How to Determine if an Online School Is Military Friendly

Military men and women have many options available for earning a degree while in service or after being discharged. Online resources exist to help members of the armed forces find suitable education in undergraduate and graduate studies, both online and on-campus.

Finding a Military-Friendly Online School

Military students have many online means for finding accredited military-friendly schools that offer online undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Service members help each other through online bulletin boards and educational forums, and some websites offer tips and advice for soldiers and air personnel headed back to school. A few of these online resources include:

• MilitaryTimes - providing a school search tool, helpful articles and a forum for students to post questions and assists other military personnel looking for school advice (www.militarytimes.com).
• Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) - linking students to Army, Navy, Marine, Coast Guard and National Guard educational networks that offer school and program information (www.sco.aascu.org).
• MilitaryOnlineCollege.org - ranking the top ten colleges and universities for military students.
• G.I. Jobs - listing online schools that offer military scholarships, discounts, counseling, veterans associations and military support to service members and their dependents (www.gijobs.com).
• Military.com - offering information on education and employment benefits as well as a school search tool specifying online programs.

Using the Military's Educational G.I. Bill

Since World War II, military members have received financial assistance from the federal government for education. In 2008, new legislation updated the G.I. Bill, offering service men and women more resources and funding for a college education. Under the new bill, military personnel may receive:

• Full tuition coverage
• Housing support
• Annual or monthly stipends
• Relocation assistance
• Dependent benefits
• Additional financial reimbursement

Several options and eligibility criteria exist under the newly provisioned bill. Students who served after September 11, 2001 may qualify for different benefits than those who served earlier. The Department of Veterans Affairs website provides detailed requirements for each type of G.I. Bill as well as information on how to select the best option (www.gibill.va.gov).

Military-Friendly School Rankings

The Military Advanced Education Magazine offers an annual list of the top military-friendly colleges and universities in the United States. Arranged in alphabetical order, the 2009 report includes the best 130 schools for students who are active in or discharged from military service. The guide ranks the schools based on their on-campus and online programs as well as support that the school offers to veterans. The report also provides information on admissions, services and requirements of each school (www.military-advanced-education.com).
Additionally, students may receive assistance finding school and program information from the Department of Defense (DoD) website. The DoD Voluntary Education Program provides links to each military branch's education portal for benefits, career information and program options (www.defense.gov).