How to Get Military Training Education Credits

Turn your military experience into educational credit.

Service members gain valuable experience while serving in any branch of the U.S. armed forces. This experience also is valuable if the service member decides to pursue college. Many service members choose to pursue a college degree, either undergraduate or graduate, while they serve in the military or once they are discharged from the military. The American Council on Education (ACE), created in 1942, helps military members get education credit for courses and training while in the military.

Instructions

1. Choose and apply to the college of your choice. A college must accept you before it will evaluate your military transcripts. Check out the colleges listed on the "Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges" website. Schools on this website work with the Department of Defense to make obtaining a college degree as easy as possible for service members.

2. Get the contact information for the registrar's office at the college or university you plan to attend. This information is necessary for the military to mail your military transcripts.

3. Request a transcript of your military courses and training. Each branch uses a different service to provide transcripts. For most branches, you can request a transcript online, by phone or mail. Here is who you should contact according to branch:

   Army (Army ACE Registry Transcript Service/AARTS)
   Online: http://aarts.army.mil

   Navy/Marines (Sailor/Marine ACE Registry Transcript/SMART)
   Online: https://smart.navy.mil

   Air Force (Community College of the Air Force/CCAF)
   Online: http://www.au.af.mil/au/ccaf/transcripts.asp

   Coast Guard (The Coast Guard Institute)
   Fill out Coast Guard Form 1564
   Email: [e-mail]

4. Fill out the appropriate information for the institution that is to receive your transcript.

5. Wait for your college to notify you how much education credit you will receive for your military training. Colleges are not required to give credit for military training; although more and more are choosing to offer credit.

Tips & Warnings

• Service members may also take CLEP (College Level Examination Program) or DSST (DANTES Subject Standardized Tests) exams to receive college credit. Both of these exam programs test a person's knowledge in a certain subject area and then give appropriate college credit.

• Only enlisted Army personnel may use the AARTS service. Officers must fill out a DD Form 295 (Application for the Evaluation of Learning Experiences During Military Service) and DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty).

References

• Military.com: College Credit for Military Experience
• American Council on Education: Transcript FAQs
• U.S. Army: AARTS Fact Sheet

Resources

• Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges