For some military people, the end of their career in the army is not the end of them being involved in the pursuit of a challenging life. Some of them may want to achieve more and pursue higher degrees of learning. This is why there are a lot of former military personnel applying for graduate school programs. If you are a former military staff and you are interested in pursuing graduate studies, here’s a short guide for you:
Why pursuing a graduate degree is an excellent option
Pursuing a graduate study offers a lot of rewards. It can give you the necessary training, knowledge, and skills that you can actually use to pursue other career options in the future. In graduate school, you can learn a lot of things that could help you make your career and life better. Aside form this, it can keep you busy and occupied for quite a while.
Things that could aid you in your graduate studies
Attending graduate school can be costly. However, if you are a former military personnel, financial assistance is available to you. There is the GI Bill that provides financial assistance to former military people. Qualified personnel have benefits for education such as pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree, cooperative training program, or an accredited training program at a college, university, or any training facility.
Some scholarships for military veterans include the Tillman Military Scholarships and Scholarships for Military Children. You can find more information about these on the national resource directory website.
Scholarships are not only given to military people in service. There are also a lot of programs that support veterans. So if you are a former military personnel, there are other opportunities that you can explore by getting a graduate degree through scholarship grants and financial aids.
If you want quality graduate school education, then you would really need money. This is because dealing with graduate school expenses can be challenging for students, especially for those whose families aren’t earning much. But does this mean that quality graduate school education cannot be accessible to the financially underprivileged?
The answer is NO. With strong motivation, strategic financial planning, and institutions granting financial aid in the form of loans and scholarships, practically anybody can stand a chance in graduate school.
Here are some of the financial aid opportunities available for graduate school students:
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Funded by the government, FAFSA is accessible to students of graduate schools participating in the said project. FAFSA applicants are usually evaluated based on factors such as a student’s financial condition and eligibility for aid.
In-house financial aid programs
If you happen to be in a university that is not a participant of FAFSA, you can check out the school’s in-house student financial aid programs. Schools usually offer financial aid opportunities that students can avail of, though such opportunities may depend on the graduate school program that one is enrolled in.
Private schools usually ask for additional requirements such as graduate school admission essays, where students have the opportunity to explain or describe their financial and economic condition. To help you out, there are sample graduate school essays online.
There are some graduate schools that tie-up with other financial aid institutions instead of offering in-house financial aid. Here are some funding organizations that offer financial grants and scholarships to graduate school students:
Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS)
GMS, initially an offshoot of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, aims to give financial assistance to students belonging to racial minorities. It aims to increase these target groups’ representation in different academic disciplines. Granting scholarships since 1999, GMS has already aided more than 12,000 students financially.
American Association for University Women (AAUW)
The AAUW Educational Foundation is a financial aid institution for women of all religions, races, and socio-economic backgrounds.
Ford Foundation
This foundation offers financial grants and scholarships to students of certain graduate school programs in Engineering, History, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, and others.
Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation
This foundation gives grants to graduate school students in the field of public service. They offer up to $30,000 of financial aid, as well as fellowships and leadership trainings.
NASA Aeronautics Scholarship Program
This program is accessible to students of graduate school programs under the fields of Engineering such as Aeronautics, Aeronautical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical and Electric Engineering, and others. NASA ASP beneficiaries are entitled to grants of up to $11,000 in a school year, as well as a yearly stipend amounting to $35,000.
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