How To Apply For The Yellow Ribbon Program
As a first step, you must apply for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. You can apply online or through snail mail by downloading and mailing the Form 22-1990 to your regional VA Processing Office.
After your application for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits is approved, you will receive a Certificate of Eligibility. You must then submit the certificate to your school, who will then determine if you are approved to participate in its Yellow Ribbon Program.
Remember, you have 10 years from your last day of active-duty service to use your 36 months of benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
National University Seeks Motivated Students
Advisors at NU look for military students who are motivated, focused, and want to do better in life. These students may not have been successful in the classroom before entering the military. But military service can change all that.
A lot of students go to different schools and dont do well because they dont know how to balance military commitments, Spittler says. But she explains when theyve been in the military for a while, theyve learned discipline and accountability, and have developed the motivation to move up in rank. So all of this makes a difference when they decide to return to the classroom. In the application process, their high school grade point average is not as important as their current level of motivation, according to Spittler.
While a student with a low high school GPA may be embarrassed when they first approach an advisor, Spittler says she and her colleagues are understanding and will ask: What is different now?
In an interview process, the advisor gathers information and asks questions that help the student determine their reason for seeking more education, and to help understand if they are ready.
She finds that, most often, prospective military students are usually ready and prepared for the challenge of college after serving in the military for a year or two. Additionally, the educational benefits theyve earned help ease the decision.
With all that lined up, Spittler adds, So why shouldnt they go to school?
Join The Military & Drastically Cut The Cost Of College
1.) Join the armed forces after high school and work on your college degree while youre on active duty.2.) Start college as a civilian , graduate with your associate or bachelors degree and become a military officer.3.) Serve in a military reserve branch or the National Guard while youre in college.4.) Apply as a student in a military academy.
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How Many Years In Military To Get Free College
How many years in military to get free college? The Montgomery GI Bill extends educational benefits to any active duty member of the military who served for at least 2 years of active duty. This also extends to veterans of any branch of the military. You receive up to $1,857 each month for educational expenses, as long as youre enrolled full-time.
How many years does the military pay for college? Military.com highlights, Not only does the military pay up to 100 percent of college tuition while you serve on active duty but it also offers the GI Bill to use for college up to 10 years after leaving the service. You may be surprised enlisting in the military is not as scary as you think.
How long do you have to be in the military to get education benefits? Servicemembers and Veterans who have served at least 90 days on active duty since 9/10/2001. Paid Tuition and Fees, Living Stipend and Book Stipend. Benefits are tiered based on number of days on active duty. Some limitations apply to those currently on active duty.
Do you get free education in the military? Military service can make your education goals a reality. The Armed Forces tuition assistance is a powerful incentive for those serving in the armed forces to pursue their education. Both enlisted and officer military members can receive up to $4,500 annually for tuition and fees.
College Costs For Medical Professionals
Some of the best financial incentives to joining the military exist for healthcare professionals.
With 4-year medical school costs ranging from $150,000 to almost $400,000, it is no surprise that newly graduated medical professionals are looking for programs the help pay their medical school loans while providing rewarding and challenging experiences.
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Montana Free College Tuition For Veterans
The State of Montana offers qualifying veterans free tuition at state schools for up to 12 semesters. The veteran must be classified as an in-state resident and have already used up all available federal GI Bill benefits.
To qualify for free tuition, you must have:
- been honorably discharged, and
- performed military service in an approved war zone or campaign
How to Apply
To apply, complete the Honorably Discharged Veteran Tuition Waiver and provide all supporting documentation to your campus Financial Aid Office.
What Can You Do With A College Degree In The Military
Like the civilian world, many options exist for how students use their degree within the military. Each branch of the armed forces needs qualified and educated professionals to carry out roles that require skills ranging from accounting to medicine to law. Keep reading to learn about just a few roles available in the military.
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National Defense Authorization Act
The military life can cause you to move quite often and sometimes you will need to be recertified or gain a new license due to being in a new state. Through the NDAA, military spouses can apply for up to $1000 to help in the re-license or certification due to PCS moves or relocation across the country.
This applies for anywhere in the United States or Oconus stateside.
That sums up the top benefits for military spouses pursuing an education. There are many educational benefits to look over, you just need to find the right program for you.
A Closer Look At Allotments
When it comes to allotments, youve got discretionary and non-discretionary options. Discretionary allotments include things like commercial life insurance premiums, dental options, dependent payments, bank deposits, rent, mortgage, and other similar expenses. Non-discretionary allotments might apply to savings bond acquisition, charitable donations, and other similar financial areas.Half of allotments will be deducted from mid-month pay, remaining in the system until the other half is deducted from pay at the end of the month. When the month is over, the total amount is submitted to whichever recipient has been designated in the allotments. Youre allowed up to six discretionary allotments a month, and as many non-discretionary allotments as youd prefer. Associated allotments cant be used for acquisition or rental of property.
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% College Tuition Assistance
The National Guard can potentially cover every single dollar of your college tuition.
It does depend on what school you decide upon, however, the National Guard will commit up to $18,000 over four years. It averages approximately $4,500 per year based on the commitment.
When you consider tuition expenses alone, the National Guard college pay program should cover your tuition in full as long as you are not attending an extremely prestigious, and expensive school.
You can learn more about the college tuition assistance program here.
Final Thoughts On How The Military Pays For College
The military wants to incentivize people to enlist and one way to do that is by helping to pay for education. The variety of options available show that the U.S. government wants to assist its servicemen and women in paying off their student loans or having them forgiven or discharged whenever possible. Its a small, but significant, way to show gratitude for your service.
