Family members may take courses through the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) network. SOC is a network of colleges and universities that has partnered with DoD to meet the educational needs of the mobile military.  SOC schools have minimum residency requirements, accept credit transferred from other member institutions, and award credit for military training, experience, and results of nationally recognized testing programs. To address the specific needs of different branches of Service, SOC has designated five individual degree networks: SOCAD (Army), SOCNAV (Navy), SOCMAR (Marine Corps), SOCCOAST (Coast Guard), and SOCGUARD (National Guard).

In addition to offering courses through SOC network, many of the Services and their associated relief organizations offer financial assistance, grants, and scholarships to family members. Some colleges and universities also offer scholarships for service members and their family members. The following is a list of individual Service branch relief organizations that offer tuition assistance programs to spouses of service members:

• Army Emergency Relief (AER) Spouse Education Assistance Program (EAP) - For spouses of active duty Soldiers who permanently reside with their service members in overseas locations, this program can provide a grant of up to $350 per term to assist with the cost of education. This program is available for postsecondary and vocational education but is not allowed for graduate course work.
• Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) Spouse Tuition Aid Program (STAP) - For spouses of active duty Sailors or Marines stationed at overseas locations, this program can provide financial assistance for areas of study leading towards vocational certificates, undergraduate degrees, or graduate degrees. STAP provides up to $300 per semester/$1,500 per year for undergraduate courses and up to $350 per semester/$1,750 per year for graduate studies.
• Air Force Aid Society (AFAS) General George S. Brown Spouse Tuition Assistance Program (STAP) - For spouses of active duty Airmen or officers stationed overseas, this program provides partial tuition assistance at a rate of 50 percent of course tuition up to $1,500 per year.
• Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA) - CGMA offers family members (spouse and children) a Supplemental Education Grant of up to $150 per year to cover any education expenses other than tuition.

Family members may take courses through the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) network. SOC is a network of colleges and universities that has partnered with DoD to meet the educational needs of the mobile military.  SOC schools have minimum residency requirements, accept credit transferred from other member institutions, and award credit for military training, experience, and results of nationally recognized testing programs. To address the specific needs of different branches of Service, SOC has designated five individual degree networks: SOCAD (Army), SOCNAV (Navy), SOCMAR (Marine Corps), SOCCOAST (Coast Guard), and SOCGUARD (National Guard).

In addition to offering courses through SOC network, many of the Services and their associated relief organizations offer financial assistance, grants, and scholarships to family members. Some colleges and universities also offer scholarships for service members and their family members. The following is a list of individual Service branch relief organizations that offer tuition assistance programs to spouses of service members:

• Army Emergency Relief (AER) Spouse Education Assistance Program (EAP) - For spouses of active duty Soldiers who permanently reside with their service members in overseas locations, this program can provide a grant of up to $350 per term to assist with the cost of education. This program is available for postsecondary and vocational education but is not allowed for graduate course work.
• Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) Spouse Tuition Aid Program (STAP) - For spouses of active duty Sailors or Marines stationed at overseas locations, this program can provide financial assistance for areas of study leading towards vocational certificates, undergraduate degrees, or graduate degrees. STAP provides up to $300 per semester/$1,500 per year for undergraduate courses and up to $350 per semester/$1,750 per year for graduate studies.
• Air Force Aid Society (AFAS) General George S. Brown Spouse Tuition Assistance Program (STAP) - For spouses of active duty Airmen or officers stationed overseas, this program provides partial tuition assistance at a rate of 50 percent of course tuition up to $1,500 per year.
• Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA) - CGMA offers family members (spouse and children) a Supplemental Education Grant of up to $150 per year to cover any education expenses other than tuition.

The MGIB is a program administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for active duty service members and members of the Selected Reserve (SR). The MGIB provides up to thirty-six months of education benefits for college, business, technical, correspondence or vocational courses, apprenticeship/on-the-job training, or flight school for service members who have served on active duty in the past and are now no longer with the military.

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 added transferability as a feature to the MGIB, allowing service members with critical skills to transfer their benefits to one or more of their family members. However, the Act left it up to each Service to decide whether to make the benefit transferable within that individual branch of Service. At this time, only the Army offers transferability of MGIB benefits as a reenlistment incentive for active duty enlisted Soldiers serving in critical military occupational specialties (MOSs) identified in the Regular Army Component Service Reenlistment Bonus (SRB) Program.

The MGIB is a program administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for active duty service members and members of the Selected Reserve (SR). The MGIB provides up to thirty-six months of education benefits for college, business, technical, correspondence or vocational courses, apprenticeship/on-the-job training, or flight school for service members who have served on active duty in the past and are now no longer with the military.

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 added transferability as a feature to the MGIB, allowing service members with critical skills to transfer their benefits to one or more of their family members. However, the Act left it up to each Service to decide whether to make the benefit transferable within that individual branch of Service. At this time, only the Army offers transferability of MGIB benefits as a reenlistment incentive for active duty enlisted Soldiers serving in critical military occupational specialties (MOSs) identified in the Regular Army Component Service Reenlistment Bonus (SRB) Program.

College-level courses are offered through a variety of methods to meet the needs of the mobile military community.  Spouses of service members can earn credit towards a degree through traditional classroom settings, college-level equivalency testing, and through distance learning (i.e., taking classes on the Internet). The installation Education Center staff can provide detailed information on available education programs and can assist spouses with designing a specific course of study (i.e., degree planning).

College-level courses are offered through a variety of methods to meet the needs of the mobile military community.  Spouses of service members can earn credit towards a degree through traditional classroom settings, college-level equivalency testing, and through distance learning (i.e., taking classes on the Internet). The installation Education Center staff can provide detailed information on available education programs and can assist spouses with designing a specific course of study (i.e., degree planning).

