Military Tuition Assistance: How to Pay for College While You’re in the Military

As a service member, you’re a driven individual who’s always ready for a challenge. Whether you’re a cadet or an officer, you know what hard work looks like and how to tackle it. That’s probably why you’re considering pursuing a degree program during or after your active-duty service.

And you’re not alone: According to the National Survey of College Graduates by NCSES from 2019, roughly 2.7 million employed U.S. college graduates were military veterans. Today, many service members are working toward a degree while still serving on active duty, in the National Guard, or in the Army Reserve. 

Is Going to College Worth the Cost?

In a word, yes. A traditional or online college degree can dramatically change your salary potential and promotion opportunities or open the door to entirely new career paths.

Based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), bachelor’s degree holders earned a median of $1,578 per week, compared to $966 per week for high school graduates with no college experience—an annualized gap of nearly $32,000 per year. Workers with a master’s degree earned even more ($1,876 per week). Many jobs now require a bachelor’s or master’s degree, so higher credentials can not only help you stand out from the competition but also get your foot in the door when applying.

The same holds true for military careers. Generally, a four-year college degree is mandatory for commissioned officers. If you’re a service member in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, or other military group with your eye on becoming an officer, earning a degree is a critical first step. And even if becoming an officer isn’t your goal, having a bachelor’s or master’s degree can help you move up the ranks faster, potentially leading to a higher-paying career.

There are plenty of reasons to pursue a degree while you’re a service member: moving up in rank, speeding up a promotion, or transitioning into a new career altogether. But figuring out how to pay for a bachelor’s or master’s degree may have delayed your plans. It’s not as daunting as it may seem—many institutions today accept military education benefits and offer financial aid programs that can lower the net price of a degree, making higher education possible whether you’re on active duty or retired.

Does the Military Pay for College?

If serving your country has taught you anything, it’s that failing to plan is planning to fail. The same goes for paying for a degree program. With the right strategy, you can make the most of the education benefits, loans, grants, and scholarships available to service members. Between military tuition assistance, GI Bill benefits, and more affordable online military college options, you can earn a degree without breaking the bank—or, in some cases, for free. 

How to Pay for College 

Below are financial aid tools that you can use to cover college costs, whether you’re attending a traditional four-year university, a community college, or an online school:

GI Bill®

Since 1944, the GI Bill has helped qualifying service members, veterans, and their family members cover some or all of the cost of a college degree. Not every school accepts GI Bill benefits, so it’s worth doing your homework to find an institution that caters to military students. At WGU, every degree program is approved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for all GI Bill education benefits. And because WGU’s tuition is lower than most four-year colleges, your GI Bill benefits will often cover the full cost of tuition, books, and fees.

Having evolved over the years, the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD) is available to service members who complete at least two years of active-duty service, and eligible participants can receive up to 36 months of education benefits.

The Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) is designed for service members in the Selected Reserve. It also offers up to 36 months of benefits, but it requires a six-year service obligation in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard Reserve; Army National Guard; or Air National Guard. 

The Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) is the education benefit that most current service members and veterans use, and it tends to offer the most generous educational assistance. If you served at least 90 days on active duty or received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, you may qualify for up to 36 months of entitlement, which can go toward tuition and fees, a monthly housing allowance if you’re enrolled more than half time, and a stipend for books and supplies. It can also help cover flight training, on-the-job training and apprenticeships, and licensing or certification tests. Before you enroll, use the VA’s GI Bill Comparison Tool to confirm whether your school is an approved participating institution and to compare your expected entitlement across schools.

Passed into law in 2017, the Forever GI Bill—officially the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act—expanded who can use these benefits, including many National Guardsmen, reservists, and Purple Heart recipients who served after 9/11. It also eliminated the 15-year time limit on using Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for anyone whose last day of active duty was on or after January 1, 2013—meaning it’s never too late to start a degree program.

So how can the GI Bill help you? You can use it to: 

• Work toward undergrad or graduate degree programs: The bill can cover costs for tuition and materials at community colleges, online colleges, or traditional four-year institutions.
• Cover tuition assistance gaps: You can receive additional funds if your school’s tuition costs more than what your branch’s tuition assistance program covers.
• Cover housing costs: Post-9/11 GI Bill recipients enrolled more than half time can receive a monthly housing allowance based on where their school is located.
• Get a tutor: A tutor can be covered if you need extra help to keep up with coursework and academic assignments.
• Reimburse test fees: Costs may be covered for professional licenses and certifications outside of your degree program.
• Accelerate GI Bill payments: Receive a lump-sum payment for tech degrees.
• Work while you study: The bill provides the opportunity to be paid for part-time work while you’re enrolled. 

Student Loans

Even if you use your GI Bill benefits, you can still apply for additional financial aid, including student loans. Veterans’ benefits paid by the VA aren’t considered income, so they don’t need to be reported on your financial aid application. If you’re using military Tuition Assistance funds, though, you do need to include them on your FAFSA as a resource toward tuition costs, which may affect the amount of your award.

So what’s FAFSA, and how do you apply? FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Military and traditional students alike can apply for free online, and the application helps determine whether you qualify for a Pell Grant (see the next section) and/or student loans. Basic eligibility criteria include demonstrating financial need and being enrolled or accepted as a student in a degree program. At WGU, most military and nonmilitary students qualify for at least one type of federal aid—either student loans or Pell Grants.

