Enlisted Education

You have a great, secure job in the military-but you have ambition, and you're not satisfied to stick around in the same position for the rest of your life. That is an admirable trait, and whether your ultimate goal is commission as an officer, planning ahead for a career outside of the military, or simply bettering yourself and your understanding of the world, a college degree can help. What's more, the military can go beyond the boundaries of FAFSA need-based financial aid to help you with that college degree.

So Many Options, So Little Time

As a member of the US Armed Forces, you have many options available to you for higher education, but you have to know what those many options are to determine which ones are the best for you at any given time.

Tuition Assistance

A benefit available to practically all active duty service members and reservists, this covers up to 100% of tuition expenses. Each branch of services has its own rules for eligibility and restrictions, so check into what's available for you.

Tuition Top-Up Program

This program is funded by the VA, and allows active duty service members to draw from their 36 months of Montgomery GI Bill benefits to make up for expenses not covered by normal tuition assistance. To qualify for this, you must:

• Qualify for tuition assistance;
• Be eligible and enrolled with the GI Bill;
• Have already served active duty for a minimum of two years.

Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30)

The GI Bill is usually reserved for veterans, but as it covers more education choices like certification and on-the-job training, you can choose to use it after two years of active duty service. That said, it's not always the best idea as you may not get as much out of it as you would have, had you waited until retirement from service. In cases like this, it's best to consult an Education Service Officer before applying to use your GI Bill benefits, to make sure it's the best option.

Scholarships

These are simultaneously the easiest and most difficult forms of financial aid to accrue for your studies. On the one hand, they may take a while with applications and processing and all, and their payouts may vary greatly. On the other hand, the top end of those varying payouts may be quite substantial and there are many scholarships available just for military personnel, from privately-funded institutions to ROTC enlisted-to-officer programs. Now's the time to check them out and see if any are right for you.