MyCAA Funding: $4,000 Scholarship for Eligible Spouses
With the end of the government shutdown, the MyCAA program is again approving new applications for financial aid—making it a perfect time to talk a little bit about this education-funding program.
The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program is in no way meant to be the end-all-be-all of military spouse education funding. Administered by the Department of Defense, MyCAA has some very specific goals and limitations.
Career-Focused
The goal of the MyCAA program is to help military spouses get good jobs—as soon as possible. With the aim of helping spouses get jobs now, MyCAA funding only covers associate degrees, certificate programs, and licensures. These programs tend to be very career-oriented, focusing on teaching the knowledge and skills individuals will need to do a very specific job, which increases a spouse’s chance of successfully working after graduation.
Targets Specific Pay Grades
The MyCAA program is available to spouses of service members in pay grades E1-E5, W1-W2, and O1-O2. Prior to 2010, there were no rank restrictions, but when MyCAA was brought back in October, 2010, after being re-evaluated, the rank restrictions were implemented with the goal of increasing the likelihood that the funding is going to those who needed it most.
Available for Select Programs
MyCAA funding can only be used for select programs. In order to use MyCAA toward your tuition, your school and program of study have to be approved. This is intended to make sure that your course of study will prepare you for a career that will have job opportunities nationwide. The Department of Defense started the MyCAA program to help spouses get jobs, but they want to ensure you’re using the money to train for a job that will have opportunities no matter where they move you with your service member. Good industries to consider if you’re using MyCAA funding include healthcare, technology, and administration.
If you qualify for MyCAA funding, consider using this benefit to get the training you need to start a meaningful career in a field with opportunities nationwide. It’s an excellent opportunity that many others would be incredibly grateful for. If you’d like more information on the MyCAA program, including answers to many of MyCAA myths, download Career Step’s free MyCAA ebook.
