Are you worried that your spouse’s GI bill will be used if you ask for MyCAA funding? Well, that’s not true at all! This program is separate from the GI bill and other benefits that your spouse receives. It was designed for military spouses alone. Under the MyCAA program, you can receive up to $4000 in tuition assistance that can be used over 3 years. The training you will pursue must be a licensure, certificate or Associate’s degree. You can use this money to pay for tuition as well as licensing and certification exams; however, it cannot be used to pay for books, supplies, computers, or childcare services.
You won’t have to compete with others for MyCAA funding. It is an entitlement program, which means that you are allowed to use the funding if you meet the eligibility requirements. That’s all! No letters of recommendation, no written essays. You must be the spouse of an active duty service member in pay grades E-1 to E-5, W-1 to W-2, or O-1 to O-2 (even if you are a spouse married to members of the National Guard and Reserve Components in these pay grades), and you must be able to start and finish your coursework while your spouse is on Title 10 military orders.
Programs available under MyCAA are available across a huge list of eligible programs. There are almost 3000 approved schools on the list already, and if your school doesn’t qualify, you can always submit their name for approval. When you choose a concentration of major for an Associate’s degree, there has to be a specific course of study attached to it. For example, you can choose General Studies – Nursing, not just General Studies alone.
Getting MyCAA funding is not a complicated process, and should not take more time than any other application process you might go through. If you are signed up with an empathetic school like CareerStep, an Academic Advisor can help you through the process, step by step. You can also click on this link to get direct access to the MyCAA portal online: https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa/. When you log in, you can create your own education plan, and apply for financial aid once the program has been approved. At the very latest, it will take you two weeks to hear back; though in our experience, you can expect to hear from them sooner.
If you don’t finish the course you signed up for, or for some reason, failed it, don’t stress about paying back the funding you received. Your access to remaining MyCAA funds will be put on hold until you speak with a college counselor, but you will not be required to pay any of the funds back. MyCAA should not be treated as a free ride, so remember that there are many others out there without the access to MyCAA funds unlike you that wished they could have what you did.
Author Bio :
Nancy is a 36-year old stay at home mom of two. She worked as a medical assistant for five years before taking a break to be with her children. Her experience as a medical assistant gave her valuable insights in to the medical transcription industry, which she likes to share with others through her writing. Medical transcription training often finds mention in her writings. Being an SAHM, Nancy is a huge exponent of vocational training programs that provide women like her the power to be their own boss. Her other interests include gardening and baking. She stays with her husband and two daughters.