DOD Expands Military Spouse Scholarship Eligibility

The Defense Department expanded scholarship eligibility for military spouses as part of its commitment to take care of service members and their families.

Spouses of service members up to pay grades E-6 and O-3 in active-duty status can now apply for the My Career Advancement Account Scholarship, which provides up to $4,000 in financial aid. Spouses of service members W-1 and W-2 are also eligible for MyCAA. Previously, the pay grade cap was E-5 and O-2.

This initiative expands eligibility for the MyCAA Scholarship to a limited number of military spouses of active-duty service members serving in grades E-6 to O-3. The first 1,250 approved applicants will receive MyCAA financial assistance based on available funding.

MyCAA is a workforce development program that provides financial assistance to eligible military spouses. It helps pay for licenses, certifications, national testing, certain continuing education credits or associate degrees to pursue an occupation or career field. DOD’s Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program offers MyCAA as one of the suite of services that connects military spouses with education and career opportunities.

“We know that cost is often a barrier for spouses in seeking the necessary credentials to achieve their career goals,” said Patricia Montes Barron, deputy assistant secretary of defense for Military Community and Family Policy. “Expanding pay grade eligibility for MyCAA will better the academic and career footing for military spouses, allowing them to advance in their careers while contributing to the financial stability of their families.”

The pay grade expansion aligns with Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s commitment to expand employment opportunities for military spouses.

More information about MyCAA and all of the services available to support military spouses is available at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/education-employment/for-spouses/mycaa-scholarship.

About Military Community and Family Policy

Military Community and Family Policy is directly responsible for establishing and overseeing quality-of-life policies and programs that help our service members, their families and survivors be well and mission-ready. Military OneSource is the gateway to programs and services that support the everyday needs of the 5.2 million service members and immediate family members of the military community. These DOD services can be accessed 24/7/365 around the world.

About Spouse Education and Career Opportunities

Spouse Education and Career Opportunities. The DOD established the SECO program to provide education and career guidance to military spouses worldwide, offering free, comprehensive resources and tools to help them meet their career and educational goals. This program also offers free career coaching services six days a week.