Online Military University
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You may or may not have heard of the GI Bill. It's the reason the military can offer to pay for your education if you join up. It's also the reason that they can offer support to your family members when you join up. So what exactly is in the GI Bill that really matters to people looking for a way to go to school less expensively than education seems to cost today?
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Military service in the United States is voluntary. One of the many benefits the military offers for joining is schooling assistance. From on the job training to paying for classes, if you are short on funds and want to serve your country, the military is a great option. The problem that the military poses though can make schooling difficult, even when it's free. Deployment to a foreign country, being reassigned to a post far from where you are taking classes, and long work hours involved in being in the military can often negate your ability to attend classes.
Being on a base far from classes or trying to transfer credits every time you're reassigned can be frustrating. To deal with these problems, colleges close to or on military bases formed a group that agreed among themselves to accept one another's credits so that students don't have to be re-evaluated every time they transfer to a new base. For those who find themselves in a foreign country, or with work hours that can't be complemented with a rigid school schedule, there is another option. An online military university offers flexible scheduling, and convenient access no matter where you are, as long as you can access the internet. Before you enroll in any online university though, here are a few things you should know and consider when getting a military paid education:
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The G.I. Bill covers online education
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Tuition assistance may not cover all your costs but you may be eligible for additional benefits
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Military tuition assistance is not taxable, nor is it considered financial aid
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Some online universities are more military friendly than others
- Military testing is equivalent to college placement exams
The G.I. Bill covers online education
After World War II, the government passed what has become known as the G.I. Bill. This bill helped veterans to get back into civilian life more easily. It assists with college tuition as well as loans and unemployment benefits. Traditionally the bill only covered tuition for traditional schooling, but with the growth of online education, it has been extended to online military universities as well. In most cases it will give you the same amount to enroll in an online university as it would to enroll in a traditional school method. The G.I. Bill supports four year degrees and graduate work for those who would like to continue their education. You can take courses from more than one school or by more than one method as long as they count toward your graduation. If you are looking into getting a second degree, the G.I. Bill allows you to go back to school for another one, or can assist you in completing more than one degree at a time.
The GI Bill provides funds for a college or vocational education and one year of unemployment benefits to veterans of any military branch. It can also provide loans for homes or to start a business, both of which can contribute to your education. Of course there are limits to the amount of money you can use per year for school, so be sure to look into that before you start your education and expect the military to pay for it.
There is an option in the GI Bill that allows active duty members to contribute up to $600 per year toward their education fund, and the government will contribute $8 for every $1 the active duty member contributes. That means you can get $5,400 on top of what the military will pay for per year, but you can't have the money until you leave active duty.
Since the G.I. Bill was updated to cover online education, over 50% of those who use fund provided by the bill for education do so with an online education. The unique lifestyle of those in the military is obviously better fit by an online education, but the government is still trying to bridge the gap in other uses of the bill between a traditional education and online education assistance such as a basic allowance for housing that is allowed with traditional education, but not with online education yet.
Tuition assistance may not cover all your costs but you may be eligible for additional benefits
The G.I. Bill covers one hundred percent of tuition costs, but only up to a certain amount. The amount allowed depends on your situation including whether you are on active duty or in the reserves, whether your school program is part-time or full-time, and a number of other factors that the government looks at when you apply for assistance.
Though the G.I. Bill only covers a certain amount of your costs, you may be eligible to receive assistance from the branch of the military you are in. The Army, Navy, and Marine Corp all have an established college fund that may double the amount of tuition assistance you can get.
Military tuition assistance is not taxable, nor is it considered financial aid
The government won't tax you on your education assistance, but you will need to report it as income when filing out applications for financial aid from the school of your choice. Military tuition assistance is not considered financial aid, so your eligibility won't be affected by that, but it is considered income, which affects your financial aid status for need-based financial aid. In most cases you will still be able to receive scholarships, grants, and loans without the amount being reduced because you are receiving military tuition assistance.
Some online universities are more military friendly than others
As military personnel enter the world of online education they may find that some online universities are more dedicated to helping them than others. Most online universities will accept military personnel if they have passed the DANTES or CLEP tests, but not all of them will inform you or help you pursue your VA benefits. Some military friendly online universities will bend over backward to make sure you, and your family are supported through your education goals. A summary of some of the more military friendly online universities is given below.
American Military University (AMU): American Military University is an online university specifically designed for active military personnel and veterans. It was founded to provide relevant and affordable education to the military. AMU has a variety of programs but has a special emphasis on programs involved with homeland security, national security, intelligence, and emergency and disaster management. They offer a large curriculum with more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degrees available. AMU students usually don't have to pay for their books, or shipping costs associated with course material because of the book grant established by AMU for undergrad studies. Rather than a traditional school calendar, courses start monthly so you can begin them anytime, and you have the option of taking the courses of your choice over eight of sixteen weeks depending on what your schedule will allow.
If you want to take advantage of assistance from the GI Bill for your education, remember there is a time limit. You only have ten years to apply for assistance, and you can only apply for assistance if you are going to school at least part time. If you would like to take advantage of tuition assistance, you have to have served for at least 180 days active duty and received any type of discharge except dishonorable.
American Intercontinental University (AIU): AIU supports military personnel by providing achievable, career-focused degrees in a variety of studies. They have degrees that help you in professional fields both in the military and in civilian life. AIU is considered a preferred school for Special Operations Command that will give you and education in the most in-demand professional fields. Training you have received in the military can translate to college credit through AIU. An AIU counselor will connect with you to make sure you are receiving all of your VA benefits.
University of Phoenix (UofP): The University of Phoenix will serve your educational needs as you serve your country. Their military friendly policy is reflected in course work tailored to those who are trying to go back to school while maintaining their challenging lifestyle of being in the military. They were recently named as one of the top twenty colleges and universities favorable to military personnel. Special military online education rates are available through the UofP as well as priority student support from the entire faculty.
Capella University: No matter where duty takes you, Capella University can help you achieve your education goals in either military or professional advancement. Military personnel can get tuition discounts of up to 15%. Capella accepts military training you receive as college credit. They have a student support team that is specific to military students. Their policies for military leave are flexible and benefit you. They were named as a top twenty gold standard military friendly university.
Military Testing is equivalent to college placement exams
Typically Military Testing is equivalent to college placement exams, but there is a catch. The school you choose to go to has to accept the test that you take. Let's discuss the military testing that is available to you.
DANTES: The US Department of Defense offers an equivalency test called the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support (DANTES) that allows for standardized testing to see if what you have learned in the military has been learned well enough to be used for college credit. If the military personnel taking the DANTES can demonstrate they know as much as a college student taking an equivalent course, they are awarded the college credit for the course. The test covers business, personal finance, financial accounting, human resource management, supervision, organizational behavior, business math, and business ethics.
CLEP: College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams are given by the College Entrance Examination Board. The majority of the testing is multiple choice, but some tests also have essay portions. There are approximately 30 subject areas tested including math, natural science, social sciences, history, English, and humanities. Most CLEP testing is free for military personnel. Study guides are available.
ECE: Excelsior College Examinations (ECE) are similar to CLEP testing, except the subject matter is extended from 30 subjects to 40 to include business, nursing, and education. These tests are also generally free to military personnel.