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) operates over 200 schools in thirteen foreign countries, seven states, Guam, and Puerto Rico for children of service members and DoD civilians. DoDEA schools provide a comprehensive prekindergarten through twelfth grade curriculum, competitive with any school system in the United States. For more information on DoDEA schools, please visit the DoDEA website. A complete listing of DoDEA schools can be found on MilitaryINSTALLATIONS.

For children enrolled in schools in the civilian community, installation School Liaison Offices can provide information on the surrounding school districts and help relocating children smoothly adjust to their new schools. Additionally, School Liaison Officers can work with relocating families to ensure that students receive the appropriate credit at their new school districts for courses completed prior to moving from their previous school districts. MilitaryINSTALLATIONS provides a complete listing of point of contact information for installation School Liaison Offices, as well as maps and directions.

Sure Start is a DoDEA program for command-sponsored children stationed at overseas installations. Sure Start is based on the Department of Health and Human Services' Head Start model. The Sure Start program assists qualified preschool-age military children by providing education, health, and social services based on income and need guidelines. The services provided by the Sure Start program are designed to involve the children, their families, schools, and communities to ensure a comprehensive, coordinated approach to early childhood education.

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) operates over 200 schools in thirteen foreign countries, seven states, Guam, and Puerto Rico for children of service members and DoD civilians. DoDEA schools provide a comprehensive prekindergarten through twelfth grade curriculum, competitive with any school system in the United States. For more information on DoDEA schools, please visit the DoDEA website. A complete listing of DoDEA schools can be found on MilitaryINSTALLATIONS.

For children enrolled in schools in the civilian community, installation School Liaison Offices can provide information on the surrounding school districts and help relocating children smoothly adjust to their new schools. Additionally, School Liaison Officers can work with relocating families to ensure that students receive the appropriate credit at their new school districts for courses completed prior to moving from their previous school districts. MilitaryINSTALLATIONS provides a complete listing of point of contact information for installation School Liaison Offices, as well as maps and directions.

Sure Start is a DoDEA program for command-sponsored children stationed at overseas installations. Sure Start is based on the Department of Health and Human Services' Head Start model. The Sure Start program assists qualified preschool-age military children by providing education, health, and social services based on income and need guidelines. The services provided by the Sure Start program are designed to involve the children, their families, schools, and communities to ensure a comprehensive, coordinated approach to early childhood education.

The education programs and services available to children with disabilities are divided into three age-based groups:

• For children under the age of three who have developmental delays or are at high risk for developmental delays, DoD offers Early Intervention Services.
• For children between the ages of three and twenty-one, DoD provides Special Education through specially designed instruction (conducted in a classroom, in the home, in hospitals or other institutions, and in other settings) at no cost to parents and guardians.
• For children who have graduated from high school or turned twenty-one, programs are offered through local communities and are focused on providing assistance for transitioning to adult life.

More information on special needs education programs can be found at Education and Developmental Intervention Services (EDIS) or the Exceptional Family Member Program office aboard installations.  A complete listing of these programs can be found on MilitaryINSTALLATIONS. The Special Needs/Exceptional Family Member Program section of MilitaryHOMEFRONT also provides detailed information on this topic.

The education programs and services available to children with disabilities are divided into three age-based groups:

• For children under the age of three who have developmental delays or are at high risk for developmental delays, DoD offers Early Intervention Services.
• For children between the ages of three and twenty-one, DoD provides Special Education through specially designed instruction (conducted in a classroom, in the home, in hospitals or other institutions, and in other settings) at no cost to parents and guardians.
• For children who have graduated from high school or turned twenty-one, programs are offered through local communities and are focused on providing assistance for transitioning to adult life.

More information on special needs education programs can be found at Education and Developmental Intervention Services (EDIS) or the Exceptional Family Member Program office aboard installations.  A complete listing of these programs can be found on MilitaryINSTALLATIONS. The Special Needs/Exceptional Family Member Program section of MilitaryHOMEFRONT also provides detailed information on this topic.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program (DEA). The DEA provides education and training benefits for family members of service members who have been permanently and totally disabled as a result of a service-connected disability or who have died from any cause while such service-connected disability was in existence. For more information on the DEA program and other eligibility requirements, please visit the VA website.

In addition to the VA program, many universities and colleges offer scholarships to both severely injured service members and their spouses. The "Resources" section of this topic contains more information on some of these scholarship opportunities.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program (DEA). The DEA provides education and training benefits for family members of service members who have been permanently and totally disabled as a result of a service-connected disability or who have died from any cause while such service-connected disability was in existence. For more information on the DEA program and other eligibility requirements, please visit the VA website.

In addition to the VA program, many universities and colleges offer scholarships to both severely injured service members and their spouses. The "Resources" section of this topic contains more information on some of these scholarship opportunities.

Installation Education Centers can provide spouses and adult family members with more information on available college-level education programs.

School Liaison Officers can provide information on school districts and DoDEA schools.  MilitaryINSTALLATIONS provides a complete listing of point of contact information for installation School Liaison Offices, as well as maps and directions.

For additional information on the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program, visit the Department of Veterans Affairs website.

Installation Education Centers can provide spouses and adult family members with more information on available college-level education programs.

School Liaison Officers can provide information on school districts and DoDEA schools.  MilitaryINSTALLATIONS provides a complete listing of point of contact information for installation School Liaison Offices, as well as maps and directions.

For additional information on the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program, visit the Department of Veterans Affairs website.