<h1>Tuition Assistance (TA) – Coast Guard</h1>
Air Force TA (Activated Guard and Reserve)

In case of activation, you’ll be eligible for Air Force TA for Active Duty and the Activated Reserve/Guard. This TA Program provides:

o    100% Fees and Tuition around $250 – Semester Credit Hour, or $166 – Quarter Credit Hour.

o    Not exceeding $4,500 – Fiscal Year.

Selective Reserves members qualify for TA. But, each of the Armed Forces decides the way to manage their own TA. Additionally, each state might provide the members of its National Guard service, education incentives funded by state depending on the state guidelines as well as eligibility (i.e. waivers, exemptions, TA, student loan repayment, etceteras.).Following is the information regarding reserve Tuition Assistance benefits for every service:

o    Navy Reserve (USNR)
o    Army Reserve (USAR)
o    Marine Reserve (USMCR)
o    Coast Guard Reserve (USCGR)
o    Air Force Reserve (USAFR)

Navy Reserve (USNR)
Currently, there’re no TA programs for Navy Reserve. But, if you’re activated under Title 10, then you are eligible for active duty Navy TA.
Army Reserve (USAR)
USAR provides opportunities for the selected reserve soldiers for pursuing education on voluntary basis. The voluntary education is very important in the career of a reservist since it improves the promotional opportunities. Moreover, voluntary education is different from the military education plus training that is needed for AOC/MOS. If you want to participate, you must complete voluntary education on personal time with the financial support offered by Army Reserve. You’re encouraged to know more about and make use of all accessible education benefits as well as programs.
Army Reservists might visit https://rcms.ocar.army.pentagon.mil/education/ and use their AKO login plus password for signing in to submit online Tuition Assistance requests.
The USAR provides:
o    100% TA around $250 for each semester hour, or $166 for each quarter hour, not exceeding $4,500 yearly per service member.
o    75% around $250 for each SH, or $166 for each quarter hour, plus $4500 for each FY for the officers seeking a bachelors degree.

Eligibility criteria:

o    The soldier should be a drilling reservist with a good standing.
o    Warrant officers and enlisted soldiers should have enough remaining time on their service term for completing the course prior to separation.
o    The soldier should state an educational goal resulting in a credential greater than existing degree level.
o    Commissioned officers should have a minimum of 4 yrs of remaining Selected Reserve service from the date of the course is completed  for which TA is offered.
o    The soldier should make enrollment for independent study course following the Army Reserve processes.

Get in touch with the local office of Army Reserve Education for help with Tuition Assistance or some other voluntary education support.

Marine Corps Reserve (USMCR)

Currently, there’re no TA programs for Marine Corps Reserve. But, if you’re activated under Title 10, then you are eligible for active duty Marine Corps TA.

Coast Guard Reserve (USCGR)
USCGR units have integrated with the active duty sites; therefore in the spirit of the “Team Coast Guard,” the USCG reservists get access to all the educational programs open to the members of active duty. The website of Coast Guard Institute provides a complete synopsis of the applications and programs that are available.

The Coast Guard provides the selected reservists:
o    100% TA around $250 for each semester hour, or $166.67 for each quarter hour
o    Not exceeding $4,500 yearly for each service member.
o    Get in touch with your Coast Guard ESO to learn about applying for TA as well as other programs.

Air Force Reserve (USAFR)

To support the education and professional goals of the Air Force Reservists, Air Force offers a number of voluntary education programs to its reserve members
USAFR provides:
o    Associate as well as Bachelor’s Degrees (Undergraduate)
o    100% TA for the undergraduate degree programs
o    Not to go over $250 for each semester hour, or $166.67 for each quarter hour
o    Around $4,500 yearly for each Service member.
o    Masters Degree (Graduate studies)
o    75% TA for the graduate degree programs
o    Not to go over $250 for each semester hour, or $166 for each quarter hour
o    Around $4,500 yearly.
o It should be noted that the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) deals with the payment of USAFR TA program.

