholarships, grants, or interest-free loans for dependent college education.
Each of the service-related societies has its own unique programs, eligibility requirements, program parameters, scholarship application forms, and decision processes.
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Q Your Wife Used Mycaa To Help With An Associate Degree Tell Us More About That
The MyCAA Scholarship is a military program that provides up to $4,000 of tuition assistance to military spouses. In order to qualify, the military service member must be in pay grades E-1 to E-5, W-1 to W-2, or O-1 to O-2.
Once you know what program you would like to pursue at a participating institution, the process is very easy. The only thing we wish we would have done differently was start sooner to get the full benefit of $4,000. If the military service member is promoted to a rank above the requirements, then you will no longer qualify for the MyCAA Scholarship.
Keep An Eye On Budget Cuts
As you start to look into military education benefits, you may find that more financial options existed during the surge.
Since the GI Bill is a benefit, not an entitlement, transferability may hit the chopping block due to sequestration and other budget cuts.
For example, over 4,000 soldiers lost their GI Bill transferability in January 2013. If it makes sense for your family to look into GI Bill transferability, don’t wait another day. Start your application now.
While the options are fewer, these benefits are still yours. Take advantage of those that apply to you while you still can.
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Q Anything You Want To Add About Military Benefits For Higher Education
I recommend all service members take advantage of their Tuition Assistance towards an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree. The Department of Defense offers a $250 cap and an annual ceiling of $4,500 towards completing higher education. TA is currently capped at 130 semester hours towards a baccalaureate degree and 39 semester hours of graduate credit. The service member will incur an Active Duty Service Obligation of two years after the date of completion of the last course that TA is used.
By using the TA, the service member is not tapping into the Post-9/11 GI Bill and reserving the option to transfer the educational benefits to a spouse or child .
Free Courses For Spouses
Military spouses, advance in your career with free access to the Udemy online learning platform through June 29, 2022.
- The MySECO website, designed exclusively for military spouses, ensures you have 24/7 online access to information for a successful return to school.
- Visit the MySECO Pursue Your Education section to identify your education path, plan for your education and compare colleges.
- You can also connect with a SECO career coach who can help you decide on an education path and how to pay for it.
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Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Programs
In addition to their service academies, the Air Force, Army, and Navy sponsor Reserve Officers’ Training Corps programs at many colleges and universities. ROTC programs provide college scholarships of up to four years to eligible students who apply in high school. Students who are already in college can apply for three- or two-year scholarships, depending on when they expect to graduate.
The scholarships provide full tuition and fees as well as a monthly stipend to cover other expenses. ROTC scholarships require a commitment to participate in training during the school year and for service after graduation.
The Coast Guard doesn’t have an ROTC program, per se, but does offer the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative, which provides full funding for up to two years of college.
Columbia College Student Veterans
Columbia College is proud to sponsor a chapter of the Student Veterans of America organization, called CCSV. The mission of the CCSV is to organize student veterans and other students so they can have a positive impact on their fellow members, the college and the community. Visit the website for more information at www.ccis.edu/military.
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How Do I Get These Benefits
Youll need to apply.
There are 2 main GI Bill programs offering educational assistance to survivors and dependents of Veterans.
The is for children and spouses of:
- Active-duty service members who died in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001, or
- Members of the Selected Reserve who died from a service-connected disability on or after September 11, 2001
The Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance program offers education and training to qualified dependents of Veterans who:
- Are permanently and totally disabled because of a service-related condition, or
- Died while on active duty or as a result of a service-related condition
How Military Spouses Pay For College
You made the decision to go back to school and retool. Good on you. But you are a military spouse. You and your service member have the rent, a car loan, some credit card debt and maybe only one income.
How do you pay for college when you haven’t got a dime?
The good news is that military spouses are eligible for military benefits as well as programs available to civilians. With our guide to paying for school, you’ll be cracking those books in no time.
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Colonel Charles Mcgee Scholarship Fund
This scholarship is awarded to Veterans and/or their dependents who wish to attend Columbia College. It is a competitive scholarship that is awarded annually. The scholarship will be available to the general population only if there are no veterans and/or dependents who qualify for the award. For more information, visit the following website at www.ccis.edu/mcgeescholarship.
What Does The Gi Bill Cover For Military Spouses
Military members may transfer their Post-9/11 GI Billbenefits to a spouse or dependent. It usually cover tuition, housing, books, and supplies. Then, the Department of Defense either approves or denies the request.
The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs also extends other benefits. These education benefits may go to dependents and survivors. They are also called Chapter 35 benefits. There are two main programs.
Another is the Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance program. It offers education and training to qualified dependents of Veterans.
Veterans who are disabled in a permanent and total way because of a service related condition or who died while on active duty or as a result of a service related condition.
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First Make Sure You Can Access Your Benefits
To receive any military benefits, military family members must be registered in the military’s personnel system, the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System , and receive a military ID card. To do that you need to be the service member’s spouse or child.
Certain other family members can also receive ID cards in some circumstances.
Need to get an ID card? This tutorial will help you learn how.
Will The Military Pay For My Spouse To Go To College
You may be wondering if the US Military will pay for your spouse to go to college and/or what kinds of programs are out there that may help. And there are quite a few! Spouses and family members actually make up 25 percent of those benefiting from VAs education programs. In fact, you may find that you are eligible for more than one benefit or that one may be more suited to you and your specific education goals.
Below I have listed some information on some of the educational programs that the US Military has available to you and your spouse/family. Grab a pen and paper to take some notes, you may as well get some practice in, or go ahead and bookmark this page. Lets get started!
Post 9/11 GI Bill
The Post-9/11 GI Bill offers higher education and training benefits to Veterans, Servicemembers, and their families who served after Sept. 10, 2001. It allows members of the military to transfer all or part of their education benefits to help cover the cost of education for their spouse or dependent children. Read more about the Post 9/11 GI Bill.
There are two main GI Bill programs offering education assistance to survivors and dependents of Veterans:
1.The is available for children and spouses of Servicemembers who died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001.
Also, there may be some changes coming to the GI Bill in the future that may have consequences for your family. You can read a little more about how GI Bill changes may affect military marriages.
MyCAA
STAP
CGMA
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