We are thankful and grateful for the service of our active-duty military members and veterans, and just as important is acknowledging, celebrating, and thanking military spouses and families for their service.
Pursuing further education can help you improve and grow in your career while your spouse continues theirs. As a military spouse, you are entitled to military benefits ranging from scholarships, grants, and loans to help pay for a vocational training certificate or a college degree.
Here’s what you need to know about military spouse education benefits.
Veterans Affairs Programs
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers programs to help cover tuition for veterans and their dependents. These programs include:
The Post 9/11 GI Bill: The VA GI Bill allows qualifying veterans who choose not to use their GI Bill benefits or only use a portion of the benefits to transfer them to their spouse. The service member must be on active duty or in the Selected Reserve.
The Fry Scholarship: This is a grant provided by the Veterans Affairs and provides education benefits to children and spouses of service members who died in the line of duty after 10/9/2001.
Chapter 35 VA Benefits: The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) provides education and training aid to eligible spouses of veterans who died due to a service-related condition or who are permanently or totally disabled due to a service-connected condition. The DEA program offers up to 45 months of education benefits for correspondence courses, certificate and degree programs, on-the-job training, and apprenticeship. Refresher, remedial, and deficiency courses may be approved in some circumstances.
Military Spouse Education Benefits
Each military branch provides education assistance programs for its service members and dependents.
- Army spouse education benefits: The Spouse Education Assistance Program (EAP) is designed to help military spouses get their first undergraduate degree.
- Navy spouse education benefits: The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance Program (NMCRS) provides no-interest financial assistance to spouses of retired and active-service Navy members. The financial aid ranges from $500-$3,000 in an academic year.
- Coast Guard spouse education benefits: The Coast Guard Mutual Assistance Supplemental Education Grants (CGMA) offers financial aid to service members’ spouses.
- National Guard spouse education benefits: My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) is a tuition assistance program that provides financial assistance of up to $4,000 to military spouses pursuing an Associate’s degree, license, or certification in a portable occupation and career field.
- Space Force spouse education benefits: The Air Force/ Space Force through Air Force Aid Society, AFAS, offers financial aid in the form of interest-free loans to Air Force members and their spouses. AFAS also offers the General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant Program to spouses of active duty or retired service members.
Military Assistance at Southern Careers Institute
Military spouses, active service members, and veterans are special to us. We appreciate and honor you for your service and sacrifice and are committed to supporting your academic and career goals. One example of continued extraordinary commitment to caring for and providing engaged assistance to our veterans is our featured blog, Best Jobs for Veterans in 2020.
Many of the programs at SCI have been approved for federal military benefits. Our funding specialists are available to help you with military finance programs every step of the way. They can answer all your questions and provide guidance for applying your spousal military benefits to your selected program. Learn more about SCI’s programs and how to use your military benefits here.
This article was published on: 12/10/20 12:01 AM
* SCI does not guarantee employment or a starting salary upon graduation, completion, or withdrawal from SCI. As an accredited post-secondary institution, SCI has various federal financial assistance programs available for students who qualify and are enrolled in SCI programs. This does not apply to seminar students.