The Federal Direct Loan Program is the largest of the federal student loan programs. And since you’re borrowing directly from the U.S. Department of Education, you’ll get these valuable perks: 

• Low interest rates: Student loan interest rates are standardized by the government and aren’t influenced by your income or personal credit score.
• Subsidized interest: The federal government may waive or eliminate loan interest until you graduate.
• Deferred repayment: No student loan payments are due while you’re enrolled at least half time and for six months after you graduate.
• Post-graduate eligibility: You can apply these loans to any post-graduate work.

Pell Grants

When you’re figuring out how to pay for college, Pell Grants are a valuable resource because, unlike loans, they don’t have to be repaid. These federally funded grants are need based and are determined by your number of dependents and other financial information disclosed on your FAFSA. Military and nonmilitary students alike can qualify for Pell Grants to help pay for their degree programs.

To find out if you’re eligible for a Pell Grant, complete a FAFSA and seek an undergraduate degree. Part-time undergrads may receive less money than full-time students, but your school can’t refuse Pell Grant funds—even if you’re enrolled less than half time.

In addition to federal grants, you may be eligible for state-based financial aid. State financial aid programs typically have strict application deadlines, and your first step in securing these funds is the same as for Pell Grants: submitting a FAFSA.

The maximum Pell Grant award changes from year to year, but it’s held steady at $7,395 for the 2026–27 award year—the second year in a row without an increase. Eligible students receive at least 10% of the maximum award based on financial need, and if you’re a Pell-eligible student, you can receive up to 150% of your scheduled award each year.

Scholarships 

Like grants, academic scholarships are a smart way to lower the cost of earning a degree while in the military, since you don’t have to repay them. Offered by individuals, schools, and organizations, scholarships can be awarded for a variety of reasons, from academic achievement and financial need to student category and degree program. Not all scholarships are income based, so more people are eligible for scholarships than typically qualify for need-based financial aid.

If you do your research, you’re sure to find a scholarship that applies to you. In fact, WGU offers both general and military-specific scholarships for veterans, active-duty service members, and their immediate family. We’re also approved to offer Military Tuition Assistance, which you can apply for at your base education office or through WGU’s Military Support Department. Whether you are serving or have served in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, or Space Force, WGU has financial aid options designed to serve all kinds of military students. 

Save Money

Saving money for school sounds straightforward, but it isn’t always easy when you’re short on time or working with a tight budget. Here are a few practical ways to help you build up the funds you need:

• Rent your home while you’re on vacation or deployed, and/or take on a roommate.
• Start your own low-overhead business, like mowing lawns, walking dogs, or providing home organization services.
• Reduce your bills by comparing mobile, internet, and insurance plans.
• Ask for donations to your college fund in lieu of presents for your birthday, holidays, or other special occasions.
• Sell unwanted clothing, furniture, and household goods.
• Cook more meals at home or buy a coffee maker to replace expensive coffee-shop runs. 

Every dollar adds up—and you’d be surprised at how quickly you can meet your savings goals by being more strategic about your daily spending habits.

Of course, another way to save money for school is to choose a college with lower tuition. Lower cost doesn’t always mean lower quality when it comes to higher education. Many community colleges have excellent programs, often charging less per credit hour than four-year universities and saving you thousands of dollars in your first two years of school. 

When you’re ready to move on to your bachelor’s degree, consider accredited, respected online universities like WGU. WGU can be much more affordable than traditional universities thanks to our flat-rate per-term tuition and our competency-based learning model. 

Other ways that an online degree program can save you money: 

• No expensive room-and-board cost: You can go to school from your barracks or on- or off-base housing.
• Potential savings on university fees: With an online program, you can avoid some traditional university fees, such as for transcripts, labs, library access, and assessments.
• No transportation cost: This includes avoiding costly college transfer expenses if you’re restationed.
• No need to wait for a semester to begin: Many online degree programs have monthly start dates.

Military College Options

How can you weigh your best higher ed options? Since you may not be working a standard 9–5 schedule—and you may often be in the field, deployed, or restationed—a flexible online degree program can be a great opportunity.

WGU is currently recognized as a Gold-rated Military Friendly® School because of our high metrics in veterans’ graduation rates, retention rates, and job placement rates, among other factors. Our flexibility plays a large part in our veteran students’ success. Most of our online degree programs have no log-in requirements, so you can study when and where it best suits your schedule. Because WGU’s programs are competency based, you also have the flexibility to complete as many courses as you can per six-month term, which can speed your path to graduation and lower the total cost of your degree. 

Don’t let money be a barrier to earning your degree. Take advantage of the education benefits, loans, and scholarships that being a service member affords you. You’ve earned them, so now’s the time to put them to use.

Military College Tuition FAQs 

How can military members pay for college?

Military members can pay for college through a combination of education benefits, student loans, and personal savings. Programs like the GI Bill, Military Tuition Assistance, Pell Grants, and military-specific scholarships can make a college degree far less expensive—or, in some cases, free. The VA’s GI Bill Comparison Tool can help you see how your benefits stack up at different participating schools before you enroll.

Can you use benefits from the GI Bill while serving in the military? 

Yes. Depending on which GI Bill program you qualify for, eligible service members can use GI Bill benefits while still on active duty, in the National Guard, or in the Reserve—not only after they separate. Because using your entitlement while serving can affect how much you qualify for later, it’s worth talking with your education office or a VA education counselor about how to sequence your benefits. 

What is Military Tuition Assistance?

Military Tuition Assistance is a Department of Defense (DoD) tuition assistance program that helps active-duty service members pay for college courses while they’re still serving. Eligibility, coverage amounts, and application steps vary by branch, so check with your Education Services Officer (ESO) or education counselor before you enroll.