Online College For Military Families
The spouses and dependent children of active duty military members and veterans are entitled to a number of benefits that can make earning an online college degree more affordable. In some cases, military family members who demonstrate significant need may be able to attend online college for free or at minimal cost.
All five major branches of the U.S. military provide education-related financial assistance to spouses, and in some instances to dependent children as well. For example, the Army provides the Mrs. Patty Shinseki Spouse Scholarship Program for spouses of active Army, Army Reserve, and National Guard service members. Families of Navy and Marine Corps service members may be eligible for Navy Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance. Additionally, service members who are eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits may be able to transfer some or all of their education benefits to a spouse or dependent.
Military family members should check with the appropriate military branch to determine the eligibility requirements for the various types of assistance available. Explore our site for more tips on how to save money in college or student loan advice.
Here are some additional funding sources for military family members:
Eligibility requirements for these programs vary, so prospective online college students should check with their schools and their state’s Department of Veterans Affairs office to discover all possible options.
Military Family Education Program
Spouses and children of Pennsylvania Army or Air National Guard members can attend PennWest California tuition-free under the Military Family Education Program .
The program provides 10 semesters of tuition-free education for family member at the tuition rate set by Pennsylvanias State System of Higher Education. Benefits begin with the 2020-2021 academic year.
Learn more about the Military Family Education Program or apply now for PennWest California classes beginning in fall 2020.
Talk to us about the MFEP and other veterans benefits. Contact the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs at or 724-938-4076.
Military Friendly Colleges In California That Accept Gi Bill And Yellow Ribbon Program Benefits
Of the more-than 2,000 colleges and universities that participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, only around 500 provide full funding and place no limits on the number of eligible students who can take advantage of it. These schools ensure that every eligible veteran who enrolls can count on full coverage of all tuition costs that exceed GI Bill® limits.
Youll be glad to know that a number of those military friendly colleges and universities are located right here in California:
Abraham Lincoln University
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Is Military College Free
The military operates several military academies, including the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the U.S. Air Force Academy.
These military academies do not charge tuition for enlistees because the education students receive is part of their military training. However, students who enroll at these military academies must meet strict admission standards. They also agree to a term of military service to cover the cost of their education, which ranges from 5-8 years depending on the military academy.
Military service members interested in a college degree can also enroll at public or private colleges. Education benefits like the GI Bill can help students earning degrees at these institutions pay for college.
About The Purple Star School Designation
The California Purple Star School Designation Program seeks to reduce the burden on military-connected students and their families by articulating the most critical transition supports for military-connected students and their families by publicly designating schools that meet certain requirements. The program signals which schools are the most committed and best equipped to meet their unique needs.
The Purple Star Program was designed to help mitigate the challenges of high mobility by setting standards for and publicly designating military-friendly schools. The Purple Star Programs true value derives from its potential to:
- Centralize and make knowledge accessible,
- Develop stakeholder networks, and
- Support schools in cultivating and communicating cultural competency in supporting military-connected families.
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Is It Hard To Get Into A Military
No, it is not hard to get into a military-friendly college in California. Along with high-ranking four-year universities and colleges, the state also has many reputable technical colleges that offer funding for military students. Getting into top degree programs isnt that difficult as long as applicants meet the universitys requirements.
Top 30 Military Friendly Online Schools In 2021
Military service members and their families have rendered outstanding services to our nation. Often they have offered the ultimate sacrifice. In gratitude and out of a sense of justice, opportunities have now been created for active service members, veterans, and their families to earn college degrees at a lower cost and with greater convenience online. This list selects 30 of the Top Military-Friendly Online Schools. Our selections consider cost and convenience as well as inclusiveness and support of both military personnel and their families. Each school on our list is widely recognized as seeking to provide the best possible online educational opportunities and support for military students and their families.
Methodology:
This ranking was researched and written according to the following components:
- Students satisfaction according to retention rates no lower than 50%,
- Reviews listed on accredited resources listing college and university statistics,
- Prestige and notability as online schools according to reputable academic and journalistic resources,
- Ease of transfer course credits,
- Financial Aid options through military discounts,
- Military focused environment by offering support systems for military, veterans and their families,
- 100% online availability, offering flexibility and convenience,
- Accreditation, course and program options, as well as, degree outcomes.
