-
MilLife Topics
- Military Basics
- Deployment
- Transitioning & Retiring
- Casualty Assistance
- Moving & PCS
- Housing & Living
- Recreation, Travel & Shopping
- Relationships
- Parenting
- Special Needs
- Health & Wellness
- Safety From Violence & Abuse
- Financial & Legal
- Education & Employment
- I am a…
- Benefits & Resources
- Benefits
- Back to Menu
- View Benefits Finder
- View Benefits Finder
- Moving
- Military OneSource Services
- Planning & Prevention
- Discounts & Perks
- Pay & Leave
- Education & Employment
- Recreation
- Family & Child Care
- Relationships
- Health Care & Emotional Well-being
- Retirement
- Assistance Programs
- Housing
- Shopping
- Legal
- Travel
- Popular Benefits
- MilTax
- Space-A Travel
- DOD MWR Libraries
- Resources
- Back to Menu
- View Resources Finder
- View Resources Finder
- MilLife Guides
- Military OneSource Network Websites
- Podcasts
- Government Websites
- Webinars
- External Websites
- Directories & Tools
- Online Learning
- Mobile Apps
- Popular Resources
- MilitaryINSTALLATIONS
- Plan My Move
- Moving Personal Property
- DPS Login
- Other Resources
- Data, Research & Statistics
- Products
- Back to Menu
- View Products Finder
- View Products Finder
- Popular Product Types
- Books and Booklets
- Fact Sheets
- Brochures and Cards
- Flyers
- Educational Items
- Posters and Banners
- Popular Products
- National Veterans and Military Families Month Fact Sheet
- Skills for Coping With Change Book
- Healthy Tips to Get Your Family Cooking Book
- Emergency Preparedness Guide
- Chill Drills 2 – Releasing Stress
- Confidential Help
24/7/365 Access to Support
No matter where you serve or live, free and confidential help is available.
- In Crisis?
- Veterans/Military Crisis Line
- Back to Menu
- Veterans/Military Crisis Line
- PhoneLive ChatInternationalWebsite
Dial 988 then press 1 or text 838255
- National Domestic Violence Hotline
- Back to Menu
- National Domestic Violence Hotline
- PhoneLive ChatText
Call 800-799-SAFE (7233)
Text “START” to 88788
- DOD Safe Helpline - Sexual Assault Support
- Back to Menu
- DOD Safe Helpline - Sexual Assault Support
- PhoneLive ChatWebsite
Call 877-995-5247
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
- Back to Menu
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
- PhoneLive ChatTTY
Call 988
Use your preferred relay service, or dial 711 then 988
- Domestic Abuse Victim Advocate Locator - Family Advocacy Program
- Back to Menu
- Domestic Abuse Victim Advocate Locator - Family Advocacy Program
- Interactive Tool
In the United States, call 911 if you are in an emergency.
For those outside the United States, call your local emergency number.
- 800-342-9647
- Call Us OCONUS
- Call Us TTY/TDD
- Live Chat
- About Us
- Browse By Program/Office
- Casualty & Mortuary Affairs
- Child & Youth Advocacy
- Child & Youth Programs
- Commissary, Military Exchange & Lodging
- Family Advocacy Program
- Military Community Support Programs
- Military & Family Life Counseling
- Military Family Readiness Programs
- Military Funeral Honors
- Morale, Welfare & Recreation (MWR)
- Office of Special Needs
- Personnel Accountability & Evacuations Operations
- Spouse Education & Career Opportunities
-
Contact Military OneSource
Information and support for service members and their families. About the Call Center.
- 800-342-9647
- Call Us OCONUS
- Call Us TTY/TDD
- Additional Ways to Contact Us
ARTICLEWhat Service Members Should Know When Choosing a College
3 minute read • June 26, 2024Thinking about college? You already have the discipline it takes to pursue higher education. From big universities to small colleges, you have plenty of options, and each has something unique to offer. Here’s how to compare college options and find the right institution for your education goals.
Things to consider about college
Look beyond the beautiful lawns and libraries in all those college brochures. You need to balance the cost and logistics of going to school with what you want to accomplish with your degree. There’s a right fit for you and your priorities.
- Tuition and costs: While most schools offer tuition assistance to service members, certain institutions can be more affordable, like in-state or public universities. Private schools, on the other hand, can be costly. To reduce the amount of debt you graduate with, research each school’s tuition and financial aid offerings carefully.
- Courses and programs: Some schools specialize in certain areas of study, such as engineering or nursing. If you have a specific area of focus that you want to pursue, narrow down your choices to schools with good reputations for those programs. If you’re considering graduate school or a higher professional degree, look into which schools offer those specific fields of study to help you make the next transition to graduate school.
- Location: Choosing a nearby state school or local private college can allow you to stay in your current location and commute from home to class. By enrolling in evening or weekend classes you could continue to work or maintain your status in the services.
How to choose
Once you know your college goals, these tools can help you find the right fit for your needs.
- The College Navigator lets you search through over 7,000 schools. Compare location, tuition, courses and financial aid information for universities and colleges nationwide. You can even save searches to a spreadsheet to revisit and revise your list.
- The Defense Department’s Tuition Assistance Program provides access to TA Decide, which has information on tuition costs at over 2,600 schools eligible to receive military tuition assistance. Compare costs, fees, grants, GI Bill® and other financial aid opportunities.
- Search the Defense Department’s Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding site to see which schools are participating in the federal Tuition Assistance program.
There are so many resources for service members to find the right college or university at the right cost, no matter where you live or what you hope to study. Military OneSource is here to help you start the next chapter. Call 800-342-9647 anytime to schedule a specialty consultation with one of our education professionals. OCONUS/International? View calling options.
Learn about military bases worldwide. Get installation overviews, check-in procedures, housing, neighborhood information, contacts for programs and services, photos and more.
Your session will expire in 5 minutes.Click "Extend" below to stay logged in.
This site is for testing purposes only.If you are part of the general public, navigate to the public site. This site is solely for testing and approving site pages before they are released to the general public.