PAYING FOR YOUR EDUCATION
How you are going to pay for your education is obviously a major consideration when you are thinking about going back to school. Fortunately, as a service member, veteran, or even a family member, there are many resources and benefits available to help you pay for your education.
Tuition Assistance
The Army’s Tuition Assistance program provides financial assistance to Soldiers for voluntary off-duty civilian education programs.
Credentialing Assistance
The Army’s Credentialing Assistance Program helps Soldiers pay for classes and exams to obtain industry-recognized civilian credentials.
GI Bill
The GI Bill helps veterans and their family members pay for education and training programs.
MORE RESOURCES
The VA administers several education benefit programs - including the GI Bill - to help service members, veterans, and eligible family members achieve their education goals.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill is the most frequently used VA education benefit program. It provides aid for college or an advanced degree, technical training, on-the-job training or a certification, or licensing and certification for those who served on active duty after September 10, 2001. Depending on how long you were in the military, it can cover up to 100 percent of your tuition, money for housing, and money for books and supplies. Eligible service members can also transfer unused education benefits to their spouse and children.
The Army’s Tuition Assistance program is open to active duty, National Guard, and Reserve Component service members and can fund up to 100 percent of your tuition, including undergraduate and graduate degrees, vocational and technical programs, and online learning classes.
There are lots of scholarships and grants out there for military and veteran families to help them finance their education:
- Army Emergency Relief Scholarships
- BestColleges Scholarships for Veterans and Military Service Members
- CareerOneStop Scholarship Finder
- Fastweb Military Scholarships
- Scholarships.com Military Affiliation Scholarships
- SECO Military Family Scholarship Finder
- U.S. Veterans Magazine Military Scholarships
Service members, veterans, and family members also have many other resources available to them to help finance their education, including federal student aid, tax credits, and deductions to help pay for school.
- Military OneSource Service Member Resources
- Military OneSource Spouse Resources
- CareerOneStop
- DANTES
Army Emergency Relief also provides grants to Soldiers to help them cover costs associated with participating in the Army’s Career Skills Program (e.g., lodging, business attire, and travel expenses).