Military Spouse Scholarship Program & Education Benefits
Military Spouse Tuition Assistance
Facts about MyCAA (Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts)
Aug 23rd
Facts about MyCAA (Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts)
- The MyCAA program began in November 2007 as a joint initiative between the Department of Defense and the Department of Labor and was initially available to spouses of junior enlisted members
- In 2009 the program was extended to include all spouses. Applicants were able to use up to $6,000 to pursue education that would help them attain employment in portable professions.
- There were approximately 136,000 spouses have enrolled in MyCAA until late 2009.
- MyCAA program was closed to new spouses in February, 2010 while it assessed its original purpose to offer education that would allow for portable careers.
- With the new plan, spouses will be eligible if their husbands are in pay grades E1-E5, the lower five of nine enlisted grades, or if their husbands are W1-W2, O1 or O2, the lower ranks of warrant and commissioned officers.
- However, The programs will be limited to associate degrees, certification and licensures, and the amount has been lowered to $4,000.
- Offer a maximum financial benefit of $4,000 with a fiscal year cap of $2,000. Waivers will be available for spouses pursuing licensure or certification up to the total maximum assistance of $4,000
- DoD will be accepting new application for MyCAA from October 25, 2010
Prepare for your MyCAA program before it is too late. - Click here to see more about Military Spouse Career Advancement Account.
Military Spouse Tuition Assistance Program Resumed!
Jul 26th
It’s a such a great new for all military spouses – The MYCAA program will be resumed on Oct. 25 2010.
An education- tuition assistance program for military spouses that proved too popular for its own good will resume in a scaled-back form this fall.
MyCAA
The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program, or MyCAA, provided tuition of up to $6,000 for any military spouse to train for a portable career, one capable of enduring frequent military moves. The program was abruptly “paused” on Feb. 16 after a surge of applications threatened to drain its budget.
When it returns on Oct. 25, benefits will top out at $4,000, only spouses of junior service members – E1-E5, W1-W2 and O1-O2 – will be eligible, and they will be restricted to pursuing associate’s degrees, certificates and licenses. Of the 136,000 spouses participating in the program, 74,000 will no longer be eligible. A career counselor with Military OneSource, which runs the program, must approve each request.
The Military Officers Association of America strongly opposed the new restrictions.
“Limiting it mostly to spouses of first-term personnel – many of whom won’t stay for military careers – seems to miss the whole point,” said retired Air Force Col. Steve Strobridge, MOAA government relations director. “Allowing coverage for courses leading to associate’s degrees but not bachelor’s or master’s degrees that are essential for nursing, teaching and other portable careers seems equally incongruous.”
When MyCAA was shut down, about 44,000 of the 137,000 spouses enrolled were using the funds to pay for a bachelor’s degree or higher, said Air Force Lt. Col. April Cunningham, a Pentagon spokeswoman.
The program, which began in March 2009, was accepting about 10,000 new applicants a month and had reached a total of about 100,000. Then, in January alone, 70,000 were added, and 25,000 more during the first half of February. The plug was pulled.
An earlier iteration of the program was run by the state’s WorkSource agency and was also aimed at spouses of junior service members. Only those seeking certificate programs were eligible. When the Department of Defense took it over, it broadened eligibility.
When the program was paused, the DOD failed to promptly notify participants, angering many and leaving plans in limbo. Spouses set up a Facebook page titled “Take Action Against MyCAA Shutdown” that attracted more than 2,800 members. The program was reinstated in March to those who were already enrolled, but nobody else was allowed in.
Miles guessed that OC will have fewer MyCAA participants simply because a smaller number of spouses are eligible and there’ll be less money available.
MyCAA Program Has Been Temporary Stopped Due to Its Budget Threshold
Feb 26th
Attention, husbands or wives of military personnel!
There was an announcement about MyCAA that MyCAA program is temporarily halting operations. This pause will not affect approved Financial Assistance documents.
Under the Military Spouse Career Advancement Account program, the husbands or wives of military personnel are eligible to receive up to $6,000 to pursue further education.
Last week, the Defense Department abruptly stopped the program, telling students on the MyCAA website that the program was under review.
The Department of Defense says it saw an unforseen spike in applications this winter and the program almost reached its budget threshold.
The DOD says this is a temporary stop to the program until a new plan is in place.
There are lots of Military Spouse Alternative Education Funding Resources
Spouses say they hope the funding comes back so she and other military spouses can finally finish their degrees.
Click here to Visit More information about MyCAA Announcement.
STATESIDE SPOUSE EDUCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SSEAP)
Feb 9th
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
1. The Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program (SSEAP) is a need-based education assistance program designed to provide spouses of active duty and retired Soldiers, and widows(ers) of Soldiers who died either on active duty or in a retired status, and residing in the United States, with financial assistance in pursuing educational goals. The purpose of the program is to assist spouses/widows(ers) in gaining the education required to allow them to qualify for increased occupational opportunities. Individuals who receive free tuition as a result of their employment will not receive tuition assistance from AER. However, they may apply for assistance for fees, supplies or books (no duplicates) for classes in which they are enrolled. “Active Duty” military personnel are not eligible.
2. Spouses/widow(ers) must reside at a stateside residence, and be enrolled, accepted, or pending acceptance as full time students in post-secondary or vocational institutions and approved by the U.S. Department of Education.
