The Coast Guard Foundation Scholarships
The Coast Guard Foundation offers scholarship programs for enlisted Coast Guard members, children of enlisted coast guard members, children of fallen coast guard heroes, spouses of enlisted coast guard members, Coast Guard reserve families, and qualified active-duty Coast Guard civil service employees or their immediate families.
Time In Service And Additional Service Commitments
Any enlisted Soldier using TA must have enough time left in service to complete the courses they are signing up for.
- Active Duty officers incur an Active Duty Service Obligation of two years, and
- Reserve Component officers incur a Reserve Duty Service Obligation of four years.
- The ADSO/RDSO is calculated from the date of completion of the last course for which TA was used.
Alternative Ways To Pay For College
Army Soldiers who arent eligible for the Tuition Assistance program still have options to continue their education while they are serving.
For example, the DoD offers military members the opportunity to take credit by examination tests, including the CLEP and DANTES tests.
Passing these test gives students college credits at a variety of colleges and universities. They can be a great way to reduce the amount of time needed to achieve a degree. I used these extensively while taking classes on active duty. Many colleges and universities also offer credits for military service.
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Deferred Student Loan Payments For Active Duty
Need a breather from paying off your loans? You can choose to have your student debt deferred while youre out on active duty, and for 13 months after you return. The government will pay any interest on your Direct Loans and Federal Stafford Loans.
Warning! Before entering into any agreement or shelling out money, make sure that you are transacting with a legitimate representative of the military to avoid falling victim to loan scams.
Will The Army Pay For College
For students in high school, the U.S. Army will pay for all 4 years of college via the Army ROTC Four-Year High School Scholarship. You can apply for the scholarship on the U.S. Army ROTC website. You can visit the U.S. Army recruiting site for answers to frequently asked questions by high school students about the ROTC programs.
For those already in college, the Army ROTC program will pay for your remaining years, via the U.S. Army three-year scholarship or the two-year scholarship programs. You can talk to your campus Military Science department about other ways to join Army ROTC and incentives available, including opportunities to compete for two-, three-, or four-year scholarships. Click here for answers to frequently asked questions by college students about the ROTC programs.
enlisted
For those that already served in the Army, The Montgomery GI Bill is designed to help you pay for your college education. Depending on how long you enlisted with the Army and the job you chose, you can get over $60,000 to help pay for college. As a Veteran, you may be eligible for educational benefits through numerous GI Bill programs. Once youve decided to use your GI Bill benefits its important to choose the proper school and type of training. VAs decision-making tools will help you get the most from your benefits. You can visit the VAs website to get more information on paying for college.
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Career Opportunities After Military Service
The positions that soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen hold in the military not only allow them to serve their country, but also help them collect years of experience in a trade or service. If they decide to leave the military, their service branchs COOL program can translate their experience into a resume that civilian hiring managers can understand. Veterans can also get a leg up for many public service jobs in federal, state and local positions. Learn more about careers in the military.
Use The Montgomery Gi Bill
The Montgomery GI Bill requires enlisted military members to pay $100 per month during their first year of service in order to receive college tuition assistance, which can be used for technical or vocational schools. The maximum benefit of up to $23,671 per year is available to those attending a private college or foreign school. GI Bill benefits are paid out monthly, on termination of military service when you’re enrolled in school. Benefits can be up to $1,972 per month and generally last for 36 months. You have 10 years after honorable discharge to use the benefit. This program is managed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and those interested should contact the VA or a military recruiter for specific details about eligibility.
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What Are Some Requirements For Attending A Military Academy
- You must be a US citizen.
- Students must be unmarried, with no dependents.
- Students must have good moral character.
- Student must be at least 17 years old, and cannot be older than twenty-three by July 1 of the year he or she is entering the program.
- Four years of English.
- Four years of College Prep Math.
- Four years of Social Studies.
- Two years of Foreign Language.
