Links to Additional Resources

CareerOneStop This Department of Labor-sponsored website provides career resources and workforce information to job seekers, students, businesses, and workforce professionals to foster talent development in a global economy. It also provides content specifically designed for military spouses including employment resources, education and training help, and relocation information.

Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES)  DANTES supports the off-duty voluntary education programs of DoD by helping eligible service members and their families pursue their education goals.  DANTES provides programs and services in certification, counselor support, distance learning, and examinations, and manages the Tuition Assistance Reimbursement Program.

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 Education  This website provides information for students, parents, teachers, and administrators, including links related to student aid, grants, and scholarships.

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Education Benefits  The VA offers education programs for veterans of military service as well as education benefits to surviving family members.

Directory of Education Centers On-Line Active Duty and Reserves Provided through the DANTES website, this directory allows service providers to search and retrieve contact information for education centers by Service branch, country, and/or state.

 

Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services  Provided by the American Council on Education, the Guide to the Evaluation of Education Experiences in the Armed Services has served 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.

 

Military.com Scholarship Finder  The Military.com Scholarship Finder can supplement the installation education office's service by providing information on potential financial aid through scholarships, loans, grants, internships, awards and prizes, and living allowances.  The Scholarship Finder allows for a customizable search by educational goal, keyword, Service affiliation, military status, racial/ethnic heritage, and disabilities.

 

Military.com School Finder  The Military.com School Finder can assist installation service providers by searching over 4,000 institutions by educational goal (associate, bachelor's, master's degree, doctorate, training certificate), the campus type (online, classroom, or both), geographic location of the institution, programs of study, and whether the school provides college credit for examinations and/or military training.

 

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. MilitaryINSTALLATIONS can provide contact information for Adult Education Offices that may be able to assist service members and their families.

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  member, DoD civilian personnel designated as Civilian Expeditionary Workforce, or family member. Military OneSource can connect individuals with a trained, state-licensed mental health professional in the community, telephonically, or online for confidential/private counseling. 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. 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. 

National Military Family Association  The National Military Family Association is a nonprofit organization committed to strengthening and protecting the families of the men and women currently serving, retired, wounded or fallen. It provides families of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Commissioned Corps of the USPHS and NOAA with information, works to get them the benefits they deserve, and offers programs that improve their lives.

 

Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium  The SOC is a network of universities and colleges that provides education opportunities for service members and their families.  The website provides a list of member institutions and also provides more general information about the Consortium.

 

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 DANTES provides a website allowing service providers 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 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.