Military recruits typically enlist and serve for one term. They intend to use the military as a starting point rather than pursue as a long-term career. After serving, military personnel return to civilian life and obtain a college education. The GI Bill was designed for military personnel to attend college without paying out of pocket as a reward for their military service.
Military Personnel Getting a College Education
In searching for colleges that work with the military, you can pursue many avenues as long as the degree program is from a higher learning institution. Make sure the GI Bill is used at an institution that grants degrees, even if that means looking for military colleges with online programs. Technical or vocational programs can also be eligible under the GI bill as long as they are offered as an accredited degree at a higher learning institution. With these requirements, a majority of the accredited degree programs are eligible to be paid under the GI bill.
Qualifications for Receiving the GI Bill
Eligibility requirements under the GI bill depend on the amount of service that applicants completed while in the military. To qualify for the full amount, military personnel getting a college education need to have served at least 36 months of active duty service in the military in addition to any training. Those who served less time than that are still eligible to receive the GI Bill but they will only receive a partial payment for their education. The financial aid department can help you determine how much of an award you are eligible to receive.
Military personnel looking to pursue their college education have plenty of options available to them. Take the time to look through the Florida National University military degree programs and financial options before making your final decision as to where you plan to go!
United States Department of Veterans Affairs. (2012) Post-9/11 GI Bill: General Information Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://www.gibill.va.gov/documents/factsheets/post-911_general_info.pdf