For further info on Air Force Reserve voluntary education programs, make sure you contact: Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Training Support Branch, Robins AFB, Georgia, at the Commercial contact number: (478) 327-1276, DSN 497-1276
Go to the website of Air Force Reserve or the website of the Air Force Education Services Programs to learn more.
Get in touch with the officer of your education service to learn about applying for TA as well as other programs.
Department of Defense

Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA)
MyCAA program provides about $6,000 of Financial Support for the military spouses who’re seeking licenses, degree programs, or credentials resulting in employment in the portable career fields.
Program Update: On 16 Feb, DoD halted MyCAA program operations temporarily for reviewing the software applications, documents of financial assistance and entire program. Presently, enrolled spouses along with approved documents of Financial Assistance have the ability to begin taking new courses right after 13 March, 2010.
Spouses can get in touch with MilitaryOneSource for the education counseling plus assist finding alternative sources of funding. Toll free contact number: 1.800.342.9647.
Veterans Affairs

Education Aid Program for Spouse and Dependent Children
Popularly known as the DEA, the program offers training and educational opportunities for qualified dependents of some veterans.  Around forty-five months of educational advantages are offered by this program. The merits could be used for certificate and degree study courses, apprenticeships, and vocational training programs. The opportunity of pursuing a correspondence course is available for the spouse. In certain cases, even deficiency, remedial and revision programs may possibly approve.

Education Merits Offered By the State

In certain states, educational advantages are available for families, chiefly the dependents of the person who has died, POW, MIA and handicapped veterans.

Private Grants and Scholarships
When it comes to seeking funds for school, a number of spouses (who’ve survived) and their dependents fail to notice the veteran and military- related grants and scholarships that are worth $300 mm. Mostly, the scholarships aren’t even claimed because of the following misunderstandings:
o    The necessity of grants and scholarships is eliminated by VA education advantages.
Now, this is a total misunderstanding because in real, even if the Survivor and Dependent Education Assistance scheme provides several advantages, the program doesn’t offer a full coverage. A number of grants and scholarships have been particularly developed for the coverage of educational costs.
o    It’s really difficult to avail a scholarship opportunity and applying isn’t a piece of cake either.
Undoubtedly, certain scholarships demand an essay but one can’t ignore the fact that grant and scholarship applications differ extensively, with some demanding nothing beyond a simple application.
o    Finding scholarships is nearly impossible
This certainly is a very wrong conception.  Several scholarships aren’t even claimed as students aren’t aware of the right place to look. On the brighter side, you can learn a lot about scholarships and grants by visiting a reliable online educational portal.

Following are certain tips that could help you in performing a successful research on the topic:

o    Never forget to do the homework. By visiting a reliable online educational portal you can gain a great deal of knowledge about the available grants and scholarships.
o    Never limit yourself. There are greater chances for you to meet the eligibility standards for some non-military linked scholarships as well. The local library should be visited for finding scholarship directories, having information about age-based, residence-based or culture-oriented awards that are available.
o    There’s also a need to seek the help of your military community. A number of service assistance agencies and organizations provide awards, grants, and loans with low interest for the coverage of educational costs.
o    You should start looking for scholarships as early as possible. Several applications for scholarships are required to be submitted at least a year beforehand.
Note: If you aren’t considering scholarships, you’re actually refusing to accept free money.  So, the earlier you start, the more there are chances to avail the opportunity.

Army
Educational Programs For Army Family

Here are some of the Education Programs offered by the Army for the Spouse and dependent members.

The Service members Opportunity Colleges has this SOCAD degree program. The program (meant for the Army) takes in colleges offering bachelors and associate degree courses on or reachable to Army installations around the world.  Networks are formed by SOCAD colleges with all colleges acknowledging credits obtained from the others.
The program promises that the individual and his/her family (adults) can carry on with the degree education even if you’re transferred many times. Distance learning courses are also available that don’t even need attending regular classes.
The official website of SOCAD should be visited for additional details.

AER or Army Emergency Relief
SEAP or Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program is an education aid program designed for the financially-deprived individuals. The program has been solely developed to offer financial support for the educational objectives of the spouses of Army Soldiers (on duty) and widows or widowers of Army Soldiers who were killed while performing their duty, and are living in America.
The program is meant for assisting the spouses or widows/widowers obtaining the education needed to land jobs with good salaries. People receiving free tuition because of their services aren’t eligible for gaining tuition aid through AER. Though, these individuals may submit applications for fee-assistance and cost-coverage for books required in classes they are attending.

