Military Spouses Can Receive Up to $6,000 in New Government Program

Military spouses are now eligible to receive up to $6,000 from the U.S. government for educational expenses.

In May 2009, the Department of Defense enacted the Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) program. This initiative pays up to $6,000 for post-secondary education (including distance learning), training, tuition, licensing and credentialing.

You are eligible to receive this benefit if you are the spouse of a military servicemember with at least one year remaining on active duty and if you are pursuing education, training, or credentialing leading to employment in a "portable career field."

Portable career fields are defined by the Department of Defense as: health services, information technology, financial services, trades, business/management, hospitality, homeland security, human resources, legal and education.

For more information, visit the MyCAA webpage.

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Pat Tillman Foundation Scholarships

The Pat Tillman Foundation is sponsoring “Leadership Through Action” scholarships for service members and dependents. About 50 to 70 scholarships are expected to be awarded on the basis of need and merit. Scholarships will cover undergraduate, graduate, post-graduate, two-year, four-year, public, private, vocational and trade degrees and certificates, both online and on-ground. View website for more information and application forms. Deadline for application is May 14.

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ThanksUSA Military Dependents Scholarships

ThanksUSA.org is offering up to 500 scholarships worth $3,000 each to dependents of active-duty military personnel for undergraduate education at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, vocational school or technical school. Awards are intended for first-time undergraduate study only and are not available for graduate study. View website for information and application. Deadline: May 15 or whenever 10,000 applications are received.

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National Military Family Association Scholarships

Military spouses and dependents are eligible for $500 to $1,000 scholarships from the National Military Family Association. Scholarship selection is based on the completion of survey questions, short-answer questions, and an essay question. Scholarships are awarded annually; 2009 application period is past, but you can sign up online to be notified when next year's scholarship application period opens. Visit the National Military Family Association for deadlines, eligibility rules and more information.

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Capella University Military Tuition Discounts

Capella University offers 15 percent undergraduate tuition discounts to active duty personnel and their immediate family members, veterans, National Guard and reservists. The school also offers 10 percent tuition savings on graduate programs. This discount extends to active-duty members, veterans, guards, reservists, civilian employees of the Department of Defense, and immediate families of active duty personnel. For more information, contact Capella.

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Western Governors University Military Scholarships

Western Governors University offers several military scholarships: for reservists, National Guard members, injured service members and their spouses, spouses of solders killed in action, and military spouses who choose to become teachers or to study information technology, business or health professions. For full details, visit WGU.

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Regis University Military Discounts, Credit and Preferred Tuition Rate

Regis University College for Professional Studies offers credit for military training and a preferred tuition rate to active military AND their spouses. Discounts include 10 percent off master's degree programs and bachelor's degree tuition at only $250 per credit. Military students can realize cost savings by documenting MOS training, work experience, SMART, AARTS, CCAF, CLEP, and DANTES exams.