Updated
SUPPORT FOR YOUR SITUATION

Military Spouse & Dependent Education Benefits

Military-family education routes are not interchangeable. SpouseWorks, formerly MyCAA, supports eligible spouse credentials under its current service/orders rules. Chapter 35 DEA is for qualifying dependent or survivor events and pays according to the person’s training/enrollment case. State benefits can add separate relationship/residence requirements. Start with who is applying and the actual qualifying benefit before choosing a school or adding amounts.

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Named starting points to compare

NATIONAL RESOURCE

SpouseWorks Scholarship (formerly MyCAA)

Up to $4,000 for eligible licenses, certifications, associate degrees or required credential-maintenance courses; not an automatic personal award.
As of Oct 16, 2026 · Military OneSource ↗

Condition to check first

Be an eligible spouse of the listed active-duty, Guard or reserve branches under qualifying Title 10 orders.
As of Oct 16, 2026 · Military OneSource ↗

Application timing

Confirm individual approval/application timing through the account or coach; no year-specific closing day is stated here.
As of Oct 16, 2026 · Military OneSource ↗
NATIONAL RESOURCE

VA Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (Chapter 35)

Paid directly to the eligible student. For October 1, 2026–September 30, 2027, full-time college/noncollege study is up to $1,621 per full month; lower loads, partial months and training categories differ. Entitlement is generally up to 36 months for training starting August 1, 2018 onward, versus up to 45 for earlier starts.

Condition to check first

A qualifying event can include service-connected permanent total disability/death, line-of-duty death, specified capture/missing/detention over 90 days, or the stated disability-treatment/discharge route. VA determines the actual dependent/survivor case.

Application timing

Apply through VA and meet the approved school/training timetable. Personal use periods depend on qualifying events and relationship rules; no universal year-specific application closing date is published here.
NATIONAL RESOURCE

NPower Tech Fundamentals

Free virtual IT training, certification opportunities and career support; internship opportunities vary.
As of Oct 15, 2026 · NPower ↗

Condition to check first

Young-adult route: ages 18–26, high-school diploma or equivalent, U.S. work authorization and a listed market.
As of Oct 15, 2026 · NPower ↗

Application timing

Applications are considered on a rolling basis; ask the regional team about the next class.
As of Oct 15, 2026 · NPower ↗

Where to start

STEP 1

Identify the person and qualifying event

An ordinary spouse credential programme differs from a survivor/dependent benefit. For DEA, marriage or parentage alone is insufficient: the service-member/veteran event, relationship and personal use rules must qualify. State child/spouse benefits can have another set of conditions.

STEP 2

Check the programme and approval process

SpouseWorks directs applicants through its account and career coach. DEA needs VA application, an approved school/training programme and school certification, followed by enrollment verification. A school marketing a military benefit cannot determine VA entitlement.

STEP 3

Separate payment rate, use period and remaining costs

DEA’s monthly payment depends on load/type and may be prorated; a newer unlimited use-time window does not mean unlimited funded months. SpouseWorks has a capped benefit for specified study. Review any benefit-combination choice and actual award before budgeting.

