Veterans and their families sacrifice a lot to serve our country, and they deserve to take full advantage of the benefits this service has afforded them. Among the countless benefits offered to veterans and family members, many often use their GI Bill for cosmetology school.
Additionally, the government provides benefits for the advancement of skills and the education of service members and military spouses.
The GI Bill became law in 1944, initially offering a range of benefits for returning World War II service members.
A revamped GI Bill, called The Montgomery GI Bill, introduced in 1984, added new educational benefits for active duty service members.
The GI Bill has had many changes over the years, including the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which further expanded education benefits for veterans.
Attend Cosmetology School With GI Bill
Are you planning to attend cosmetology school through your GI Bill benefits? Many veterans choose a technical school to further their education and skills.
Especially those who found they enjoyed the hands-on experience they gained in the service — the passion of their military job transfers to a desire for change when they return home.
Pursuing a career in cosmetology creates a natural transition for those who enjoy working in a creative environment. So, can you use your GI Bill benefits for Cosmetology School? Absolutely.
The GI Bill includes many benefits for those who pursue training or education in non-college degree programs. Barber and beautician school programs approved for Veterans’ Educational Benefits full under this category, which includes other types of technical school training.
The GI Bill pays for beauty school at the rate of “actual net-costs for in-state tuition and fees or national Maximum, whichever is less.” Additionally, a monthly housings allowance and a monthly stipend for books and supplies.
Focus Your Passion: Cosmetology Career
To make the transition from life in the army to beauty school, you need to know about your VA education benefits and how you can pay for beauty school using the GI Bill.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill expanded the educational benefits for veterans, military spouses, and family members. Included in the expanded GI Bill are specific components unavailable in other programs. These are:
- Yellow Ribbon Program helps with a private school, out-of-state, and graduate-school tuition.
- Transfer Post-9/11 GI Bill to Spouse Dependents program allows the transfer of all or some educational benefits to a spouse or dependent children.
- Fry Scholarship, which provides Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to surviving spouses and children of service members who, while on active duty after September 10, 2001, died in the line of duty.
- Department of Defense’s Spouse Education Career Opportunities Program. The SECO program consists of several areas of service for military spouse’s career-building efforts or helps with opening a small business. SECO allows spouses to “use government-sponsored career and education resources, take advantage of networking opportunities, and work with employment counselors.”
Other Military Funding for Cosmetology School
Are there other programs that fund cosmetology school? Other resources offer admissions financial aid and other benefits to service members, veterans, military spouses, and dependent family members.
Expanding on the SECO are programs and partnerships created to benefit military spouses. These are:
- Military Spouse Employment Partnership is a “targeted recruitment and employment solution for spouses and companies.”
- My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) – MyCAA is a workforce development scholarship program that offers up to $4000 in tuition assistance to eligible military spouses.
- Military Spouse eMentor Program matches “spouses to career-specific mentors.”
- Military Spouse Fellowship Program – MSFP pays for 50 military spouses a year, to earn an Accredited Financial Counselor Certificate.
- Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors – TAPS offers support and help for educations completion or helps to pursue a “sustainable career.”
- Veterans Vocational Rehabilitation Program – This non-SECO program is specifically for veterans and service members who have suffered a service-related disability.
Beauty College Skills
What skills will I learn in Beauty College? Graduates of cosmetology school learn much more than the skills needed to cut and style hair and to apply make-up professionally.
Learning to relate to clients while delivering outstanding service is required for success.
Effective Communication Skills
A big part of becoming a beauty industry professional is learning effective communication skills. Active listening is needed to hear and then to repeat back exactly what the customer is seeking.
Most people will know what they want, but others will not. Understanding what they say and translating that into a realistic result is a critical part of cosmetology.
Business Skills
In between providing beauty services to your customers, you will need to manage the business aspect of working in a salon. Working for someone else requires managing your schedule, budgeting for supplies, and knowing the art of persuasion will be an added benefit to your career.
Salon Services
The fun part of being a cosmetologist is learning the artistic skills associated with the industry. You will learn the power of make-up application to enhance anyone’s looks.
Knowing and having the tools of the trade will help you become a make-up artist. Additionally, knowing how to apply individual eyelash extension can become a high-end service you offer. Hair services are the foundation of the cosmetology industry.
You will learn how the right haircut enhances appearance. You will learn to sculpt a beautiful head of hair through hair design, perms, color, highlights, braids, barber cuts, and more.
Focus Your Passion for Positive Change
Do you have a passion for real change in your life? If so, taking the steps now to get on the road to your dream career is easier than you realize. The benefits that you or your spouse earned as a military service member are there for your use.
Start by visiting the US Department of Veterans Affairs website or follow the links provided here to find out everything the military offers for the education of service members, veterans, spouses, and family members.
The Southern Career Institute has offered quality education in Central and Southern Texas since 1960. Now is the time to use your GI Bill for cosmetology school. Contact us at Southern Career Institute and get on the road to your dream career.
Sources
US Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.) Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33. Washington, DC Retrieved on February 3, 2020, from https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/post-9-11/
US Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.) Education and Training: Non-college degree programs. Washington, DC Retrieved on February 3, 2020, from https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/non_college_degree.asp
US Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.) Yellow Ribbon Program. Washington, DC Retrieved on February 3, 2020, from https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/post-9-11/yellow-ribbon-program/
US Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.) Education and Training: Transfer Post-9/11 GI Bill to Spouse and Dependents. Washington, DC Retrieved on February 3, 2020, from https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_transfer.asp
US Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.) Fry Scholarships. Washington, DC Retrieved on February 3, 2020, from https://www.va.gov/education/survivor-dependent-benefits/fry-scholarship/
US Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.) Resources for military and Veteran family members. Washington, DC Retrieved on February 3, 2020, from https://www.va.gov/careers-employment/family-resources/
Military One Source. (n.d.) Spouse Education and Career Opportunities. Washington, DC Retrieved on February 3, 2020, from https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/portal/
Military One Source. (n.d.) My Career Advancement Account Scholarship Program. Washington, DC Retrieved on February 3, 2020, https://mycaa.militaryonesource.mil/mycaa
Military One Source. (n.d.) Military Spouse eMentor Program. Washington, DC Retrieved on February 3, 2020, from https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/portal/content/view/626
US Chamber of Commerce Foundation. (n.d.) Hiring our Heroes: Fellowship Programs. Washington, DC Retrieved on February 3, 2020, https://www.hiringourheroes.org/fellowships/
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. (n.d.) Education Assistance: Know Your Education Benefits. Arlington, VA. Retrieved on February 3, 2020, https://www.taps.org/edu
US Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.) Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E). Washington, DC Retrieved on February 3, 2020, from https://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/
Blog Disclaimer: Information stated in this blog is for general information purposes only. SCITexas.edu does not assume or guarantee income earning potential or salary expectations based on the programs offered at Southern Careers Institute. Career and program information stated in this blog does not guarantee that programs and specifics are offered at Southern Careers Institute.
This article was published on: 02/24/20 3:20 PM
* 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.
