Believe it or not, finding programs for military spouses’ education is entirely doable. There are a lot of military spouse college programs to help make degrees, certifications, and licenses more attainable. If you’re hoping to go back to school to find a career that pays well and helps you provide better for your family, then you can rest assured there are many military spouse school programs designed just for you.
Education Pathways for Military Spouse College, Schools, and Certifications
When it comes to finding educational programs for military spouses, you have a lot of options. There are a lot of scholarships and grants available for a traditional, residential college experience that can help you get aid from a college near you — but that’s not the only type of military spouse school program you can try.
If you prefer, you can easily find an online program where scholarship programs for military spouses’ education are applicable. Attending college online can help you save time and money since you can fit classes into your schedule rather than needing to attend a classroom at certain times throughout the week. The benefit to getting a four-year college degree is the boost it can give to your career, but it tends to be more expensive and, of course, takes longer.
If you’re looking for a shorter and more affordable educational opportunity, you can find plenty of certifications and professional licenses to help advance your career. These tend to be much cheaper than a college degree and take a fraction of the time to complete. Many military spouses even consider entrepreneurship as a career option, which can be widely successful. Try to determine your career goals and then go with the military spouse school option that best suits your needs.
Scholarships and Programs for Military Spouses Education
1. MySeco Financial Assistance Resources
MySeco offers financial assistance resources and career development opportunities for military spouses and family members. If you’re seeking a means to improve your education and help jumpstart your career, this can be a great place to start.
2. My Career Advancement Account Scholarship
This is a workforce development program offering up to $4,000 to eligible military spouses. My Career Advancement Account Scholarship (also known as MyCAA) is meant to provide financial assistance for military spouses pursuing or maintaining a license, certification, or associate degree that will help them gain employment in their career field. No matter what type of education pathway you choose, this is an excellent scholarship to apply for as a military spouse.
3. GI Bill
This is a great program that all military members and their families should take advantage of. The GI Bill has some benefits that can help military spouses looking to advance their education.
4. Department of Education
The Department of Education provides a lot of financial aid to students each year. They give out billions of dollars in loans and grants to qualifying students. You will need to complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine your eligibility.
5. Spouse Education Assistance Program
The United States Army has a scholarship program for military spouses of Army soldiers. This Spouse Education Assistance Program is a need-based scholarship offering financial assistance for military spouses working towards an undergraduate degree. To be applicable for the scholarship, your spouse must be active duty, a retired soldier, or have died while in service. You must also maintain a 2.0 GPA.
6. Gold Star Scholarship Program
The United States Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society offers a scholarship program for both spouses and children of Navy or Marine soldiers who were killed in active duty. It’s called the Gold Star Scholarship Program and awards up to $2,500 per academic year.
Check with Your Dream School and State!
A lot of colleges offer military scholarships for veterans, active-duty members, and sometimes family members. Check with the school you’ve been considering to see what scholarship or financial assistance they have available. Additionally, a lot of states offer grants or scholarships for people pursuing an education in the state so be sure to check what’s available for you.
There are a lot of military spouse school programs ready to offer financial aid to spouses of military personnel. Sometimes it just takes a bit of digging and filling out applications to find it!
More Military Programs to Look Into:
Solutions for Your Military Family:
Life Insurance, Wealth Management, Home Mortgages, Survivor Services, and more. Learn more about AAFMAA.