Programs explicitly serving this audience

10 of 10 options
Free type
Kansas Promise Act Scholarship
KS
Free-college programsCovers eligible tuition, required fees, books/materials after other gift aid, up to 68 funded credits or $20,000 lifetime, whichever comes first. Eligible four-year providers have a two-year public-cost cap for the same field.
Source ↗ · 2026-10-16
Spring 2027 application deadline: March 1, 2027. The listed Summer/Fall 2026 deadlines have passed; the application can close earlier if funds are exhausted.Free if eligible
NPower Tech Fundamentals
National option
Workforce trainingFree virtual IT training, certification opportunities and career support; internship opportunities vary.
Source ↗ · 2026-10-15
Applications are considered on a rolling basis; ask the regional team about the next class.Free if eligible
Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (OTAG)
OK
Grants & scholarshipsThe student guide lists annual maxima of $1,500 at eligible community/career-technology institutions, $2,000 at regional universities and $3,000 at research universities, also capped at 75% of enrollment costs. The 2026–27 table has school-specific full/part/less-than-half-time figures; private/tribal and individual technology schools differ.
Source ↗ · 2026-10-16
Submit FAFSA as early as possible for best consideration; selection and funding depend on the participating campus. The reviewed student page provides no single statewide year-specific final deadline.Free if eligible
Per Scholas New Jersey IT Support
NJ
Workforce trainingThe course advertises 12 weeks of no-cost IT-support training and preparation for CompTIA A+, Google and Microsoft credentials. Live classes are full-time; confirm the exact covered exam/voucher attempts in your offer.
Source ↗ · 2026-10-16
Next listed deadline: November 16, 2026 for the November 30, 2026–March 9, 2027 Newark class. Other rows have separate dates and formats; current places and eligibility require admissions confirmation.Free if eligible
Per Scholas technology training
National option
Workforce trainingEligible learners receive no-cost immersive technology training and career preparation. In-person, hybrid and remote formats vary by programme; all are live and attendance-based. This is training support, not guaranteed wages or a job.
Source ↗ · 2026-10-16
Select the actual course/campus and its current cohort dates. The general admissions page does not establish one national closing date.Free if eligible
Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)
National option
Grants & scholarshipsAt the maximum benefit level, VA covers public in-state tuition and fees. Housing, books and other approved education or training support have separate conditions; private and foreign tuition is capped.
Source ↗ · 2026-10-16
Benefits generally expire 15 years after the last separation if service ended before January 1, 2013. For service ending on or after that date, the page says they do not expire.Free if eligible
Rhode Island Educational Opportunity Center
RI
Student support servicesFree confidential one-to-one help choosing a college/training programme, completing admission/FAFSA applications, finding scholarships, resolving student-loan issues and accessing admission/transfer fee waivers. This is a service, not a fixed tuition award.
Source ↗ · 2026-10-16
Appointment-based; contact the centre for current hours and availability. No universal student application closing day is published on the local page.Free if eligible
SpouseWorks Scholarship (formerly MyCAA)
National option
Workforce trainingUp to $4,000 for eligible licenses, certifications, associate degrees or required credential-maintenance courses; not an automatic personal award.
Source ↗ · 2026-10-16
Confirm individual approval/application timing through the account or coach; no year-specific closing day is stated here.Free if eligible
Texas Hazlewood Act
TX
Tuition waiversUp to 150 credit hours of tuition exemption and most fees at Texas public higher-education institutions for qualifying veterans or qualifying family branches. Living expenses, books and supply fees are excluded; the college makes the final eligibility decision.
Source ↗ · 2026-10-16
Institution-specific packet and continued-enrollment deadlines. Use the college’s own steps and timing.Free if eligible
VA Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (Chapter 35)
National option
Grants & scholarshipsPaid directly to the eligible student. For October 1, 2026–September 30, 2027, full-time college/noncollege study is up to $1,621 per full month; lower loads, partial months and training categories differ. Entitlement is generally up to 36 months for training starting August 1, 2018 onward, versus up to 45 for earlier starts.
Source ↗ · 2026-10-16
Apply through VA and meet the approved school/training timetable. Personal use periods depend on qualifying events and relationship rules; no universal year-specific application closing date is published here.Free if eligible

Amounts are conditional. National options are pathways to investigate, not confirmation that a local provider has an opening.

These sources explicitly name or serve the audience. A program may serve other audiences too, and may impose additional conditions.

Questions before you apply

Is the old MyCAA pay-grade restriction still the current rule?

The reviewed official SpouseWorks benefit page now describes all ranks/pay grades under qualifying service/orders conditions. Check the current account/coach determination rather than using a historical pay-grade list.

Does every military spouse qualify for Chapter 35?

No. DEA requires specified dependent/survivor circumstances, with event-date and relationship conditions. SpouseWorks is a separate route; one programme’s eligibility does not confer the other’s benefit.

Does no DEA use-time limit mean payments forever?

No. Personal time windows and funded entitlement months are separate. Current rates also vary by training/load and partial enrollment months. Read the VA determination and approved programme’s certification requirements.