Army Spouse Scholarships & Grants

Army spouses can receive student aid to study stateside or overseas.

Husbands and wives of U.S. Army service members can get financial help for their educational goals through student aid programs offered by government agencies. While certain programs offer funding only for spouses living within the United States, others provide assistance for wives and husbands living with Army personnel serving in overseas commands. Spouses can obtain scholarships to complete their high school education, take a correspondence course or complete undergraduate, graduate or certificate program at universities and colleges.

Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts

The U.S. Department of Defense sponsors the Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program, also known as MyCAA. As of February 2011, MyCAA offers up to $6,000 in educational funding for spouses of active-duty service members and activated Reserve and National Guard members. The program extends eligibility to spouses enrolled in training programs and attending high schools, colleges and universities. Students enrolled at post-secondary institutions can apply for MyCAA benefits to pursue bachelor's, associates, master's and doctoral degrees. Spouses who have already received a degree can use MyCAA benefits to pursue teaching certification, medical licensing, law licensing or accounting certification.

Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program

Army Emergency Relief administers the Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program (SSEAP) for spouses of Army personnel, including regular Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve. SSEAP extends eligibility to spouses of active duty service members, retired soldiers and those who have died while serving in active duty or during retirement. Candidates must live in the United States, enroll full time and must be pursuing their first undergraduate degree. The program does not extend eligibility to graduate students or spouses seeking a second bachelor's degree. Awardees can receive up to $2,400 per school year, as of February 2011, which they can use to pay for tuition, school fees, textbooks and supplies. Recipients can receive awards for a maximum of four years.

Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program

Spouses of Army personnel who died or became disabled while serving in active duty can apply for the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program (DEA). Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the DEA also extends eligibility to spouses of service members listed as missing in action and those detained by a foreign country. The program offers educational funding for a maximum of 45 months, which recipients can use for degree programs, job training, correspondence courses, apprenticeships or certificate programs.

Overseas Spouse Education Assistance Program

Spouses of soldiers serving in active duty overseas can apply for the Overseas Spouse Education Assistance Program (OSEAP). Sponsored by Army Emergency Relief, the program does not extend eligibility to spouses of service members serving in Alaska, Puerto Rico or Hawaii. The candidate must live overseas with the the active-duty spouse. OSEAP only awards funding to students pursuing their GED, their first undergraduate degree or enrolled in English proficiency coursework. OSEAP only pays half of tuition expenses, up to $2,500 per year.

References

• Fort Knox: Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts
• Army Emergency Relief: Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program
• My Army Benefits: Spouse Education Assistance Program
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program
• Army Emergency Relief: Overseas Spouse Education Assistance Program

Resources

• Military Advantage: Military Spouse and Family Educational Assistance Programs
• Career One Stop: Military Spouse Resources