Military Tuition Assistance
Command Approval is a review and approval process prior to your WebTA application going forward for authorization funding by the Education Center. Your command approver must be your CO or By Direction Authority. When completing the WebTA application, enter the designated command approver’s email and ensure your WebTA application is command approved electronically before the term start date. Your command approver will verify that you:

• There is no minimum time in service requirement for the utilization of TA.
• Are serving on active duty through the last day of the course term.
• Have passed the most recent Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA) or received a waiver.
• Are recommended for advancement or promotion.
• Have not received a non-judicial punishment (NJP) within six months or are not pending administrative separation.

Marines need to be aware that a WebTA application is not funded until the Education Center authorizes the WebTA application which will generate a funded TA voucher. An email notification is sent after command approval and another is sent after Education Center authorization.

NOTE:  Duties always take priority over voluntary, off-duty education activities.

Web Tuition Assistance (WebTA)

Tuition Assistance (TA) DECIDE
TA DECIDE is a comparison tool designed specifically to aid participants of DoD’s Tuition Assistance (TA) program in making informed choices on schools and education programs. The TA DECIDE engine is fueled by more than 10 recognized and trusted data sources from across the departments of Defense, Education and Veterans Affairs. It provides a first of its kind experience, uniquely tailored to the needs of the TA participant. TA DECIDE provides high value, actionable information on educational costs and outcomes to compare educational institutions that Marines may be considering. While this website was designed for the individual user, Service’s education counselor can also be a partner in this process.

Federal Student Aid

Electronically submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). All students interested in financial aid for college will need to complete this form. 

FAFSA4caster will help you understand your options for paying for college. Provide some basic information and estimate your eligibility for federal student aid. Your estimate will be shown in the “College Cost Worksheet” where you can also provide estimated amounts of other student aid and savings that can go towards your college education. Go ahead and get started now! If you need help with a question, read the Help and Hints.

Free Internet Scholarship Search
There are also a number of reliable free internet scholarship search engines, such as:

Fastweb Scholarship Search
College Board's Fund Finder
Scholarships Search
Peterson's Awards Database
Student Scholarship Search
Scholarship Experts
Broke Scholar
College Data

Scholarships for Family Members
MyCAA

Who is eligible: Spouses of service members on active duty in pay grades E-1 to E-5, W-1 to W-2 and O-1 to O-2 who can start and complete their coursework while their military sponsor is on Title 10 military orders, including spouses married to members of the National Guard and reserve component in these same pay grades.

Spouses can visit the MyCAA Spouse Portal and provide the required Spouse Profile information. A real-time DEERS eligibility check will confirm if spouses meet MyCAA eligibility requirements. Once confirmed, spouses can move forward and establish a MyCAA Account. Those who do not pass this check will be provided additional guidance.

The MyCAA Scholarship pays tuition costs for education and training courses and examinations leading to an associate degree (excluding associate degrees in General Studies, Liberal Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies that do not have a concentration). The scholarship also covers the costs for obtaining a license, certificate or certification at an accredited college, university or technical school in the United States or approved testing organization that expands employment or portable career opportunities for military spouses.

Scholarships for military children http://www.collegescholarships.org/scholarships/family.htm and http://www.militaryscholar.org/