These resources offer information on federal grants and loans, scholarships for injured service members and other education tools.
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 Education This website provides information for students, parents, teachers, and administrators, including links related to student aid, grants, and scholarships.
Department of Veterans Affairs Education Benefits The VA offers education programs for veterans of military service as well as education benefits to surviving family members.
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
Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Consortium The Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Consortium 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, 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 - The Free Application for Federal Student Aid 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 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.