How Much of My Schooling Does A MyCAA Grant Cover?

The cost of secondary schooling has been on the rise for decades. As a result, many students find themselves drowning in student loan debt upon graduating from college. Other students seek out more affordable routes to a career but are still faced with paying for certification courses.

For military spouses seeking a portable career, financial assistance can be obtained through the My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) Grant. The MyCAA Grant is a scholarship program funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and its purpose is to help spouses of active service members fund their portable career education.

What Does MyCAA Pay For?

MyCAA has a maximum, one-time payout of $4,000. This money can be used for a variety of educational expenses. These expenses must come from a MyCAA institution and must align with the spouse’s established career goal. The following list is expenses MyCAA will pay for:

• Associate’s Degree tuition: MyCAA will pay the tuition for most associate’s degree programs. Exceptions include Liberal Arts, Health Science, Social Science, Interdisciplinary Studies that don’t have a specific concentration, and General Studies.

• Continuing Education courses

• Licenses

• Certifications

• National Tests

What Career Fields Does MyCAA Pay For?

MyCAA will pay the tuition of many portable career fields. A few examples of booming career industries MyCAA will pay for include:

• Healthcare

• Information Technology (IT)

• Animal Services

• Education

• Legal

What Does MyCAA NOT Pay For?

MyCAA will not pay for anything that doesn’t relate to the spouse’s career goal, training program, or education program. MyCAA also doesn’t pay for college courses for bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, or doctorate programs. In addition, MyCAA grant won’t pay for:

• School Supplies (including all electronics, books, uniforms, and equipment)

• Extracurricular Activities

• Reimbursement

• Transportation

• Lodging

• Childcare

• Medical Services

Spouses can contact a career coach through Military OneSource for more information about what MyCAA can pay for. In addition, if a spouse is already enrolled in a program, their school’s financial aid office should be able to provide them with additional information about what expenses MyCAA will cover.

How Do I Apply For the MyCAA Grant?

Spouses can quickly check their MyCAA eligibility and apply by going to the MyCAA website. Upon going to the MyCAA website, spouses will complete the following steps to apply for the grant:

1. Create a spouse DS account or log in to their existing account.

2. Choose an approved MyCAA career program.

3. Choose an approved MyCAA school.

4. Using a career coach, create an Education Training Plan (ETP).

5. Complete the school’s application process and contact the admissions advisor.

6. Apply for MyCAA.

Begin an Educational Journey

With portable careers on the rise and online education making it easier than ever to get certifications while on the move, military spouses don’t have to sacrifice having a career of their own.

The MyCAA Grant will pay for the tuition for a plethora of exciting programs for in-demand careers. Applying for the grant is easy, and a career coach will walk them through the process to help guarantee their success.