Military Spouse Education Benefits
As the spouse of a military member, you have options when it comes to paying for
your college education. The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts, MyCAA,
and Dependents’ Educational Assistance program provide government military spouse
college funding you don’t have to pay back. As a military spouse, you also have
the option of applying for Pell Grants, Stafford loans and private college loans
to pay for your college tuition and related expenses.
MyCAA Education Benefits
The U.S. Department of Defense offers
Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) to help spouses of military
members pursue an education. MyCAA allows you to receive up to $4,000 in educational
financial assistance. If you are the spouse of a junior service member, you can
receive $2,000 per year for a total of up to $4,000 in college funds during the
length of the program, which is up to three years from the start of your first class.
Approved programs include associate’s degrees, licensure and certification programs,
but not higher-level degrees.
To get started, create an account on the MyCAA website. Create a career and training
plan and add your entry course information and the total cost per course. Then,
contact a Military OneSource advisor at 1-800-342-9647 for career plan approval.
Once the career plan is approved, you can apply for financial assistance through
the MyCAA website.
Dependents’ Educational Assistance
Dependents’ Educational Assistance provides up to 45 months of education and training
benefits to eligible dependents of veterans, including the spouse of:
- a veteran who died or is permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected
injury
- a veteran who died from any cause connected to a service-related injury
- a service member missing in action or captured in the line of duty by a hostile
force
- a service member detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign government
or power
- a service member who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment for a service-connected,
permanent and total disability and is likely to be discharged
Spouse benefits end 10 years from the date the VA finds you are eligible or from
the date of death of the veteran. You will remain eligible for 20 years, if the
VA rated the veteran permanently and totally disabled three years before being discharged.
And, if you are the spouse of a service member who died on Active Duty, you are
eligible for 20 years from the date of death.
To apply, complete VA Form 22-5490, Application for Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational
Assistance and send it to the VA regional office over the state where you will get
your education.
Pell Grants, Stafford Loans and Private Loans
Federal Pell Grants are awarded by educational institutions to students who demonstrate
financial need. Pell Grants don’t have
to be repaid. The maximum Pell Grant for the 2010 to 2011 award year, from July
1, 2010 to June 30, 2011, is $5,500.
Undergraduate Stafford Loans are fixed-rate student loans that can be used to pay
for college tuition and other eligible school expenses. Stafford loans are not based
on credit, and they can be subsidized or unsubsidized depending on your financial
need. They are loans that must be paid back.
Private college loans come from a bank or lender and are not restricted to financial
need. But, they must be paid back. Private college loans are credit-based loans
that give you funds to pay for unexpected costs such as books, computers and tuition
increases.