- One year of Computer Science
- To be competitive, a student must have an average SAT score of 1300.
Ellies Tip: Check out the individual academy portals to find out about additional requirements.
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.
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The Gi Bill: Helping Military Veterans Pay For College
Originally known as the Servicemens Readjustment Act of 1944, the GI Bill was started after World War II to support military veterans in their return to civilian life. Years later, plenty of military service members still use the program to fund their college education.
Heres what you need to qualify for the GI Bill:
- Have served at least 90 days of active duty, or at least 30 days if youve been discharged with a service-related disability
- In most cases, you will need to sign up for eight years of military service. The most common arrangement involves four years of active duty, and four years of reserve duty
Military vets can choose between the Post 9/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill. Both paths offer a number of benefits, so its up to you to make your decision based on your educational goals and service history.
Army Tuition Assistance Benefits How To Pay For Your College Education
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The Army recently updated their Tuition Assistance program with a focus on ensuring their Soldiers are more focused on military readiness and training as opposed to spending more time on college classes.
Soldiers will still have the opportunity to use Tuition Assistance to achieve their educational goals, however, Soldiers must first meet more stringent criteria to be eligible to participate in the TA program. The most recent updates to the Army Tuition Assistance benefits program are effective through September 30, 2021.
While not everyone will be happy with these changes, the Army was compelled to make these changes to meet readiness goals and to help stretch the ever-shrinking budget.
Lets dive in and take a look at what the Army TA program offers, who is eligible, which educational programs are covered, and how to take advantage of this valuable benefit.
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Army Reserve Prior Service Loan Repayment Program
Based on the needs of the Army Reserve, new Reservists with prior military service can receive up to $50,000 toward student loan payments as part of their recruiting incentives.
This information is variable so the most up-to-date details can be obtained by talking to an Army Reserve Recruiter. Make sure to get an offer in writing in the enlistment contract.
Questions You Should Ask The Recruiter:
- What options for student loan repayment are there?
- What specialties are available that match my skills and education?
- What service time obligation does each path require?
- What opportunities are there for further education?
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There are a lot of financial benefits for education that come with joining the military. Some are available to everyone, while others only apply in certain situations.
Make sure that you ask your recruiter BEFORE joining about available programs. Some require that you join under specific circumstances to be eligible.
Once you join, you will need to complete some version of introductory training. For enlisted members, this is most often the basic training course.
Officer candidates complete a similar course, called the Officer Candidate School.
Each service administers its own program, which your recruiter will explain in detail.
All courses are designed to help you learn what is expected of members of the military and transition from civilian to service member.
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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.
Active Duty Army Student Loan Repayment Program
New enlistees to active duty service in the Army may be eligible for the Army student loan repayment assistance based on their specific Military Occupational Specialties which changes based on the needs of the Army. Enlistees additionally must enlist for at least 3 years of service, score at least a 50 or higher on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery , decline enrollment in the Montgomery GI Bill in writing, and must have Loan Repayment Program guaranteed in writing in the enlistment contract.
Note that servicemembers are still eligible to earn Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits once the time spent completing the student loan repayment obligation is completed. For example, if a servicemember enlisted under a 4 year contract under the student loan repayment program, he or she would have to reenlist for another 36 months to qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
The Army Student Loan Repayment will pay up to 1/3 of the principal loan balance or $1,500 each year for three years qualifying up to $65,000 in loan assistance. Note that this program only applies to federal student loans, not private loans.
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How To Pay For College
Have you been thinking about getting your degree, but just haven’t gotten around to it yet? Why not? In most cases, procrastination is caused by one of 5 FACTORS. These barriers are:
These 5 factors can block you from achieving your potential, but you can remove these barriers when you learn the terms, tricks, and tips that have helped thousands of other servicemembers and veteran’s get their education. Let’s focus on the next factor that can keep you from achieving your goals.
