If you’re a military spouse, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about military spouse education benefits like MyCAA.

MyCAA stands for My Career Advancement Account, an educational benefit designed specifically for spouses to use. The program offers up to a $4,000 grant, in $2,000 increments per fiscal year, for spouses who want education or training to land a job in high-growth, high-demand industries.

Other than providing free school money, there are several other MyCAA benefits for military spouses who use it.

Here are five of the biggest benefits:

1. Creates a Sense of Independence

The military lifestyle can be a lonely one, especially if you’re still learning your way around the military community. Unfortunately, deployments are a large part of military life and many spouses find themselves bored once their service member leaves. By going back to school and using your MyCAA benefit, you’ll keep busy with classes and then your new career upon program completion. Working will foster a sense of independence from your spouse while also passing the time while they’re away on a mission.

2. Reduces Out-of-Pocket Price

Many online certification programs cost less than the $4,000 MyCAA benefit, which means you’ll have zero out-of-pocket expenses. Some courses do cost a little more, but there are financial aid opportunities to help. In terms of military spouse benefits, this one tops the list for easy ways to improve your life at essentially no cost.

3. Provides a Quality Education

When you find a career you love, it’s nice to know it will be around for a long time. When you consider that MyCAA only pays for high-growth and in-demand jobs, there’s a feeling of built-in job security for your upcoming career. MyCAA sets big expectations for applicant schools. Part of the high standards include transparency to students, appropriate academic screening, proper course placement, and student support services.

Some other markers of a quality education include:

• Student Orientation: To set you up for success, you’ll be required to go through a first-time student orientation. This allows you to ask questions about your upcoming classes.

• Career Counseling: As you get closer to completing final coursework, finding a job is the next goal. An advisor will work one-on-one with you to discuss employment goals.

4. Allows You to Study Anywhere, Anytime

The beauty of online education is it’s flexible and you can do it anywhere at any time as long as you have the internet. Most MyCAA-eligible programs are available online. Whether you can only study at night or in small increments throughout the day, by using a MyCAA benefit through an online program, you can essentially create your own school schedule.

5. Starts Your Career Faster

MyCAA is the easiest way for military spouses to fund and kickstart a new career. If you’re not interested in a traditional degree, a certification program may be for you. Certification programs tend to be much shorter (weeks instead of years) and much less costly as well.

Use Military Spouse Education Benefits Wisely

While the military offers plenty of great benefits, MyCAA is one of the best for military spouses in particular. Unlike the GI Bill, you cannot share this benefit, and you can’t use it once your spouse is discharged from the military. Additionally, you won’t want to use this benefit without putting thought into your program selection as you only get one chance to use it.

After carefully selecting your school, connect with an advisor to approve your education plan. With a clear path in mind, you’ll set yourself up for the most success by using your MyCAA benefit to discover a career you love.

Current Service Members and Veterans

While MyCAA is a great option for military spouses, there are many options for service members and veterans. This article provides an overview of the options available to you for consolidating your debt, what you should do before you deploy, and how you can deal with debt as a Veteran.