New York State Veterans And Families Benefits
Military and veterans education benefits may not cover all college expenses. Remember to apply for all the federal and state student aid you are eligible for by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid . If you are a New York State resident and plan to attend a college or university in New York, you may be eligible for New Yorks Tuition Assistance Program . Learn more.
Green To Gold Program
The Army Green to Gold Program provides Enlisted Soldiers an opportunity to pursue a commission as an Army Officers. Soldiers can work toward either a baccalaureate or graduate degree while participating in the ROTC leadership program. Green to Gold options are:
- Green to Gold Scholarship Option Selected Soldiers will leave active duty status to attend college. This can be a two, three, or four-year program. The Army will provide full tuition and fees or room and board , $600 per semester for books, and a monthly stipend .
- Green to Gold Active Duty Option Selected Soldiers will remain on Active Duty and be reassigned to the university location. The soldier must be able to complete their degree requirements in two years. Soldiers will retain their current pay and allowances while completing their last two years of school. The Soldier is responsible for paying for the cost of attending school most Soldiers elect to use their GI benefits to cover the cost of school.
- Green to Gold Non-Scholarship Option Qualified Soldiers will leave active duty status to attend college. The soldier must be able to complete their degree requirements in two years. The Army will provide a monthly stipend . All expenses are the Soldiers responsibility most Soldiers elect to use their Post 9/11 GI benefits to cover the cost of school and provide a living allowance.
Community College Of The Air Force
The Community College of the Air Force is an accredited two-year college open to enlisted Airmen. The CCAF offers nearly 71 different associate degree programs in many scientific and technical fields including computer science technology, avionic systems technology, air and space operations technology, allied health sciences, paralegal services, information management and more.
Every CCAF degree requires courses in your technical job specialty, leadership/management/military studies, general education and physical education. You can accumulate credits while you’re on active duty at Air Force technical training schools and when you enroll in colleges near your duty station that offer accredited courses. Enlisted members of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve are also eligible to participate in the CCAF. The school also awards credit for exams offered by DANTES, CLEP and the Defense Language Institute.
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Service Members Civil Relief Act
For any member of the military who took out student loans prior to joining up, the Service Members Civil Relief Act will help them pay off their student loans through a cap on interest rates while they are on active duty.
This rule applies to both federal and private loans, provided that the loan in question was disbursed prior to the borrower starting active duty. As long as you are on active duty, the interest rate on your loans cannot exceed 6%, which can be significant savings for anyone with private student loans.
Borrowers can submit a copy of their service orders to have this rule applied to their loans, or wait until the student loan server automatically applies the cap through regular checks of the military database.
The SCRA is particularly helpful for anyone who decides to join the military after starting or completing their educational program. It can help to keep student loan payments low while a military member is serving our country on active duty, giving them the opportunity to pay down their student loans at a relatively low fixed interest rate.
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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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?
For Current Medical Students And Residents
Medical students using the Health Services Scholarship Program or attending the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences will serve as Second Lieutenants in the Army or Air Force or as Ensigns in the Navy.
Once they graduate and join the rest of the service, they will automatically be promoted to Captain in the Army or Air Force or Lieutenant in the Navy.
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Lower Your Payments With Income
Apply for an income-driven repayment plan while youre on active duty so that you wont pay more than necessary in comparison to your income. These plans could bring your payments down to as little as $0 per month.
The Heroes Act Waiver is also there to help, because youre not required to submit proof of income while in active duty. That means you can maintain low payments even if your income increases.
Air Force Tuition Assistance
The Air Force Tuition Assistance program allows airmen to pursue college courses while off duty. Tuition assistance pays for 100 percent of tuition up to $250 per semester hour. Students may receive up to $4,500 per year. This program allows airmen to pursue two- or four-year academic degrees or technical programs.
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Education Options After Military Service
Post-9/11 GI Bill: This is available to those who serve at least 90 days of active-duty service after Sept. 10, 2001 and receive an honorable discharge. The benefit covers up to 100% of tuition and fees, a yearly stipend for books and a monthly housing allowance. As a bonus, if youre a veteran at the 100% benefit level, you may also be eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program. This program, available at military-friendly institutions, pays any tuition or fees not covered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill. You may be eligible for full housing allowance during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
Montgomery GI Bill: This education benefit requires you to have served at least two years on active duty and have a high school diploma or GED. Unlike the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Montgomery GI Bill covers tuition and fees only, and you have up to 10 years after discharge to use the benefit.
If youre already serving or recently transitioned, Military OneSource offers a free specialty consultation to help you reach your education goals, whatever they may be. Call 800-342-9647 for 24/7 help.
The cost of higher education and the thought of taking on student debt can be overwhelming at times. Perhaps you dont think college is right for you now and want to wait. Whatever the case may be, the military has options to make college affordable whenever you choose to attend.
National Guard Student Loan Repayment Program
If you sign up to serve, you also need to meet other criteria for this program:
- You must enlist for a minimum of six years
- Enlist for a critical skills vacancy in the grade of E-4 or below
- Enlist in a qualifying position in an MTO or medical TDA unit only
- Score a minimum score of 50 on the Armed Forces Qualifying Test
- You cannot also be enlisting as a 09R SMP cadet, RFP, or Active First Program
- You must not be enlisted as a glossary non-prior service soldier .
If you are eligible, you can earn up to $7,500 annually, with a maximum of $50,000, toward your qualifying student loan debts.
