Among the many decisions that go into becoming a college student is perhaps one of the most stressful: How to pay for tuition, fees, books and the general expenses associated with earning a degree.
For many students, obtaining that funding requires a detailed search to cobble together scholarships, loans, grants and other resources.
One option that may often be overlooked by prospective students — and their families and guidance counselors — is the assistance available from the U.S. military. The nation’s armed forces offer several options that can make attending college not only affordable, but, in some cases, completely free.
“Military student aid is a subset of programs students can consider,” said Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of the FinAid and Fastweb pages, free online guides that help students tap into funding sources. “They have large numbers of programs, including student loan repayment assistance and ROTC [Reserve Officers’ Training Corps], as well as the service academies.”
Kantrowitz has spent almost 20 years designing a comprehensive online site with extensive databases where students can explore aid opportunities. With more than 50 million registered users, FinAid (www.finaid.org) and Fastweb (www.fastweb.com) are among the most popular destinations for students and parents to learn about financial aid.
“My focus is on all aspects of paying for college and making it easier for students to find resources,” he said. “And military student aid is definitely an aspect of that.”
At FinAid and Fastweb, students create a profile that is matched with aid opportunities at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Those who indicate military service are matched to awards with that specific criteria.
“It’s not just G.I. Bill,” Kantrowitz said. “There are private programs as well as federal programs for members of military. There is information about the armed forces recruiting programs, aid for veterans and dependents and the Heroes Act, which sets certain standards for members of the military. For instance, they may qualify for reduced interest rates or have their repayments postponed while they’re in the service.”
Kantrowitz also pointed out that the military’s educational benefits can often be extended to a veteran’s family, a fact frequently overlooked by some students.
“For instance, there are survivors educational assistance programs,” he said. “Some G.I. Bill benefits are transferable to a spouse or dependents. And there are some private organizations that are dedicated solely to helping spouses and dependents whose family member was killed in action or is missing in action. So there’s a lot of opportunity out there.”
Another consideration for students is to apply to one of the military’s service academies. The Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y., and the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Co., offer outstanding educational opportunities in return for service after graduation.
“Going to these academies is essentially free,” Kantrowitz said. “In addition, there are ROTC scholarships available while students are in school, and when they graduate, they become first lieutenants. If you’re someone who wants a military career, those are great options.”
But Kantrowitz cautions students not to overlook the potential of the small scholarship providers, such as veterans’ organizations and civic clubs that give preference to military families. All the scholarships in the online database are updated and confirmed regularly so students can view the most current information.
“We not only do annual updates to ensure that scholarships are still being offered, but we also update the site daily to add new ones,” he said. “We are constantly searching for new information for scholarships from both public and private resources.”
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