SEAP is confined to a maximum amount of $2500 for each academic year.
Spouse Education Assistance Program: If the individual is allocated in Korea, Europe, Okinawa or Japan, Army Emergency Relief provides a grant to the spouse for assistance with the expenses linked with  the educational opportunities, up to a an amount of $350 for each term, at maximum.

Air Force
Educational Schemes for Air Force Family
These Educational Programs are offered by the Air Force for the Spouse and dependent members.

Service member’s Opportunity Colleges (SOC) educational institutions have the sole aim of assisting you and your family members in obtaining degrees at the college level. Courses can be taken in the off-duty period at or somewhere close to military installations in America and abroad.

The official website of SOC should be visited for additional details.

AFAS or Air Force Aid Society
General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant
The Program is the main attraction for the educational opportunities of the Air Force Assistance Society, offering grants for the undergraduate education to eligible children of active duty, Title 32 AGR working full-time, Title 10 AGR/Reserve, late Air Force members and retired reserves; better- half (stateside) of members on duty in addition to Title 10 AGR/Reservists; along with alive spouses of late personnel. The 74,679 awards distributed from the first time the awards were introduced during the 1988-1989 educational year, show the real worth of this program. Because of the rising college expenses, the amount for grants has now become around $2,000 for every qualifying individual.

Being competitive in the need-oriented eligibility criteria, the grant has been exceptionally developed fort the recognition of the appropriate weighing of earnings (family) and educational expenditures, and is managed by ACT which is an independent, non-profit agency based in Iowa City , with more than forty years experience in offering aid services to sponsors of scholarships.

Every year, Awards for each educational year are declared in June.  Funds can only be used for tuition, fees and books, in addition to some other educational costs.

The official website of the program should be visited to get additional details.

General George S. Brown Spouse Tuition Assistance Program (STAP)

This program has been specifically designed for offering partial tuition aid to spouses of officers or airmen that are on-duty, accompanying members to locations abroad and will be enrolled in college courses. The program emphasizes the achievement of certificate or degree programs that offer improved occupational schemes for spouses.

Tuition Assistance is also offered by a 50 percent rate of unmet teaching costs for each course, having around $1,500 at maximum for each educational year in addition to a term maximum that is obtained when the yearly amount of $1,500 is divided by the overall number of terms during the educational year. In terms of this program (in particular), “academic year” is regarded as the twelve-month phase commencing from August 1st to July 31 of every year.

The official website of the program needs to be visited for further details.

Navy
Educational Programs for Navy Family:
These Programs are offered by the Navy for the education of Spouse and dependents.
SOCNAV is the degree program under the Service members Opportunity Colleges (SOC) degree program for the members of NAVY. SOCNAV includes colleges offering bachelor’s and associate degree courses on or reachable to NAVY installations all around the world. Networks are formed by SOCNAV colleges with all colleges acknowledging credits obtained from the others.
The program promises that the individual and his/her family (adults) can carry on with the degree education even if they’re transferred many times. Distance learning courses are also available that don’t even need attending regular classes.

The official website of SOCNAV should be visited for further details.
NMCRS or the Navy Maine Corps Relief Society ()

Spouse Tuition Aid Program

The Society provides STAP for the spouse if the individual is on duty and allocated in a location abroad. The spouse can either be a full or a part-time student pursuing a vocational certificate course, or a degree at the graduate or undergraduate level.

Amounts awarded:

o    Around $300 per semester and $1500 per year are granted for undergraduate studies.
o    Around $350 for each semester and $1750 per year are awarded for graduate studies.
The relevant NMCRS offices should be contacted for requesting information about time-frames and application forms.
The official website of the program needs to be visited for further details.

VADM E.P. Travers Scholarship and Loan Program
In order to meet the eligibility standards, the applicant should be the spouse of a member on duty or the child of a member who’s on duty or has retired from the Navy or Marine Corps. The applicant should further be pursuing undergraduate studies on a full time basis at an educational institute with accreditation.

o    Around 1000 grants are made available on a yearly basis at the rate of $2000 each.
o    Evaluations are made for candidates in terms of a student loan (without any interest rate) of around $3000.
o    The loan reimbursement starts within thirty days of grant and needs to be repaid by allocation during a period of twenty-four months.
o    The deadline for the submission of application is March 1st.
o    Applications that are submitted late won’t be taken into consideration for the grant; though they will be assessed for a loan.

