Military-Friendly Colleges
Updated August 15, 2024
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Active duty members, reservists, and veterans face unique challenges when choosing an educational program that fits their needs and career goals. Military-friendly colleges and universities provide various services and resources to ease the transition.
Military-affiliated students interested in psychology should consider several factors when choosing a school, including financial aid opportunities, counseling and career services, and credit for prior experience. Learn more about the programs and advantages military-friendly schools offer.
Popular Online Psychology Bachelor's Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Benefits of Military-Friendly Colleges for Psychology Students
Military personnel and veterans making the transition to college and a career benefit from the dedicated policies, services, and resources offered to them by military-friendly colleges and universities. However, not every military-friendly school provides the same financial aid options or support services. When researching schools that best fit your needs, consider the specific benefits available to you.
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Financial assistance for military-affiliated students who qualify for national military benefits includes the Montgomery and Post-9/11 GI Bills and the Yellow Ribbon Program, and opportunities for college-sponsored military tuition discounts and scholarships. -
Transfer credits for prior military training can reduce the time needed to earn a bachelor's or graduate degree. -
Support services and veteran resource centers provide academic guidance, counseling, wellness, and rehabilitation assistance, and career planning and placement. -
Online degree options and flexible schedules benefit active-duty members or other military-affiliated students unable to commit to continuous on-campus enrollment. -
Financial aid and job training may be available for spouses and dependent children of service members, including spouses and dependents of military personnel who have died, are captured or missing, or have disabilities. -
Undergraduate and graduate opportunities allow students to pursue coursework and specializations in military psychology, including counseling and clinical approaches to military trauma and stress, PTSD and military resilience, and the impact of military service on families.
How to Choose the Right Military-Friendly College for an Education in Psychology
If you're looking into colleges for military psychology, consider attending a military-friendly school. Students may attend military-friendly colleges online, on campus, or in a hybrid format. These schools accept all military benefits and offer flexible course options. Military-friendly colleges offer a wide range of perks, support programs, and assistance to those who qualify for benefits.
- Tuition Discounts for Military: Many military-friendly online colleges offer reduced tuition rates to active-duty members, and some even extend discounts to reservists, veterans, and retired service personnel. Schools typically apply these discounts on a per-credit basis.
- Credit Opportunities: The SOC network accepts nearly all transfer credits from any participating school. Some unaffiliated schools also offer generous transfer credit policies for eligible applicants. Some online psychology degree programs allow students to earn credits for prior learning, job training, and military experiences.
- Financial Aid: In addition to participating in the Montgomery and Post-9/11 GI Bill programs, some schools offer financial aid opportunities specifically for students with military backgrounds. Eligible students may qualify for scholarships and other forms of financial assistance. Some schools offer in-state tuition for out-of-state military students or extend military benefits to spouses and children.
- On-Campus Benefits: Military-friendly schools also typically host on-campus programs, organizations, and opportunities for students with military backgrounds. Some maintain offices, success centers, and networking clubs dedicated to student veterans and service personnel. Others provide free or discounted healthcare services, psychological counseling services, or referrals to local health networks. Some schools feature discounted housing and post-graduation job support services.
- Academic Programs: Some online psychology degrees focus specifically on military personnel. These courses train students to meet the specific counseling and treatment needs of service personnel and veterans affected by their combat and active-duty experiences. Alternatively, you could opt for a military studies major with a minor or focus in psychology.
- Flexibility: Military-friendly schools understand and respect the distinct scheduling needs of military students, particularly those on active duty. Flexible options allow students to take reduced course loads, or leave part-way through a term without any academic penalty if deployed. The best schools work with students to ensure they can finish any incomplete courses once they return.
- Networking and Career Resources: Military-friendly schools emphasize professional network-building and career counseling dedicated specifically to the needs of military-affiliated students. They staff veteran centers that help students transfer skills acquired in the military to professional settings, offer interviewing and resume workshops, and connect students to jobs with military-friendly employers. Many schools sponsor military student organizations to foster peer relationships.