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How To Get The National Guard To Pay For College:
In order to apply for college tuition assistance, please consider the following steps:
Breaking Down Base Pay And Allowances
Your monthly leave and earning statements will include a monthly base amount. This will be determined by rank and length of service. The lowest amount of pay for under two years of service is $1,650.30 a month, as of January, 2021. The highest pay is $16,608.30 for the highest rank at 36 years of service. Heres the breakdown.Essentially, youre looking at a spread of between $19,803.60 and $199,299.60 a year, depending on your length of service and rank. This pay is before associated incentives and allowances like food and housing, as well as associated special needs.There is variance here. The present opinion of those determining payout says that government housing does not exist in a quantity sufficient to provide living arrangements for all military personnel and their families. If youre living in government housing, you wont receive full housing allowance. Those who dont live in government housing will have options as regard allowances for the securement of commercial housing. You can explore more details here.
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Massachusetts Free College Tuition For Veterans
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts offers a tuition waiver to all veterans and active duty members who are permanent and legal residents of Massachusetts. This waiver is good for any Massachusetts state or community college or university campus.
How to Apply
To apply for the waiver, you must present documentation to your institutions Veterans Certifying Official and complete the Categorial Tuition Waiver.
Accredited Distance Learning Or Classroom Learning Programs
The tuition assistance benefits cover distance learning programs as well as classroom programs. The courses must be part of an approved academic degree or certificate program that is registered with the military. The courses must be accredited. You can find a list of participating institutions through the Department of Defense.
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A Patriotic Way To Pay For School
Radio.comLooking for more military-related information?Contact a recruiterMilitary.comIf youre a military veteran, check out these Veteran Scholarships that will help you pay for school.Are you a spouse or child to a current or veteran military member?College Scholarships for Military Children & Spouses
Officer Track And Enlisted Track
Each branch of the militaryArmy, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guardare organized into Officer and Enlisted service members.
Strictly speaking, Officers outrank Enlisted but the two paths are designed to work side-by-side and each brings different skills and focus.
Enlisted military members do the hands-on work of the military. They often receive specialized training and become technical experts as they progress through their careers.
Senior Enlisted members are responsible for personnel management and mentorship of both Enlisted and Junior Officers.
A 4-year college degree is not required to enlist in the military, although there are numerous opportunities to get a degree once you are serving or after you complete your time obligation.
Military officers lead groups of enlisted and fellow officers, with size and level of responsibility increasing as they become more experienced.
Their training and job performance evaluation focus on leadership and increasingly complex decision-making to impact overall policy and mission direction.
To join as an officer, you must have a 4-year degree. Those in pursuit of a degree may be able to become part of an officer training program while they attend college, such as ROTC.
There are limited opportunities for senior Enlisted members to become Officers or to serve as Warrant Officers, Limited Duty Officers, or in another capacity.
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Additional Resources For Military Education Support
If youre considering attending school during or after your service, plenty of questions will come up along the way, even beyond how the military pays for college. Your main source of information for all things related to military education is the US Department of Veterans Affairs. These links to the military branches and other sources regarding the military may also be helpful:
It can be challenging to reintegrate into civilian life after service, and the military pays for college as a way to help with the adjustment. The decision to enlist comes with loads of responsibility and life changes, but if you are absolutely sure the military is for you, rest assured that your academic dreams are possible too!
If you want to get a college degree but remain unsure about joining the military, consider going for other affordable options in higher education: you can look into community colleges, public colleges, trade schools, or cheap universities around the country.
Active Duty Health Professions Student Loan Repayment Program
Health professionals who are also on active duty can qualify for $40,000 per year toward your student loan debt for up to 3 years if youre serving in the dental, medical, allied health, nursing, or veterinary corps while on active duty. You can also be eligible for up to $50,000 in total loan forgiveness over 3 years if youre in the reserves for those professions.
What Loans Qualify for Active Duty Health Professions Student Loan Repayment?
- Stafford Loans
- Supplemental loans for students
How to Apply For Army Student Loan Repayment:
Contact an Army recruiter to learn how to apply, find out whether youre eligible, and learn more about what active duty service in the Army entails.
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Earn Credit Faster With Clep
CLEP exams are computer-based tests that cover college-level content similar to what you’d see in an intro-level college course.
Over 2,900 colleges and universities grant credit for qualifying CLEP exam scoreallowing you to place out of introductory courses, which will save you time and money as you earn your degree.
And if you’re currently serving in the military, you may be eligible for even more savings: The military’s DANTES program will cover the cost of CLEP exams for service members.
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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Why Should Colleges Be Free To Attend
Free college tuition programs have proved effective in helping mitigate the systems current inequities by increasing college enrollment, lowering dependence on student loan debt and improving completion rates, especially among students of color and lower-income students who are often the first in their family to
Montgomery Gi Billactive Duty
To be eligible for college funding through the Montgomery GI BillActive Duty , veterans must have served at least two years of active duty during certain time periods and meet other criteria listed on the VA website. In most cases, they must also have paid a total of $1,200 into the education program while they were serving.
If they qualify, they can receive up to 36 months of financial assistance toward college. As of October 2020, the maximum monthly benefit was $2,122 a month for full-time students or a total of $76,392 over the three years.
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Does The Military Pay Off Student Loans
Much like joining the military, receiving a diploma from a college or university is a first-class ticket to opportunity. Many point to their college years as some of the best of their lives, where they were able to meet people and go places they never would have otherwise. Upon commencement and receiving their certificates of completion, graduates can leverage it immediately, working in the fields most in line with their capabilities and ambitions.
How does student loan repayment work for service members? What other college loan repayment programs are there?Can the GI Bill pay off student loans?Can military spouses get student loan forgiveness?The information provided in this blog post is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered legal or financial advice. You should consult with a financial professional to determine what may be best for your individual needs.