The official website of the program needs to be visited for further details.

Coast Guard

Education Programs for Coast Guard Family

These Programs are offered by the Coast Guard for the education of Spouse and dependents.

SOCCOAST is the degree program under the Service members Opportunity Colleges (SOC) degree program for the members of NAVY. SOCCOAST includes colleges offering bachelor’s and associate degree courses on or reachable to NAVY and Marine installations all around the world. Networks are formed by SOCCOAST colleges with all colleges acknowledging credits obtained from the others.

The program promises that the individual and his/her family (adults) can carry on with the degree education even if you’re transferred many times. Distance learning courses are also available that don’t even need attending regular classes.

The official website of the program should be visited for further details.

Commonly known as the CGMA, the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance program provides a Supplemental Education Grant of around $160 on a yearly basis. The grant can be used for the educational expenditures of any member in the family. But, the tuition expenses aren’t covered. It can further be used to make payments for ASVAB, SAT, CLEP along with additional study guides. The program provides a number of education based loans as well.

The regional Representative of CG Mutual Assistance or relevant Education Officer should be contacted by the interested individuals. The official website of CGMA should be visited for further details.

Around $300,000 are yearly provided by the Foundation of Coast Guard in educational awards to the enlisted workers pursuing degrees at the college level.  
More Education Aid: The spouses and the employees of Federal Coast Guard are also provided the chance to take DANTES, CLEP and additional tests without any fee.

The official website of Coast Guard should be visited for further details.

Marine Corps

Education Programs for the Family of Marine Corps

These Programs are offered by the Marines for the education of Spouse and dependent members
SOCMAR is the degree program under the Service members Opportunity Colleges (SOC) degree program for the members of NAVY. SOCMAR includes colleges offering bachelor’s and associate degree courses on or reachable to NAVY and Marine installations all around the world. Networks are formed by SOCMAR colleges with all colleges acknowledging credits obtained from the others.
The program promises that the individual and his/her family (adults) can carry on with the degree education even if you’re transferred many times. Distance learning courses are also available that don’t even need attending regular classes.

The official website of SOCMAR should be visited for further details.

NMCRS or the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society

The Admiral Mike Boorda Seaman-to-Admiral Educational Aid is a program that provides awards and loans (free from interest rate) of about $2,000 per year to qualified active duty service members eligible for these programs:

o    Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program
o    Enlisted Commissioning Program
o    Medical Enlisted Commissioning Program

The program even benefits the Midshipmen that aren’t on duty because of direct assignment to the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Program. The Commanding Officer or the Headquarters of NMCRS can be contacted for application purposes.

The official website of the program should be visited for further details.

Spouse Tuition Aid Program
In order to meet the eligibility standards, the applicant should be the better-half of a member who’s on duty at an OCONUS location abroad. The spouse should further be pursuing undergraduate/graduate studies on a full time or part time basis at an educational institute with accreditation.

Awards granted:
oAround $300 per semester and $1500 per year are granted for undergraduate studies.
oAround $350 for each semester and $1750 per year are awarded for graduate studies.

The relevant NMCRS offices should be contacted for requesting information about time-frames and application forms.
The official website of the program should be visited for further details.
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VADM EP Travers Scholarship and Loan Program

In order to meet the eligibility standards, the applicant should be the spouse of a member on duty or the child of a member who’s on duty or has retired from the Navy or Marine Corps. The applicant should further be pursuing undergraduate studies on a full time basis at an educational institute with accreditation.

o Around 1000 grants are made available on a yearly basis at the rate of $2000 each.
oEvaluations are made for candidates in terms of a student loan (without any interest rate) of around $3000.
oThe loan reimbursement starts within thirty days of grant and need to be repaid by allocation during a period of twenty-four months.
oThe deadline for the submission of application is March 1st.
oApplications that are submitted late won’t be taken into consideration for the grant; though they will be assessed for a loan.

The official website of the program needs to be visited for further details.