Government Benefits for Military Students
Since 1944, GI Bill benefits have helped military-affiliated students and their family members receive financial assistance for undergraduate and graduate school or employment training. Each program has its own purpose and eligibility requirements.
Montgomery GI Bill®
Established by the U.S. Congress in 1984, the Montgomery GI Bill operates two programs. The active duty program provides a maximum of 36 months of benefits for tuition and other educational costs to active service and honorably discharged members who have continuously served at least two years in active duty.
The selected reserve program offers up to 36 months of benefits for members of the reserve units of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, or Air National Guard. Eligible applicants must have agreed to a six-year selected reserve service obligation or an additional six years for selected reserve officers in addition to their initial service obligation.
Both programs are open to students whose military service began after June 30, 1985.
Post-9/11 GI Bill®
In 2008, the U.S. Congress expanded GI Bill benefits for military-affiliated students serving since the September 11 attacks of 2001. The Post-9/11 GI Bill assists current military members and veterans who served a minimum of 90 days of active duty after September 10, 2001.
This benefit program covers the cost of tuition at public, in-state colleges and universities and up to $27,120 for private schools. Post-9/11 benefits also provide limited funding for transportation, housing, moving expenses, online and international programs, and books and other educational supplies.
Yellow Ribbon Program
Inaugurated in 2008 as part of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act, the Yellow Ribbon Program matches Veteran Administration benefits with funding from high-level public and private universities. This program helps military-affiliated students pay for more expensive out-of-state, private, or foreign institutions of higher learning, or graduate school tuition and fees that the Post-9/11 GI Bill does not cover.
The amount of funding depends on undergraduate or graduate status, type of program, and how much assistance you receive from other sources. Your intended school must meet VA requirements to qualify as a Yellow Ribbon institution. Each Yellow Ribbon school sets limits on the number of applicants they accept and determines how much funding each applicant can receive. The Department of Veteran Affairs website provides current application and eligibility information.
The Importance of Military Status
Each military-friendly college sets and maintains its own internal policies regarding student eligibility for applicable assistance programs. In most cases, a student's current military status determines which awards and benefits they can receive. Federal programs also distinguish between active duty, inactive duty, and discharged service members. The following categories classify a student's current military status:
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Active-Duty Military
An active-duty military service member maintains a current, full-time commitment to the armed forces. They can be deployed at any time. Those on active duty may choose part-time study due to their military commitments. They enjoy excellent access to multiple federal and independent programs. -
Inactive-Duty Military
Inactive-duty members may deploy or assist civilians in times of need but do not commit to full-time service. In most cases, students with inactive-duty status qualify for limited benefits unless they previously completed an extended period of active duty. -
Discharged (Multiple Types)
Honorable discharge indicates that a service member accrued a favorable record before being released from his or her service commitments. The Montgomery GI Bill, Post-9/11 GI Bill, and other programs offer assistance to honorably discharged soldiers who served for a specified minimum length of time. Most military-friendly colleges do not extend benefits to dishonorably discharged service members with unfavorable records. -
Retired/Veteran
Retired status applies to career service members who left the military with favorable service records. Veteran status covers those who have been deployed on a tour of duty during a period of direct conflict with enemy forces. Students and applicants in these categories enjoy full access to a complete range of assistance programs.
Service Members Opportunity Colleges
Funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and coordinated by the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES), the SOC network assists military members who attend college while regularly moving to different duty stations. Many full-time, active-duty military members relocate frequently due to deployments, reassignments, and other circumstances. The SOC program makes it easier for eligible participants to transfer existing credits to a new school. These schools also reduce or waive in-state residency requirements so participants instantly become eligible for lower tuition rates.
The SOC network accepts members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and National Guard. Military-friendly colleges participate in the program on a voluntary basis. A large number of educational institutions situated on or near Army, Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard facilities opt-in.
* GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.