MyCAA Scholarship Program

What is the MyCAA Scholarship Program?

The spouses of our soldiers are one of our nation’s greatest resources, but unfortunately many don’t realize there are education benefits programs created especially for them. The MyCAA is a career development and employment assistance program that is sponsored by the Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO) program within the Department of Defense (DoD).

MyCAA is designed to help military spouses pursue certificates, licenses, certifications, and Associate Degrees required for employment in portable career fields and occupations that are in high demand.

What does MyCAA Offer?

MyCAA exists to help military spouses reach their career and education goals. To accomplish this, it must provide more than simply financial assistance. There are other facets to this program that you don’t want to miss out on.

Here are three useful program features.

1. Training and Education Financial Assistance

The MyCAA program provides a maximum education benefit of up to $4,000, with an annual cap of $2,000. (If there is an upfront tuition cost that exceeds $2,000, annual cap waivers are available, provided the total does not exceed the maximum education benefit of $4,000.) This funding is to help eligible military spouses acquire a professional credential to meet their portable career goal.

2. Employment Assistance and Career Services

The assistance continues after program completion. Spouses who have completed their programs using MyCAA funding and are ready for employment can receive referrals to networks of military-friendly employers. The Education and Career Counselors at Military OneSource can help you explore career options.

3. Employment Readiness Counseling

All military spouses who are married to active duty servicemembers of all ranks can receive counseling services for employment readiness. This is available regardless of the spouse’s eligibility to receive MyCAA financial assistance and whether they wish to pursue higher education or not. These counseling services assist military spouses in locating additional financial assistance from local, state and federal sources.

Who is Eligible for MyCAA?

The MyCAA workforce development scholarship is not available for everyone, not even all military spouses are eligible. So, who is eligible for this funding?

Spouses of active duty servicemembers in pay grades E-1 to E-5, W-1 to W-2, and O-1 to O-2 who are able to start and finish their coursework while their military sponsor is on Title 10 orders, including spouses married to members of the Reserve and National Guard and Components in these same pay grades are eligible for MyCAA.

Who is Not Eligible?

Those who are not eligible include:

• Spouses married to servicemembers in pay grades E-6 and above, W-3 and above and O-3 and above.
• Spouses who are a member of the armed forces themselves currently on Title 10 orders.
• Spouses who are married but legally separated (or under court order or statute of any state or U.S. territory) from a servicemember of the armed forces on Title 10 orders.
• Spouses whose National Guard/reserve component military sponsor is in a Warning Orders/Alert, Post Deployment/Demobilization or Transition Status.
• Spouses married to a member of the Coast Guard.
• Spouses unable to begin and finish coursework while their military sponsor is on Title 10 orders.

What Does MyCAA Pay For?

The MyCAA scholarship covers tuition costs for training and education courses and exams that lead to an Associate’s Degree (excluding Associate’s Degrees in Liberal Arts, General Studies, and Interdisciplinary Studies that don’t have a concentration), license, or certification at an accredited university, college, or technical school in the US or approved testing organization that is expanding portable career or employment opportunities for spouses of military servicemembers.

While the MyCAA scholarship for military spouses may cover some of your tuition, it will not cover all expenses associated with your education. When you are researching programs, make sure you ask about any fees that may not be covered.

Here are some things the program will not pay for:

• Reimbursements of any kind
• Academic credit obtained by proficiency exam (CLEP)
• Student events, activities or entertainment
• Private licenses
• Uniforms, books, supplies, equipment, computers or electronic devices
• Entrance examinations
• Courses taken more than once, unless MyCAA has received a full refund from the school
• Ungraded and non-academic courses
• Housing, daycare, transportation or medical services
• Tests, fees or courses that are typically paid by an employer as a part of job training

For more information, visit https://mycaa.militaryonesource.mil/mycaa/

Researching MyCAA Program Options

If reading about this program for military wives and husbands has gotten you excited about finding program options, don’t worry. Here we’ve broken down the steps to finding approved program options.

1. Think About What Kind of School Suits You

With so many options to choose from, you’ll need to narrow it down. Figure out what you need from school. The MyCAA programs list is vast. You won’t have trouble finding a program when there are so many to choose from. Some will require you to physically attend classes, and some will be available entirely online. Many students in military families find the flexibility offered by online courses fits their needs and lifestyles.

2. Locate a School that Meets Your Needs

Once you know what you want and need, start finding the schools that fit. You will find hundreds of schools that the MyCAA military spouse program is compatible with. Are you going to be in a different time zone than most other students? Do you need a career that will be able to provide no matter where you end up? These are some considerations you should make when looking for MyCAA approved schools.

3. Contact an Admissions Advisor

Admissions advisors are great resources for completing the MyCAA funding process. Applying for this educational assistance is a unique process and they are familiar with it. You want to make sure you complete all the required steps for the grant in the simplest way possible. Advisors will know what to do and when to do it.

4. Get Your Education Plan Approved

Now that you have picked the school that best fits your military family lifestyle, work with the admissions department to enroll. The school will provide you with an Educational Plan that your education counselor will review and approve to authorize your funding.