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University Of Southern California Military & Veteran Support Programs
University of Southern California offers the following veteran and military support programs:
- University of Southern California has GI Bill-approved programs
- University of Southern California is approved for Tuition Assistance
- University of Southern California is a Yellow Ribbon school
- University of Southern California offers
- University of Southern California does not award credit for the CLEP exam
- University of Southern California does not award credit for the DSST exam
Best Accredited Online Military
#1 Best Online Military-Friendly Colleges
- Online + Campus
Southern New Hampshire University has been a military-friendly college for more than 80 years. The school oversees more than 200 online programs. SNHU also offers tuition discounts of up to 30% for active military personnel and their spouses.
Prospective undergraduate students need only a high school diploma or the equivalent for admission. Military students may receive up to 90 transfer credits for job training or professional military education. They may also qualify for active-duty tuition assistance, Veteran Readiness and Employment services, GI Bill benefits, and the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Avg. Cost per Credit
Undergrad, out of state | $320
Graduate, in-state | $627
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The American College Of Financial Services
To empower deserving veterans with career opportunities, thereby infusing the financial services profession with a talent pool of determined, mission-minded individuals who will be vital to the economic integrity and sustainability of the profession
Tuition Rates:
Check here for The American College of Financial Services annual tuition and pricing. For all military discounts, see below.
Personal and Family Support:
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Ready To Start Your Journey
Today, many colleges specialize in enrolling military students. And online colleges appeal to military-affiliated students. The flexibility of an online program can make it easier to learn from anywhere, while online colleges also help military students maximize their education benefits. Many also offer college credit for military training and experience.
Our list ranks the best online colleges for veterans and military service members. Prospective learners can use the ranking to find accredited, online programs that support military students.
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Best Online Colleges For Veterans In California
Abraham Lincoln University, founded in 1996, is a private university and one of California’s prominent online schools. It offers certificates and bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees and is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission. It is most popular for its criminal justice, law, legal studies, and business majors.
The university also has a robust veterans and military benefits program. It accepts the maximum allowable transfer credits for military training and offers up to 100 percent military tuition assistance. It is approved under CSAAVE and accepts GI Bill assistance for full-time and part-time military students and their dependents.
Abraham Lincoln University Overview
- Member of Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges
- Dedicated team for veterans, military service members, and military family members
Overview of Veteran Benefits Awarded at Alliant International University
Number of Undergraduates Receiving Benefits: 15Number of Graduates Receiving Benefits: 66Average Amount of Assistance Awarded via DoD to Undergraduates: $14,248Average Amount of Assistance Awarded via DoD to Graduates: $15,678
How To Choose An Online Military
The best online colleges for military students offer affordability, online learner resources, and support. But how should you compare online schools for military service members and veterans? This section discusses the factors to consider when choosing an online college as a veteran or military student.
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What Does The Gi Bill Cover
The GI Bill covers tuition, fees, housing, and book expenses for up to 36 months for qualified veterans, military students, and their dependents. You can use your GI Bill benefits to pay for coding bootcamp, career colleges, courses, degree programs, and other California-approved programs. Some eligible students can also apply for up to 48 months of funding.
Major And Degree Offerings
Some students choose a major before even applying to schools. These learners should consider colleges that have strong programs in their desired areas of study.
Others enter college without a clear idea of what they want to major in. These students can benefit from applying to online colleges that offer majors in diverse fields.
Before applying to online colleges, research each institution’s degree options, graduation requirements, and offered concentrations.
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Does University Of Southern California Offer Yellow Ribbon For Masters Programs
Yes, University of Southern California offers Yellow Ribbon funding for master’s programs.
Eligible students may have up to 100% of its tuition, with zero out-of-pocket costs. You will need to check with the school to ensure that the Yellow Ribbon in fact covers your preferred advanced degree program.
How We Identified The Most Military
First, though, you are going to need to pick a school to earn a degree with those great benefits. Thats where this list comes in.
Many schools claim to be military friendly today. But theres no official definition of what that is. We searched high and low and came up with our own criteria to establish exactly which schools are the most military supportive in the area.
It turns out that there is a pretty straightforward way to figure out which schools are just offering lip service and which ones are genuinely serious about giving their full support and efforts to service members. And thats by looking at the kind of cold, hard cash they are willing to put up to get you through school completely tuition free.
