Veterans, active-duty, & reserve service members enjoy a variety of government programs to pay for college, during, or after service. From financial aid and college funding programs to loan repayments programs, active-duty service members or veterans also enjoy a broad range of educational benefits.
Read on to learn the benefits and ways that joining the military can help you pay for college before military service, during service, and after service, and many more you want to explore.
Does the military pay for college?
The military pays for college but there are strict requirements to avail financial assistance to get your degrees. Here are some ways through which the Military pays for college.
Military benefits for college students before military service
- Service Academies and Senior Military Colleges
Service Military Colleges and Service Academies both provide financial aid packages and full four-year scholarships to eligible students,
Every branch of the U.S. military trains future officers at service academies at the collegiate level. All of these academies are free to attend in exchange for a promise to serve, although admission is extremely competitive.
The U.S. Army Military Academy West Point is in New York; the U.S. Navy academy shared by the U.S. Air Force Academy locates in Colorado; the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marines locate in Maryland, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy is in Connecticut. In addition, Virginia is home to the Officer Candidates School (OCS) for the Marine Corps. On their respective websites, information regarding applications is available.
- Reserve Training Office’s Corps (ROTC) Programs
The Air Force, Army, and Navy (together with the Marines) provide support to Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) programs at numerous schools and universities. ROTC programs offer up to four years of college scholarships to those who qualify and apply in high school. Depending on their graduation, students already enrolled in college can apply for three- or two-year scholarships.
The scholarships cover all tuition and fees in addition to offering a monthly stipend to help with additional costs. The commitment to take part in training during the academic year and to serve after graduation is a requirement for ROTC scholarships.
The Coast Guard offers the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative, which offers full support for up to two years of college but is not an ROTC program per se.
College benefits for Active-Duty Service Members and Reservists
Tuition assistance
The Military Tuition Assistance program of the U.S. Department of Defense is available to the National Guard, active duty, and the Reserve Component service who wish to pursue higher education during their off-duty time. Veterans are not eligible for some programs but they are eligible for many others, as will be explained below.
The Military Tuition Assistance program will cover 100% of tuition and other course-specific costs, up to a maximum of $4,500 per year, or $250 per semester credit hour (or $166 each quarter credit hour). The annual limit is paid directly to the institution and covers a fiscal year that runs from October 1 to September 30. This program does not cover accommodation, books, and other expenses
Tuition top-up program
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers a Tuition Assistance Top-Up program to help eligible service members whose tuition expenses aren't entirely covered by the Military Tuition Assistance program. This program will cover the shortfall.
Two conditions must be fulfilled to qualify for a Top-Up program:
1) The expenses of the course and fees must be more than what tuition assistance will pay
2) Service members must be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits or the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD) and have been on active duty for at least two years.
The Mongomery GI Bill-selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)
One of the education programs available to active-duty service members (and reservists) in the Army National Guard, Air National Guard, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy Reserve is the VA's Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR).
In certain circumstances, military service members who leave the Selected Reserve may also be eligible for benefits.
The maximum benefit for up to 36 months of college or other education is $407 per month (as of June 2022).
Loan repayments programs
Both the Army and Navy provide loan repayment programs to assist enlisted soldiers in repaying student loans collected before joining the service. Each program has its procedures and specifications, but they are all enlistment incentives meant to aid recent college graduates in managing their education debt. To find out if you qualify, be sure to ask a recruiter about the requirements.
GI Bill: Helping the Veterans to pay for college
The original GI Bill of rights began after World War II to support military veterans in their shift to civilian life. Since then, several generations of veterans and their families have used that program and subsequent legislation to cover all the expenses of their college, education, graduate school, and training.
Today there are two separate versions of the GI Bill; the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill including the Montgomery GI Bill-Active duty (MGIB-DB) and Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR).
Montgomery GI Bill-Active duty (MGIB-DB)
Veterans eligible for college financial support under the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty (MGIB-AD) must complete requirements detailed on the VA website, including serving on active duty for at least two years during predetermined periods. Mostly, they must also have contributed $1,200 to the education program while in service.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill
Veterans who served on or after 11 September, 2001, are the only ones eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The law will cover up to 100% of tuition and fees at public schools and universities in the United States.
Depending on how long the veteran served the law will provide up to $26,042.81 per academic year at private colleges and international institutions for 36 months. A living allowance and a stipend for books and materials may also be available to students.
Should I join the military service to pay for college?
Joining military service is an important decision that carries risks itself including a loss of control over your schedule and a lengthy commitment that may be extended. Before thinking about joining the military to pay for your college education, you must be fully aware of the prerequisites. You should consult a veteran or a military recruitment officer if you have any questions. You can also get help with paying for your college education from the financial aid office at the institution you want to enroll in.
