As a member of the military, past or present, you are entitled to certain education benefits. It is a great opportunity for you to advance your education with minimal (if any) out of pocket expense.

Utilize your TA

        Each branch of the military including the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard offer tuition assistance (TA) programs. Depending on the branch, these programs either cover the cost of tuition for approved courses up front, or reimburse the soldier upon successful completion of each class or block of classes. TA can cover as much as $250/credit hour. You may be require to get courses approved in advance through your Education Officer, so be sure to discuss your options with them before you commit to a program.

Research your GI Bill Benefits

        The Montgomery GI Bill was established to help veterans pay for college education. While designed primarily for vets, there are options available for active duty soldiers to use GI Bill benefits. In order to determine your eligibility, it is important to do your research. There are many different types of GI Bill benefits. The VA classifies veterans into various “chapters”, based on your service experience, and each chapter is eligible for different amount of assistance with a maximum award amount of $1321 per month over 36 months, or $47,556 total. In order to determine your chapter classification, call the VA or visit their website below. For specific information, visit the GI Bill website or call the VA education dept directly at 1-888-442-4551.

Apply for Federal Aid and Grants

        Any US citizen who meets the general criteria for financial aid should consider the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) application as an option for funding school. The FAFSA puts you into consideration for Loans and Grants, and upon determination of your eligibility, gives you the option to accept or decline various types of funding. You will have the option to accept some, all, or none of the financial aid offered to you. The FAFSA application is FREE and requires no commitment. Remember, if you DO chose to select loans, be prepared to make payments on those loans upon graduation from the program. You can find the FAFSA application and more info at the Department of Education website.

Contributed by Dave Tarner.