What Lons Qualify For National Guard Student Loan Repayment:
- Stafford loans
For more information, visit the National Guard Student Loan Forgiveness website.
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Applying For The Rotc Program And Scholarships
When completing your ROTC application, we encourage you to reach out to the ROTC enrollment officer at the school you plan to attend. They have years of experience in the application process and can help improve your chances of being selected for the scholarship. Click here to find colleges with ROTC programs or to learn more about the ROTC program.
Veterans: Paying For College
Many military veterans decide to go back to school following their service. But, college can be expensive. Fortunately, veterans have multiple options to fund their studies. As such, well use this article to outline options veterans have for paying for college.
Specifically, well discuss the following:
- Why College Makes Sense for Veterans
- Paying for College, Option 1: GI Bill
- Paying for College, Option 2: Yellow Ribbon Program
- Paying for College, Option 3: VA Work-Study Program
- Paying for College, Option 4: University Scholarships
- Paying for College, Option 5: Deployment Savings
- Paying for College, Option 6: Work and Attend School Part-Time
- Paying for College, Option 7: Federal Loans and Grants
- Final Thoughts
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Should I Enlist In The Military To Pay For College
Enlisting in the military is a life-defining decision that only you can decide for yourself. Youll need to go through strenuous training as a recruit before you become a soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine. After that, you may find yourself enlisted in new locations that are far from home.
Although the military does pay for college, thats certainly not reason enough to join. You can also consider other affordable options for your education. From finding grants and scholarships to minimizing your college expenses, there are plenty of alternative ways to pay for college.
Keep Up With Military News And Updates
Tailored to each military branch, our Veteran Insiders and Active Duty Insiders keep you current on service-specific headlines and issues. Each week we send you images, stories, and updates on pay, career, benefits, and human interest stories personalized to each service division. to receive updates on all military related news and benefits, delivered directly to your inbox.
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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
Online Degrees That Build Work Skills
Through a college education, active-duty students can enhance their existing job skills and even advance in rank as they apply what theyve learned to their positions. Spittler explains that a few of the more common National programs known to help military students advance in their careers include information technology management, cybersecurity, and leadership programs.
Some servicemembers choose programs that closely relate to what they are doing on active duty. For instance, many military medics or corpsmen pursue online or on-campus registered nursing programs. While you can serve as a Navy hospital corpsman without being a registered nurse, this educational experience can help you enter the nursing field after active duty.
Other students decide to pursue degrees that dont relate to their role in the military, opting for something that they might consider to be more marketable when they transition out of service, Spittler says. The variety of programs NU offers, more than 75 in all, gives them a lot of options to choose from and the one-month course format is very attractive to a servicemember who may need to pause for a month and then restart classes again.
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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.
Veterans & Military Personnelyour Browser Indicates If You’ve Visited This Link
Members of the Illinois National Guard may be eligible to receive the Illinois National Guard Grant. This grant may payfor eligible tuition costs and certain fees for undergraduate or graduate study. The ING grant can be used for a maximum of the equivalent of four academic years of full-time enrollment. For additional eligibility criteria, or to apply for the Illinois National Guard Grant go to https://www.isac.org/students/during-college/applying-for-financial-aid/applications/ing_applying/index.html. This program is coordinated by the Financial Aid…
Western Illinois University
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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.
Pursue Your Education With Flexibility
While you may be familiar with the GI Bill, its just the beginning of the education benefits available to you. Whether you want to pursue your education before you serve, while you serve, or youve already graduated college with student loan debt, the Army offers a wide range of education benefits throughout your service.
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Ways The National Guard Can Help Pay For School
The National Guard is really sought after by some citizens because it allows you to continue to work or go to school, while also serving your country part-time.
The stations are almost always in the United States, or nearby in places like Guam or Puerto Rico, so members also do not need to worry about getting displaced.
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In addition to the traditional benefits of serving your country proudly and being a part of something bigger than yourself, the National Guard college pay programs are exceptional.
In short, the Guard will cover college tuition, room and board , as well as graduate school in certain cases.
The National Guard supports tuition assistance, the Montgomery GI Bill, Post 9/11 GI Bill, Army National Guard Kicker, and also hosts scholarships related to higher education learning.
The Guard has also helped many receive their GED or high school diploma.
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The organization has always been encouraging and supportive of those that wish to seek higher education.
Here is a quick breakdown of the different methods you can utilize to receive college tuition assistance, room and board, and graduate school or Medical school assistance.
Can I Be In The Military And College At The Same Time
If youre on active duty and thinking about pursuing further education, you might find yourself wondering, Can I be in the military and college at the same time? Youll be interested to know that the answer to that question is a resounding, Yes! Thousands of servicemembers enroll in college during their military careers to boost professional goals, accelerate personal development, and gain increases in rank and pay. Success in college has increased with the growth of military-friendly colleges online. In addition to active military students, veterans and their family members are among the thousands who benefit by earning online degrees.
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Veterans Total And Permanent Disability Discharge
The Veterans Total and Permanent Disability Discharge is available to release veterans of their loans. You need to have a service-related disability thats documented by the Department of Veterans Affairs in order to qualify and be deemed permanently disabled. Most loans are eligible for forgiveness through this program.
How to Apply for Veterans Total and Permanent Disability Discharge:
Follow this link to begin the application process, or apply with a paper application.