Higher Education for Your Children

Military OneSource stands by your side with information and resources so you can support your child’s education. Whether it’s college or trade school, military families have several options, including scholarships, Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits, education grants, loans and college savings programs. Your children’s goals are as important as your own, and Military OneSource has your back as you plan for this milestone. Here are several ways to make college or trade school education possible for your youth.

Regardless of your child’s age, start saving now. It may seem daunting, but there are plenty of ways to put some money away now that will pay dividends to your child’s college education down the line. Many savings plans are available, including 529 Plans, which allow your savings to grow tax-free.

• Coverdell Education Savings Accounts let families save up to $2,000 for college, and other members of the family, such as grandparents, aunts and uncles, can also contribute here.
• State-run Qualified Tuition Programs, or 529 Plans, allow families to lock in today’s tuition rates for state schools. These accounts also grow generally tax-free and offer a variety of tax benefits.

Explore investment options and connect to financial support:

• Reach out to the Office of Financial Readiness for help with your financial planning.
• Talk to a personal financial counselor at your installation.
• Arrange to speak with an education consultant or financial counselor through Military OneSource.

In addition to scholarships, you can also apply for education grants — which families don’t have to repay — such as Federal Pell Grants and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program.

To begin the grant process, start with the FAFSA® application, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Most colleges and universities use this form to determine students’ eligibilities for aid, grants and scholarships, such as:

• The FSEOG, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program, provides need-based grants for low-income undergraduate students.
• Federal Pell Grants are for undergraduate students without an existing degree. Additional Pell Grant funds are available for students whose parents died as a result of military service in either Iraq or Afghanistan after Sept. 11, 2001 — formerly called “Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants (IASG)” and “Children of Fallen Heroes (CFH) Scholarships.”

Military families have access to a number of scholarship options to help offset some of the out-of-pocket college expenses.

Two scholarships are designed specifically for military-connected teens from any service branch:

• Scholarships for Military Children Program
• Heroes’ Legacy Scholarship

In addition, dozens of additional scholarships are available to military teens through service-specific departments and other military-affiliated organizations such as:

• Operation Homefront
• National Military Family Association
• Knights of Columbus
• Branch aid organizations like Air Force Aid Society and Army Emergency Relief

The Post-9/11 GI Bill allows service members to transfer education benefits to their spouse or child. To qualify:

• The recipient must be enrolled in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System at the time of the transfer.
• The transfer must occur while the service member is on active duty.
• The service member can transfer up to 36 months of their benefits.

If you’re taking out a loan, be sure to read the fine print. Colleges, universities and trade schools will offer a host of financial aid packages, so research each carefully to make sure you’re signing up for the right one. You also have the option to borrow directly from the government. Use the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s “Know Before You Owe” tool to create a personal financial aid spreadsheet to compare which loans and aid your student qualifies for. These options also allow you to borrow directly from the government:

• Direct Stafford Loans are low-interest and available to both undergraduate and graduate students.
• PLUS Loans are also available for both undergraduate and graduate students.

Your student may decide a different career path might be a better fit than pursuing a traditional college degree. Many opportunities exist for additional learning and career growth, including:

• Internships and apprenticeships
• Trade and vocational schools
• Adult education and job training programs
• Comprehensive postsecondary transition programs, or CPTs

Most colleges, universities and trade schools now offer in-person and distance learning options that allow for equal access to learning for students with disabilities. To find the right fit for your student seeking traditional learning, begin the search early for higher education. Visit the school virtually or in person, talk to the disability service offices on prospective campuses and reach out to current students with similar disabilities to better understand their learning and living experiences.

Whatever your education goals or challenges may be, your local school liaison can help. School liaisons are located at each installation and are your go-to resource for all things education. They serve parents, educators and military-connected children in grades pre-K through 12.

School liaisons offer a wide variety of college, career and military readiness services including:

• Standardized test preparation and scheduling assistance
• Scholarship and financial aid information
• Postsecondary, college and vocational fairs

Many public schools serving military-connected students face financial challenges because the federal government is exempt from paying taxes on the property it owns. Federal properties, such as military installations, are exempt from local property taxes. This reduced revenue can make it difficult for schools to provide quality education and meet the requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act.

What is the Federal Impact Aid Program?
The Federal Impact Aid Program helps by reimbursing school districts that educate military-connected children, whether they live on federal property or have parents working there. Families can support their child’s school by completing the Parent-Pupil Survey, ensuring schools receive the funding they need. Privacy is important to the Department of Education, and parents’ personally identifiable information, or PII, is protected at every level.

How Federal Impact Aid is determined
The Department of Education determines aid levels by collecting data from local school districts. This funding supports teacher salaries, technology and other essential school expenses.

Your participation in the Impact Aid Survey is vital to ensuring your child’s school receives adequate support. If you’d like to learn more about how Impact Aid Surveys are processed in your community or what you can do to help, or if you have other questions, contact your local school liaison for information and resources for all of your pre-K-12 education needs.