WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY

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Graduate from a Nonprofit, Military-Friendly University

If you or your family member is in the military, or if you’re a veteran, you know that life for service members is uniquely challenging. With frequent moves, long workdays, short turnarounds between deployments, and even overseas time zones, it can feel like college is out of the question. At WGU, a degree is within reach, even for busy military families. We're proud to offer military-specific support, connection to benefits, and uniquely flexible degree programs, including an associate degree in cybersecurity, and bachelor's and master's programs in IT, business, education, and healthcare.

WGU has been recognized for our military friendliness for more than a decade. In fact, we're honored to receive the Military Friendly School designation for the 12th consecutive year, ranking as the #1 online school by Military Friendly® for 2022-2023. We also offer financial aid to make degrees even more accessible. In 2022, WGU awarded nearly $1 million in scholarships to military and veteran students and their families.

Military-focused. Enjoy personalized support from a Program Mentor and our Military Support Team.
Flexible. Complete coursework and even take tests at any time, day or night. Our degrees fit seamlessly with military life.
Accelerated. Don't waste time on stuff you already know. Pass assessments to speed up and earn your degree sooner.
Respected. WGU is fully accredited with curriculum designed by leading employers. Your degree will hold value.
Affordability. We're approved for VA benefits and tuition assistance. Tuition is so low that military benefits often cover the full cost of attending WGU.

Military Appreciation Scholarship Application Deadline: June 30, 2024

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Military Spouse Scholarship Application Deadline: June 30, 2024

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Other Scholarship Opportunities Application Deadline: Varies

View Military Scholarships

Military Tuition Assistance

The competency-based degree programs at WGU are approved for Military Tuition Assistance. This approval was granted after a rigorous review by the Department of Defense that affirmed the substantive quality of WGU programs and the comparability of WGU’s competency units to traditional credit hours.

Military personnel may apply for Tuition Assistance through their base education office or by other standard methods. Your Enrollment Counselor can direct you to the MTA team in Admissions or WGU’s Military Support Department to explain the process.

Learn more about how WGU serves military students through tuition assistance, and take a moment to look at what military scholarships are available for military personnel, veterans, and spouses.

Tuition Assistance Details for Each Service Branch

Tuition not to exceed $4,500 per fiscal year.

Both active-duty and Air Force reserves are eligible.

View the Air Force guide.

Tuition not to exceed $4,500 per fiscal year.

Active-duty, ARNG on active duty, and Army reserves are eligible.

View the Army guide.

Tuition not to exceed $4,500 per fiscal year.

Active-duty and Naval reserves in AD status are eligible.

View the Navy guide.

Tuition not to exceed $4,500 per fiscal year.

Only active-duty Marines are eligible.

View the Marines guide.

Tuition not to exceed $2,250 per fiscal year.

Active-duty and reserves in AD status are eligible.

View the Coast Guard guide.

Partnering with USNCC and CCAF

WGU partners with the U.S. Naval Community College (USNCC) and Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) to make it easier to earn an associate or bachelor's degree.

The USNCC has selected WGU to provide an Associate of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance. Through this program, you can earn a professional certificate in network and cyber defense foundations, along with six CompTIA IT certifications. WGU accepts the required USNCC courses as part of the requirements to earn the associate of science degree (15 of the 61 required competency units). Learn more here.

The Air University—Associate-to-Baccalaureate Cooperative (AU-ABC) program allows students who are currently receiving their associate degree from the Community College of the Air Force to jump into an eligible business or IT program at WGU. If you've earned an associate degree, you may be able to transfer credits toward a bachelor's degree in IT or business. See more information about eligible programs here.

Reach out to our transfer team for specific information on how your current credits can help you earn a degree from WGU.

GI Bill^® Education Benefits

All degree programs offered at Western Governors University are approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for all education benefits offered under the GI Bill®. Education benefit options are available for veterans and active-duty service members, dependents, and those with service in the National Guard and Reserves. Eligibility for benefits and the amounts available depend upon the service member's period of military service, years of service, and other factors.

Because of WGU's already-low tuition rates, most education benefits will generally more than cover the full cost of tuition, fees, and books. Check out the Net Price Calculator for an estimate of your costs.

After you are admitted to WGU, your Enrollment Counselor can direct you to WGU’s Military Support Department for specific instructions on completing the necessary paperwork.

