Department of Defense Voluntary Education Portal The portal provides critical information to service providers administering voluntary education at the Service level, voluntary education program information for service members pursuing off duty education, and policy information for participating educational institutions.

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Education and Job Training Programs, License and Certification Programs, and National Exams  The VA website allows personnel to search for programs and exams for which VA education benefits may be used.  Searches can include colleges and universities, non-college degree granting institutions, flight schools, correspondence schools, on-the-job training and apprenticeship programs, licensing and certification programs, and national testing providers.

Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services  Provided by the American Council on Education, this guide serves as the standard reference for recognizing learning acquired through military experience.  The guide allows personnel to search by military occupational specialty (MOS) or courses and provides the recommended academic credit equivalent.

MilitaryINSTALLATIONS This resource, available on MilitaryHOMEFRONT, provides contact information for programs and services, maps and directions, links to comprehensive location overviews, and community points of interest for military installations worldwide. For service members participating in voluntary education

Military OneSource   This site provides information and resources to help balance work and family life. Consultants are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week by phone, online, or via email offering personalized support to any service or family member. Military OneSource can connect individuals with a trained, state-licensed mental health professional.  Military OneSource offers twelve free in-person counseling sessions per person, per issue.  For those unable to attend face-to-face counseling, Military OneSource arranges telephone and online consultations.

Available voluntary education materials include checklists, articles, and tips on the following topics:

• alternatives to college
• continuing education
• adjusting to college
• applying to college
• distance learning programs
• financial aid and scholarships

To contact Military OneSource by phone, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, call Stateside at 1-800-342-9647. The Military OneSource website lists specific dialing information for other countries.

Student Aid on the Web  Student Aid on the Web is an official US government website that provides information and resources for college students and their families to assist them in choosing the right college, applying for financial aid, and repaying student loans.

Test Center Lookup  The Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) provides a website allowing personnel to search and retrieve contact information for DANTES testing centers by location, Service branch, Major Command, and/or by ship name (for Navy and Coast Guard).

Federal Grants and Loans

Various federal grants and loans exist to assist students (military and non-military) in paying for the costs of higher education:

• Federal Grants  A grant is a form of financial aid that does not need to be repaid by the student.  The federal government offers grant programs for eligible students in the form of the Federal Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), the Academic Competitiveness Grant, and the National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (the National SMART Grant).
• Federal Perkins Loans  Federal Perkins Loans are similar to Stafford Loans, except that the student borrows (and subsequently, repays) the financial aid from the university instead of the federal government.  Federal Perkins Loans have shorter time periods for repayment than Stafford Loans, but Perkins Loans do not require that students are enrolled at least half-time. 
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)  The FAFSA is the required application for students seeking financial aid from the U.S. government for their education costs.
• Stafford Loans  Stafford Loans consist of the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program and the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program, both administered by the Department of Education.  Stafford Loans provide financial assistance to students enrolled at least half-time and do not require repayment until after the student graduates, leaves school, or drops below half-time status.

Scholarship Information for Severely Injured Service Members

A number of universities offer scholarships to severely injured service members. Service members may contact universities not included in the following list to determine whether they offer similar programs:

• American Sentinel University Severely Injured Scholarship Program American Sentinel University offers a scholarship program for severely injured service members (and their spouses) covering half the cost of tuition, books, and materials.
• Bellevue University Purple Heart Scholarship  Bellevue University offers five $1,000 scholarships annually to any service member who has been awarded the Purple Heart for wounds suffered during combat.
• Boston University Metropolitan College Bryan D. Willard Scholarship  Boston University Metropolitan College offers two $5,000 scholarships annually to service members who have been awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat or to spouses and children of service members killed in the line of duty.
• Central Michigan University Severely Injured Service Members and/or Spouses Award  Central Michigan University offers scholarships to severely injured service members who have received their injuries while serving in combat or spouses of such service members.
• Coastline Community College Scholarship for Injured/Disabled Service Members and their Spouses  Coastline Community College offers five $1,000 scholarships for severely injured service members and their spouses.
• ECPI College of Technology DoD Support Scholarship Program  ECPI College of Technology offers annual scholarships of up to $6,000 for severely injured service members, up to $8,000 for spouses of severely injured or killed in action service members, and up to $6,000 for dependent children of deceased service members.
• Grantham University Military Severely Injured Scholarship Program  Grantham University offers four-year scholarships to service members with a "Rating Decision" memo of twenty percent disability or higher from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as a result of wounds received in OEF or OIF.  Grantham University also offers scholarships to spouses and adult children of severely injured service members.
• Old Dominion University Scholarship Opportunity for Severely Injured or Disabled Service Members  Old Dominion University offers $1,000 scholarships for service members severely injured or disabled in the line of duty or their spouses or dependent children.
• Paralegal Tech University Purple Heart Scholarship Fund  Every two months, Paralegal Tech University offers a full scholarship to service members or veterans who have been wounded in the line of duty.
• University of Idaho Operation Education  University of Idaho provides financial assistance to returning wounded veterans and/or their spouses.
• University of Maryland University College Severely Injured Service Member, Spouse, or Dependents Scholarship  The University of Maryland University College provides five annual $1,200 scholarships to service members who have been severely injured in the line of duty, or spouses or dependents of severely injured service members.
• University of Nebraska at Omaha Wounded Veterans Fund  The University of Nebraska at Omaha offers the Wounded Veterans Fund to severely wounded service members or their spouses to assist in covering the cost of a post-secondary education.