Education Benefits for Service Members
One of the many benefits you are entitled to due to your service in the military is your educational benefits.
If you are new to the military or would like to know more about your educational benefits, we have created this blog post to help you out.
Let’s start with Tuition Assistance (TA)
Tuition Assistance is financial aid used for your educational goals. This is not a loan and it is separate from your GI-Bill. TA is used at your Command’s Discretion; they have to sign off on your tuition assistance paperwork. Every branch is different when it comes to using TA.
For the Army it used to be Go Army Ed but it is transitioning this year to Army IgnitEd https://www.armyignited.com/app/ which launches this March.
Navy: https://www.navycollege.navy.mil/
Air Force: https://www.afpc.af.mil/Benefits-and-Entitlements/Military-Tuition-Assistance-Program/
Coast Guard: https://www.uscg.mil/Portals/3/Documents/VOL_ED/TA%20WAWF%20Guide%205%200%202.pdf?ver=2017-02-23-112920-397
Tuition Assistance does not cover everything but allows up to certain credits for every semester depending if your school is eligible for TA.
Post- 9/11 GI-Bill
The Post- 9/11 GI-Bill provides educational benefits to service members who have served on active duty after September 10, 2001. This benefit includes college funding, on the job training courses, testing and different types of apprenticeships. This benefit allows you to receive up to 36 months of tuition fees, book fees, money for housing (if attending in school classes full-time). The amount of the benefits depends on how long you have served and your discharge status. The benefits expire depending on when you discharged as well.
As per the VA… “If your service ended before January 1, 2013, your Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) benefits will expire 15 years after your last separation date from active service. You must use all of your benefits by that time or you’ll lose whatever’s left.
If your service ended on or after January 1, 2013, your benefits won’t expire thanks to a new law called the Forever GI Bill - Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act. Some letters you receive from us may not yet reflect this change. Thank you for your patience as we work to update our systems”.
If you’re a qualified service member, you can transfer all 36 months or a portion of your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to a spouse or child. The Department of Defense approves a transfer of benefits. https://www.va.gov/education/transfer-post-9-11-gi-bill-benefits/
You can apply for your Post-9/11 GI-Bill benefits at https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/
Montgomery GI-BILL Active Duty (MGIB-AD)
If you’ve served at least 2 years on active duty this benefit can help you pay for education and training programs. You are eligible if you have been honorably discharged and meet the category requirements; Categories I-IV and you may receive up to 36 months of benefits paid monthly.
https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/montgomery-active-duty/
Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)
If you’re a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, or Air National Guard, you may be eligible for up to 36 months of education and training benefits. The requirements include: Having a 6-year service obligation (you agreed to serve 6 years) in the Selected Reserve, or Are an officer in the Selected Reserve and you agreed to serve 6 years in addition to your initial service obligation.
Your obligation must have started after June 30, 1985, or for some types of training after September 30, 1990.
https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/montgomery-selected-reserve/
Tuition Assistance Top-Up
This benefit can be used if your college tuition is more than what your TA benefit can cover. You are eligible if you have already been approved to use TA and qualify for Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD) or Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, and the cost of the course and fees is more than TA will cover. This will affect your other educational benefits.
https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/how-to-use-benefits/tuition-assistance-top-up/
If you are currently pursuing a degree in STEM related programs you can be eligible for the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship.
https://www.va.gov/education/other-va-education-benefits/stem-scholarship/
If you are looking for more educational benefits you can also apply for grants such as:
- Federal Grants https://studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/federal-grant-programs.pdf
- FAFSA https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
- Education Related Tax Credits if attending college like the American Opportunity Tax Credit.You can get a maximum annual credit of $2,500 for the first 4 years of higher education. https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/aotc
- Lifetime Learning Credit which can help pay for undergraduate, graduate and professional degree courses. https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/llc
You can learn more about your benefits and choosing a college at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/education-employment/for-service-members/
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