All schools on our list offer full Yellow Ribbon program funding to all eligible students who applyperiod.
Thats important because it represents a real financial equipment to getting vets the education they deserve. Yellow Ribbon is a joint VA/college program where each participating school agree to kick in a set amount of tuition coverage for a set number of students who dont have their tuition costs completely covered by GI Bill® benefits.
Although this isnt a benefit that all vets will need, its a great sign for a school that supports it. And it usually means their other support programs for active duty military, vets, and family members are top notch. That means you can expect service like:
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Most Veteran Friendly In California For Nursing
With all of the options veterans have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our âMost Veteran Friendly in California for Nursingâ ranking is part of that endeavor.
Nursing is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 3rd of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 322,592 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2019-2020, nursing graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $70,916 and had an average of $25,426 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 18,633 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $90,600 and $21,020 respectively.
For this yearâs âMost Veteran Friendly in California for Nursingâ ranking, we looked at 108 colleges that offer a degree in nursing. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality nursing programs as well as strong veteran support.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the nursing program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
How The Military Friendly Schools List Can Help Veterans Choose Their School
Thats where the Military Friendly® Schools list comes in. Once you know what you want to do and what you need to get there, you need to pick a school that best fits those needs. Allow us to summarize Dr. Howards advice again:
- Take a close look at the physical facilities the school has invested in for its veterans.
- Have a close look at the programs and services it offers to military and veteran students.
- Look at the OUTCOMES for the veterans enrolled in the program youre interested in. What are the completion/graduation rates? Are they getting good jobs?
- Dont automatically pick the cheapest option. Value is more important than price, and value equates to the partnership you will enter when you choose a school.
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Week Course Withdrawal Refund Schedule
- Before or during week 1 or 2: 100% refund
- During weeks 3 and 4: 75%
- During week 5 through 8: 50%
- During week 9 through 16: No refund
Course withdrawals could impact your eligibility for some financial aid, so it is important to look into that prior to making a decision.
Book Grant Savings: Textbooks and ebooks provided at no cost to all undergraduate students and masters-level students eligible for the military tuition grant.
How Do You Get A Military Friendly School Award
Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in higher education. Final ratings were determined by combining the institutions survey responses and government/agency public data sources within a logic-based assessment. We measure their ability to meet thresholds for Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Repayment, Persistence, and Loan Default rates for all students and specifically, for student veterans.
Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our process. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages institutions to consistently evolve and support their programs. Award level schools have gone beyond that standard, Showing true commitment and dedication in their efforts. The Military Friendly® benchmark promotes positive educational outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity to the Military Community. -Kayla Lopez, Director of Military Partnerships, Military Friendly®.
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As A Vet Do I Have To Meet The Same Requirements As Regular Students
Yes, as a vet, you have to meet the same requirements as regular students. Your degree deadline, core credit requirements, and GPA requirements are the same as they are for civilian students. You can get in touch with the schools veterans resource center to find resources that can help better accommodate your educational journey.
What Is A Military Friendly School
Here again, the Military Friendly® Schools list comes in handy. To earn the MFS designation, schools must complete an exhaustive, fully automated survey that rates the facilities, programs and services they offer to military and veteran students. The survey data is examined along with public data from federal government sources to determine the outcome for student veterans. All this is examined carefully to determine which schools earn the Military Friendly® designation.
Each schools score is then compared to the scores of other comparable schools to determine if the institution ranks high enough for an award. The Top 10 schools in 11 categories set the bar year over year, which encourages other schools to improve in areas that are proven to lead to better outcomes for veterans. You will find the Top 10 in each category on the following pages. The entire list follows, organized by state.
For details about the methodology, visit MilitaryFriendly.com/methodology.
The Military Friendly® Schools is an excellent place to start your research. Be sure to refer to the list on the MilitaryFriendly.com, as it is regularly updated.
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Financial Aid Options For Military Students
What’s the best way to pay for military-friendly college? Fortunately, service members and veterans qualify for all kinds of financial aid and support.
Based on military service, students may qualify for the GI Bill® and Yellow Ribbon Program, which can cover 100% of tuition and other education expenses. Military students also qualify for financial aid through military tuition assistance programs. In addition, military students can submit the FAFSA to receive college grants. And many scholarship opportunities fund service members and veterans.
When researching financial aid as a military student, check which schools accept veteran and military financial benefits.