The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts, or MyCAA, is among the many ways on how the US government gives back to its service men. This program under the Department of Defense (DOD) provides up to $4,000 in tuition assistance to spouses of active duty service men and women and enables them to enroll in accredited MyCAA schools and course they want to pursue, as long as it’s included in the MyCAA programs.

How do spouses know they are eligible in the first place ? What courses are available and what is covered by the grant? We’ll discuss those and more in this post.

Who is eligible for MyCAA’s military spouse tuition assistance?

Those who are eligible for MyCAA are the following:

1. Spouses of active duty service members in pay grade E1 to E-5, W-1 to W-2, and O-1 to O-2

2. Spouses who would like to start and complete their course while the military sponsor is on Title 10 military orders

Spouses of National Guard and Reserve Components members are eligible, except those on Warning Orders/Alert, Post Deployment/Demobilization or Transition Status.

Note though that spouses of Coast Guard members are not eligible for the program. Also spouses of above said members but are legally separated from an Armed Forces member on Title 10 order are not eligible for the program.

What does MyCAA cover?

The programoffers tuition assistance for courses,trainings, certifications, and licensure examinations for Certificate Programsand Associate degrees, with the exception of General Studies,Liberal Arts, and Interdisciplinary Studies.

Further, MyCAAdoes not cover:

Courses already being currently taken by the military spouse or which have been completed

Preparatory courses for college level entrance examinations, comprehensive exams and such

Courses that are part of an employer’s job training program

Non-academic credit or ungraded courses, including internship, practicum,apprenticeship or clinical supervision

Non-academic credit or ungraded orientation programs

Courses taken more than one time, unless MyCAA has received a full refund from the school

Personal enrichment courses, excluding academic credit/graded electives in an approved MyCAA Spouse Education and Training Plan

Course extensions (except for approved hardship waivers)

Study Abroad Programs (excluding programs of study offered by participating MyCAA schools on overseas military installations)

High school completion programs

Continuing Education Credits taken for professional organization standing

Any course not included in the military spouse’s Education and Training Plan

What courses are available under MyCAA?

You can choose from several accredited MyCAA courses under  the following programs:

• Academic and Science
• Accounting & Economics
• Business programs
• Coaching and Counseling
• Computer Technology program
• Education and Children Programs
• Green and Sustainability
• Health and Fitness Programs
• Hospitality, Travel and Creative Programs
• Legal and Law Programs
• Medical and Healthcare Programs

Who are certificate programs for? Will I get hired with a MyCAA certificate course?

Certificate programs are suited for individuals who wish to finish a specific course early and/or  seek employment in their desired industry as soon as possible. A certificate program can help you obtain an entry-level position in a specific field.

Note though that programs, especially those that require licensure, may need specific requirements according to state regulations. If, for example, you will be taking a course in a university in Florida, ensure that you have checked state requirements for your chosen course.

What is the difference between an Associate and a Certificate Program?

Associate degrees and Certificate programs differ serve different purposes. Associate degrees are broader and may not need requirements as Certificate programs do,and people usually take them to gain credits for a Bachelor’s degree they plan to take later on. Certificate programs are more job-specific. Upon completion of the said program, states require licensure or National Certification exams for individuals to get employed. Certificate programs are enough for you to get employment.

Certificate programs are best for people who have specific skills that they can use for employment, such as coaching or IT skills. Unlike Associate’s, individuals in Certificate Programs do not need to learn other skills or theories aside from the ones in the course he tends to specialize in.

For medical and healthcare programs, they are all accredited by the National Healthcare Association (NHA). However, note that there are some Certificate programs that don’t require accreditation.

 

What schools are ECA partnered with?

We are partnered with reputable and renowned universities across the US,including:

•  Auburn University
• Bowling Green State University
• Clark State Community College
• Clemson University
• Columbia Southern University
• Montana State Universiy
• Ohio University
• Oregon State University
• St. Petersburg College
• University of Wisconsin La-Crosse
• University of Alaska-Fairbanks
• University of New Mexico
• Western Kentucky University

How will I know if the MyCAA schools and programs on ECA’s website are really accredited?

Finding out whether the schools and programs listed on our website is accredited by MyCAA or not is actually very easy. Simply visit the MyCAA official website at https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa and search for the school you want to enroll in.If it’s listed on both our site and on the MyCAA website, that means the school(and the program) is accredited.

Where do I begin?

On our website, www.educationformilspouse.com, you can search for different universities and programs that you want to study. You can use the search tab to key in any course you have in mind, or choose from the dropdown list on the upper left section of the homepage to view all programs and details information on all courses under each one. If you have found the one you want or if you have more questions on the program, fill out the inquiry form on the right hand corner of the page and our associates will get back to you within 24to 48 hours.

You can also email your inquiries to edu.support@edconsultingassociates.org, or message us via our Facebook page, https://web.facebook.com/ECAMyCAAInternational. We are always here to help.