Hear From The Experts
Aravind Dileepan – Attorney at Law
Ara joined the Army in 2006 and commissioned through The United States Army Officer Candidate School in Fort Benning, Georgia. As an engineer officer, Ara led route clearance patrols in both Iraq and Afghanistan, where his units were tasked with neutralizing roadside bombs. Most recently, his unit supports ROTC battalions at university campuses across the western U.S. Ara has a bachelor’s degree from Davidson College and a master’s degree from Boston College, both of which are in political science. Thanks to the Post-9/11 GI Bill, he was able to graduate from Seattle University’s School of Law in 2016. Ara practices law in the Seattle area and continues to serve in the Army Reserve.
Can you tell us about your military background and your path toward attending college?
I attended a private prep school and knew all along that I was going to attend college. I had long thought about joining the military, but I didn’t really know what that meant. I briefly considered the military academies but knew my parents wouldn’t approve. It also seemed too difficult to try to obtain a recommendation from a Congressional representative.
What financial aid did you receive for college as a result of your time in the military? What requirements did you have to meet to receive it?
After I got back from my first deployment, I learned about the Post-9/11 GI Bill, but I had no intentions of returning to school, so I thought it was useless for me.
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Armed Forces Childrens Education Fund
This non-profit organization offers college money for children who lost a parent on or after October 7, 2001, as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Students must be enrolled at colleges or universities that the fund deems eligible. Request an application through the Armed Forces Childrens Education Fund website.
Can I Afford To Go To School While Im On Active Duty
Active-duty servicemembers are eligible for Military Tuition Assistance, the most common form of military financial aid assistance. The program pays up to $4,500 each fiscal year for tuition and other school expenses, aid that can serve as an important motivator for students.
If someone in the military has served long enough, they may become eligible for GI Bill benefits. However, these benefits have a few limitations for those on active-duty. Spittler explains one caveat: the housing allowance isnt available to those still serving.
With the GI Bill, theyre not going to get the housing allowance because theyre already getting that in the military, Spittler says.
The GI Bill is more likely to come into play during active reserve duty when members of the military can use the GI Bill for on-site classes. The GI Bill is also popular among veteran students. In addition, all or part of any unused GI Bill education benefits can be gifted to a spouse as long as the request is completed while the servicemember is an active member of the armed forces.
These financial perks are motivators for active-duty servicemembers to enroll in college, Spittler says. Another financial boost can come from increased rank and pay. For example, Spittler explains if someone is moving closer to a bachelors degree, they do get points toward moving up in the ranks and being promoted to the next rank.
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How Long Do You Have To Be In The Military To Have Your College Paid For
The amount of time you need to serve before the military can pay for college depends on the program that youve signed up for. Under the Post 9/11 GI Bill, you will need to serve at least 90 days of continuous service before you can make use of the benefits.
With the MGIB-AD, youll need to render two years of active duty while in the MGIB-SR, youll have to finish six years in the Selected Reserve or Guard.
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?
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Military Spouse And Children Education Benefits
Military service not only qualifies the servicemember for some of the most generous education benefits available in the US today, but also in some cases makes those benefits available to the servicemembers spouse and children.
This guide offers a comprehensive, big-picture overview of every major military education benefit program for spouses and children with the appropriate links and resources to learn more. Consider this a one-stop shop for your search for everything related to military education benefits and how best to take advantage of them!
What Are The Five Service Academies And Where Are They Located
There are five Military Service Academies. These are legitimate colleges with very high rankings.
Students cannot gain admission by enlisting, but as with other elite civilian schools, acceptance is based upon a set of very stringent requirements having to do with academics, athletics, and leadership.
Air Force Academy Colorado Springs, CO
Naval Academy Annapolis, MD
West Point West Point, NY
Merchant Marine Academy Kings Point, NY
Coast Guard New London, CT
Ellies Tip:A graduate of the Merchant Marine Academy can commission to any other branch of service after they have completed their four-year education.
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