Don’t think you can afford college? Think again. In addition to military tuition assistance and Department of Veterans Affairs education programs, numerous loans and opportunities are available to help you fund the next step in your education.
Federal grants and loans
Check out these grants and loans to help cover education expenses:
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is the required application from the Department of Education. It determines your eligibility for any form of federal financial aid.
- Federal Pell Grants, unlike loans, do not have to be repaid. The grant is typically awarded to an undergraduate student who has not yet earned a bachelor’s or professional degree. In some cases, a student enrolled in a post-bachelor’s teacher certificate program may receive a Pell Grant.
- Direct Stafford Loans are low-interest loans to help cover the cost of higher education at a four-year college or university, community college, or a trade, career or technical school.
- PLUS loans are federal loans that eligible graduate or professional degree students and parents of dependent undergraduate students can use to help pay for education expenses.
- Federal Perkins Loans are low-interest loans for both undergraduate and graduate students with exceptional financial need.
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunities Grant Program, or FSEOG, provides need-based grants to help low-income undergraduate students finance the cost of higher education. Priority is given to recipients of the Federal Pell Grant.
Colleges and universities
More than 2,600 colleges and universities worldwide offer educational opportunities to military members.
Service Members Opportunity Colleges, or SOC, a group of more than 1,900 postsecondary schools, provides opportunities to service members and their families to complete college degrees as they live the mobile military life.
Military Tuition Assistance Program
The Military Tuition Assistance Program pays up to 100% of tuition expenses for semester credit hours costing $250 or less per credit hour, or $166 per quarter hour, if your institution follows a quarter system.
Each Defense Department service branch and the Coast Guard offer active-duty service members financial assistance for voluntary, off-duty education programs. National Guard members and reservists may also be eligible based on their service eligibility and should check with their service for more information.
Classes must be from an accredited two- or four-year institution on or off the installation, or by distance learning. The service branch will pay the school directly. Service members can find out more information from their service branch:
Tuition Assistance Top-Up Program
If your college tuition costs more than what’s covered by the Defense Department Tuition Assistance program, you may be able to receive more money to help pay for school. The Tuition Assistance Top-Up Program helps service members achieve professional and personal self-development goals, and save money while pursuing their degrees. This funding is through the Department of Veterans Affairs Tuition Assistance Top-Up program.
Veterans and service members may be eligible for Tuition Assistance Top-Up if:
- They are approved for federal tuition assistance.
- They qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty or Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits.
- The cost of the course and fees is more than tuition assistance will cover.
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance Program
The NMCRS Education Assistance Program provides financial assistance to eligible Navy and Marine Corps families by providing scholarships and no-interest loans. Awards are provided based on an applicant’s financial need. Scholarships range from $500 to $3,000, and interest-free loans are available for up to $4,000 per academic year. This assistance can be used to pay for tuition, books, fees, room and board.
You may be eligible for a scholarship or loan through NMCRS if you are a child (under age 23) of an active duty, retired or deceased sailor or Marine; a spouse of an active duty or retired sailor or Marine; or an active-duty sailor or Marine enrolled in a Marine Corps Enlisted Commissioning Education Program/Medical Enlisted Commissioning Program loan-only program.
Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits
The Department of Veterans Affairs administers a variety of programs to help service members pay for their education. Unlike the Tuition Assistance Program, the VA education benefits can be used after separating from the military.
- Post-9/11 GI Bill® provides aid for college education or on-the-job training for those who served on active duty after Sept. 10, 2001. Benefits include support for college degrees, testing costs, job training, apprenticeships and more. Also, a spouse or child can use these benefits in certain cases.
- Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty, sometimes known as Chapter 30, provides education benefits to service members and veterans with at least two years of active duty.
- Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve provides education and training benefits to members of the reserve.
- Rogers STEM Scholarship is for veterans and Fry scholars who have or will soon exhaust their benefits and are currently enrolled in a STEM degree program or are seeking a teaching certification.
Other ways to help pay for higher education
Service members may be able to save time and money by earning college credit through their military experience. The Joint Services Transcript for Military Personnel describes military schooling and work history in civilian terms, making it easier for colleges to read and recommend credits.
In addition to military benefits, service members may be eligible for grants, loans, tax credits and deductions that can help make education affordable. Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans are government loans for students enrolled at least half-time. Recipients repay these loans after they graduate, leave school or drop below half-time status.
Tax credits and deductions
- Lifetime Learning Credit is a credit of up to $2,000 per year for undergraduate, graduate and professional students, for an unlimited number of years.
- Tuition and fee deductions can reduce taxable income by up to $4,000.
- Student loan interest deduction is up to $2,500 of the interest paid on certain student loans.
Resources to help with postsecondary planning
Here are some useful resources to help you plan your postsecondary education:
- TA DECIDE, a tool offered by the Defense Department, helps you make informed decisions about your postsecondary education. It allows you to compare information about educational institutions and costs.
- The College Financing Plan is a consumer tool that education institutions use to notify students about their financial aid packages. It helps you compare costs at higher education institutions to make informed decisions about where to attend school.
- GI Bill® Comparison Tool helps you compare Veterans Affairs-approved institutions and the GI benefits available, as well as review other information to choose the education program that works best for you.
- College Navigator provides a search feature, builds a list of schools for comparison and pinpoints school locations, degree programs and lengths of degree programs to help you make the best decision about your postsecondary education.
Service members and military families can contact Military OneSource education specialty consultants for one-on-one guidance on postsecondary education. Call 800-342-9647 or live chat to schedule your consultation. OCONUS/International? View calling options.