3. SSEAP is NOT an entitlement or automatically approved. SSEAP does not apply to second undergraduate or graduate level courses.
4. Stateside financial assistance is awarded based on financial need, as evidenced by income, assets, family size, special financial obligations and circumstances.
5. The scholarships are awarded annually for up to four (4) academic years to attend post secondary school FULL TIME for the entire academic year as first undergraduate level students. Funds are to assist with academic expenses at the attending University/School and will be disbursed equally between the Fall and Spring semesters or quarters to assist with tuition, books, fees and supplies.
6. The Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program scholarships are awarded annually for up to four academic years to attend post secondary school full time as undergraduate level students. All students must complete an application and mail all supporting documentation each year.
Congress extended benefits to military spouses
Nov 25th
Good News for Military Spouses,
Spouses of troops may get to change their state residency to that of their military counterpart as President Obama is expected to sign the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act within the next few days.
The U.S. House of Representatives approved the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act as part of the House Suspension Calendar by a unanimous voice vote on Monday, according to a news release from the office of Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock.
“This is fantastic news for our service families worldwide,” Carter said in the news release. “We should have done this long ago, but at least we are now on track to have a new law in 2009.”
It was approved by the U.S. Senate July 23, according to previous Killeen Daily Herald article.
The legislation was put on a fast track for passage into law this year at the request of Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C.
The bill, if signed by President Obama, will allow a military spouse to maintain the same residency as their service member regardless of where they are stationed, Carter’s communication director John Stone said.
The bill will affect where the spouses can vote and obtain their vehicle registration, as well as other residency-based functions.
Service members have had that option for decades, while spouses have not.
For more detail, visit online https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa
Military Spouse Tuition Assistance Programs
Nov 5th
As the spouse of a service member in the Armed Forces, you may be eligible to receive tuition assistance (TA) to help you pursue your educational and career goals.
Military Spouse Scholarships
While spouses don’t receive the same assistance as their active duty service members, funds received by utilizing available programs are helpful in defraying the costs associated with obtaining a college degree. When applying for assistance, make sure you know the qualification requirements, specific deadlines, and paperwork required.
In an effort to help military spouses and family members with their educational objectives, the Department of Defense offers these new programs:
Post-9/11 GI Bill Transferability – A special provision offers education benefits for spouses and children of service members and veterans. Those who have served a minimum of six years in the armed forces, and agree to serve an additional four, can now transfer unused GI Bill entitlement to their spouse. After 10 years of service, they can transfer the benefit to their spouse or children. Click here to learn more about Post 9-11 GI Bill Transferability.
Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts – This military spouse career advancement account program provides assistance to spouses looking to acquire the skills and credentials needed to begin or further their careers. It can be used to pay up to $3,000 in fees per year for training and education, and can be renewed for an additional year.
In addition to the above, The Department of Veteran Affairs has introduced the Spouse and Dependents’ Assistance (DEA) program which offers assistance for education and training to those who qualify.
Scholarships and Grants – In the process of searching for assistance to help finance their schooling, many spouses and their families overlook the many military and veteran-related scholarships and grants that are out there. Many go unclaimed due to the following misconceptions:
- Some believe that VA education benefits eliminate the need for any additional funds available though grants and scholarships. The reality is that while Survivor and Dependent Education Assistance offers great benefits, it may not cover of all the costs. There are hundreds of scholarships and grants designed especially for education-related expenses.
- If you think that scholarships are just too hard to get and applying requires too much effort, think again. The fact is that applications vary to a large degree, with some requiring nothing more than completing a short application.
- Perhaps you are under the impression that scholarships are too difficult to find. There is a fabulous online resource created to specifically to help service members find scholarships. Visit the “Scholarship Finder” at Military.com.
For questions and eligibility regarding tuition Assistance (TA), get in touch with your local relief agency. Visit Education4military.com to learn more about Military Spouse Career Advancement Account.
Marine Tuition Assistance’s Eligibility Requirements
Oct 14th
The Marines offer several programs designed to support the educational goals of its members.
The Marine Corps provides up to 100 percent of the cost to service members who elect to pursue off-duty or voluntary education. This would include all active-duty and Reserve enlisted Marines on continuous active duty attending accredited colleges and universities.
Officers who are on active-duty are eligible to receive Marine Corps Tuition Assistance if they commit to staying on active duty for two continuous years after completing the course funded by the program.
Those who meet eligibility requirements and elect to enroll in courses toward a degree may not exceed $4,500 in tuition-assistance funds per fiscal year. Funding is limited to $250 per semester hour or the equivalent in undergraduate, graduate, vocational and technical classes, independent study and distance-learning programs.
Marine Corps College Fund – Marines who demonstrate a potential for academic excellence and are listed on eligible Marines’ contracts during their initial enlistment into the service may be eligible to receive tuition assistance through this fund.
Montgomery G.I. Bill - At the time of their initial enlistment, service members can sign up for the Montgomery G.I. Bill. During the first year, a monthly deduction of $100 is taken out of the participant’s paycheck. After that, a marine can use the Bill at any time for up to 10 years following the time of honorable discharge. Those on active duty can use is in conjunction with tuition assistance.
Article Source: http://www.education4military.com/reblog/2009/10/marine-tuition-assistances-eligibility.html
