How to Transfer From Military Education to Civilian Education
Military service members are often presented with opportunities to take classes or attend schools that directly relate to their military careers. Those classes and schools can later be turned into college credits. For example, a service member who attended basic training may receive two college credit hours in military science and two credit hours in physical education. It is the service member's responsibility to enroll in a college or university that accepts military education credits and to provide that institution with his military transcripts.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Enroll in a civilian college. The only institutions that can award college credit for military education are accredited colleges and universities. Different colleges and universities allocate credits differently. For example, one university may award you one credit hour in biology for attending a combat lifesaver course; another may not award any.
-
2
Visit your branch's military transcript website. The Army uses the Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript system; the Navy and Marine Corps use the Sailor/Marine/Ace Registry Transcript system; the Air Force uses the Community College of the Air Force system; and the Coast Guard uses the Coast Guard Institute.
-
-
3
Sign in to your branch's transcript website using your military credentials. Your military credentials are the user name and password given to you by your branch for Defense Knowledge Online and your branch-specific e-mail.
-
4
Request your transcripts using the online form provided. You must provide the destination address for the college or university in which you are enrolled. It is possible to request an unofficial transcript for your own records, but most colleges and universities require an official copy be sent directly to their enrollment offices.
-
5
Contact your academic adviser when your transcripts arrive at the school. Each branch has a different workload, so your transcripts may not arrive for four to six weeks. Your academic adviser will evaluate your military training record and allocate credits where they are due. Most colleges and universities require you to enroll and pass a set number of credit hours within their institution before they will award you credit for military education.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Once your military education has been accepted by an accredited college or university, you may carry the resulting credits over to other colleges or universities. You do not need to resubmit your military transcripts to receive credit if you change schools; however, you must make sure your new institution accepts the same credits your previous institution awarded.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Ryan McVay/Stockbyte/Getty Images