Note: Forever GI Bill®– Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, signed into law August 2017. The new Forever GI Bill® offers significant changes to veterans’ education benefits. For example, it expands the number of veterans eligible to use the GI Bill® to include National Guardsmen, Reservists and those who received a Purple Heart post-9/11. It also eliminates the previous 15-year time limit for veterans who left active duty on or after January 1, 2013. The Forever GI Bill® requires applicants to have 90 days of active duty after September 10, 2001. Find out more at https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/forevergibill.asp.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered through Veterans Affairs is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

WGU has received the Military Friendly School designation for the 12th consecutive year. For 2024-2025, we have also been ranked as the #1 online school by Military Friendly.

Named among the “Top Military-Friendly Colleges and Universities” for 10 consecutive years.

Military FAQs

The GI Bill^® is very generous for WGU students. Most benefit chapters pay a monthly set amount directly to the student based on full-time, 3/4-time, or half-time enrollment in an undergraduate program. (Half-time benefits are considered to be 12 competency units—a standard full-time load for undergraduate students at WGU.) You can vary your attendance time from term to term. Graduate students will always qualify for full-time benefits when enrolled in the minimum requirement of 8 competency units. Post 9/11 benefits determined by a rate of pursuit calculation and not by full-time, 3/4-time, or half-time attendance.

Because any veterans’ benefits paid under any law administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is not considered income, it should not be reported on your application for financial aid as such. Submitting a FAFSA is necessary to know whether you qualify for a Pell Grant and/or student loans. Students utilizing Military Tuition Assistance funds must indicate this on their FAFSA as an additional resource toward their tuition cost, which may affect the amount of their award. Click here to learn more about or apply for financial aid.

After you have started your degree program and developed your personalized Degree Plan, the VA department at WGU will certify your program of study to Veterans Affairs. This is done by the last day of the first month of each term. You should receive your first benefit payment within five to eight weeks after a certification is submitted each term. You should then regularly receive a monthly payment after the last day of each month and your verification of attendance (if applicable). But first, you must apply to WGU and be admitted. And you will need to have received notice of your VA education benefit eligibility. WGU’s VA department can help you complete the necessary steps for attendance certification.

WGU does not award traditional “credits” directly for military experience, but an incoming student may have certain requirements waived when the military experience has been ACE-reviewed and applied directly to the WGU degree program. WGU can also waive requirements based upon DANTES and CLEP exams that match with WGU program requirements and meet minimum grading standards. A transcript review is required to determine exactly what can be waived. More importantly, everything you’ve learned that’s relevant to your degree program can potentially help you accelerate your degree. Talk to an Enrollment Counselor to get a detailed explanation. If you have served in any branch of the military, you should be able to obtain a military transcript. WGU’s VA department can direct you to the online resources to request it.

Post 9/11 (CH 33) benefits are paid differently than older chapters. Based on your entitlement, which is factored from your length of qualifying active-duty service, a percentage of your tuition and fees will be sent directly to the school. 100% entitlement will cover your tuition and fees completely each term you have remaining entitlement. You will also receive a monthly stipend sent directly to you if you are not on active duty or the spouse of an active-duty service member utilizing a transfer of entitlement. This payment is 50% of the amount paid to a student attending an on-campus school, multiplied by your rate of pursuit and percentage of entitlement. In an undergraduate program, 18 CUs is considered 100% pursuit, but you do not have to enroll in 18 CUs to get the benefit. 12–17 CUs will be paid at the corresponding lesser percentage. In a graduate program, 8 CUs is considered 100% pursuit. You will also receive a book stipend once each term up to the capped amount for your entitlement.

WGU is committed to helping servicemembers and their families with their career. Our Military and Veteran career resources range from career coaching to military skills translation.

For assistance with your VA Education Benefits or Military Tuition Assistance, contact Military Support or call 1-877-435-7948, ext. 3127.

Contact our Military Engagement team for information or questions about the CCAF AU-ABC Transfer Program

Contact WGU Military Engagement

Contact WGU Military Support

Accredited, Respected,
Recognized™

One important measure of a degree’s value is the reputation of the university where it was earned. When employers, industry leaders, and academic experts hold your alma mater in high esteem, you reap the benefits of that respect. WGU is a pioneer in reinventing higher education for the 21st century, and our quality has been recognized.