I'm starting to look into the Air Force and college. I was curious if anyone knew what the financial aid package from the military pays for? Does it only cover tuition or are there other expenses they'd help with?
The range of expenses covered by military financial aid for Air Force members can be quite extensive, but it often highly depends on the specific aid program you enter.
Tuition Assistance (TA) program is one of the financial aid programs for active-duty personnel, including those in the Air Force. It covers up to $250 per semester credit hour, and up to $4500 per fiscal year. This aid is primarily intended to cover tuition expenses related to your education while serving.
Next, the GI Bill benefits can be used while you're in service, or saved for afterwards. If you choose the Post-9/11 GI Bill, benefits can be used to cover not only tuition and fees, but also housing (depending on the level of study, the school, and the location) and books & supplies (up to $1,000 per year).
ROTC scholarships are another path to explore. These scholarships can cover full tuition and fees, provide an allowance for books and supplies, and even a monthly stipend. Just bear in mind they usually come with a required service obligation after graduation.
If you join the Air Guard or Reserve, you'll have access to the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) and the Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) benefits, both of which can help cover education expenses.
In some cases, you may even be able to transfer unused GI Bill benefits to dependents, which can help if you have family members looking to get an education too.
Remember to carefully review each program's requirements and commitments to make an informed decision that best suits your situation.
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