Army Scholarship: Your Privilege, Your Prestige

Joining the Army is a great way for those who want to get free education. In fact, military student aid is considered the main reason why many individuals join the armed forces. Students who want to pursue a career in the military can avail of an army scholarship. Usually, those under a college military scholarship are required to do active tour of duty and should have satisfied all the necessary requirements for it.

Federal Student Aid. The federal government provides a number of financial aid programs for those in the military. These may come in the form of grants or loans at very low interest rates. Unlike the GI Bill, the Federal Student Aid assists the student meeting the cost of education, which include tuition, living expenses, books and other fees. This means that the remaining grant or loan balance directly goes to you after the college has already taken its share.

Montgomery GI Bill. More popularly called the GI Bill, this education benefit covers the costs of education or training of eligible service members and veterans. These come in a number of programs, each of which are differently administrated depending on the individual’s qualification and duty status. Those in the Active Duty, National Guard and Selected Reserve service can earn the GI Bill.

ROTC scholarship. Another example of an army scholarship is the Reserve Officers Training Corps or ROTC scholarships. This program by the ROTC will shoulder a student’s education granted that s/he will serve the military on active duty after graduation.
Service-specific aid. The Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines and Navy, together with their respective affiliated financial aid organizations can help pay the cost of your education in the form of scholarships, grants and loans. These education benefits were designed to make sure that eligible individuals who want to pursue a career in the military are given the opportunity to achieve their goals.

Spouse and Family Programs. The Dependents' Educational Assistance program, for instance, offers education and training opportunities to qualified dependents of veterans.  The DEA program can cover up to forty-five months of educational benefits, which can be used for both certificate and degree programs, on-the-job training and apprenticeship. Spouses can take correspondence courses as well. Deficiency, refresher and remedial courses may be subject to approval under given circumstances.

State Veteran Benefits. In many states, veterans who want to continue their educational pursuits are qualified for a financial student aid. Moreover, some states also have scholarships for veterans as well as their dependents, which include children of disabled and deceased veterans.

Tuition Assistance Program. The Armed Forces offers several programs that provide up to 100% tuition aid for those who want to want to become airmen, guardsmen, marines, sailors or soldiers. The Tuition Assistance program comes in different services namely Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserve tuition service. Each service comes with its own eligibility criteria, restrictions, obligated service and application process. Usually, funding is directly paid to the institution by individual services.

In addition, many military schools let you enjoy the privilege of getting a free education and earn a monthly stipend at the same time. Most military branches may also even shoulder your tuition in full, depending on which branch you serve as well as the course you want to study. You should be willing and able to comply with all requirements needed for an army scholarship because when you are in, you are really in.

Being in the military and a free education can spell prestige and privilege. Army scholarship requirements and its process can be intimidating. But if you have the drive and motivation to get it, then you should work for it.