Military Wives: MyCAA Funding For Education

The step-by-step guide to enrolling in a school using your MyCAA funding

By Frida Cooper

Military wives, we’re talking to you. Do you ever think about the possibility of having your own stable career one day? Most of the time, military spouses make their peace with the fact that their lives involve constant moving around and that a stable career could be quite a challenge. But, as much as it might surprise you, over the years it has gotten a lot easier for military spouses to enjoy successful careers. There are numerous career options, institutes that give you the necessary training to have a successful career and plenty of funding and scholarship options to pay for this training should you need it. One such funding option is the Military Spouse Career Advancement Account or MyCAA funding. Here’s what you need to know about the MyCAA and enrolling in a MyCAA approved school.

What is the MyCAA?

The MyCAA program is a career development and employment assistance program designed to help spouses of both activated Reserve and active duty service members pursue licenses, certifications, Associate degrees and career training programs from MyCAA approved schools in order to find employment in portable career fields and occupations.

What does MyCAA pay for?

MyCAA offers up to $4000 towards tuition costs for training courses and programs offered by MyCAA approved schools in the country that will result in gainful employment upon completion of the course/ program.

Great, how do you get started?! By following these 3 basic steps:

Step 1: Determining whether you’re eligible for MyCAA funding

Spouses of service members on active duty in pay grades E-1 to E-5, W-1 to W-2 and O-1 to O-2 who can start and complete their education while their military spouse is still on Title 10 military orders, as well as spouses married to members of the National Guard and Reserve Components in the same pay grades are eligible for MyCAA funding.

Step 2: Creating a MyCAA account

You’ll need to create a MyCAA account in order to be eligible for MyCAA funding. You can do this by visiting the MyCAA website. Once this information is submitted, MyCAA will verify spouse DEERS benefit eligibility. If you’re eligible, you can move on to creating a Career and Training Plan.

Step 3: Finding a MyCAA approved school

This is the part where the military spouse researches MyCAA approved schools and programs of their interest. You could apply to a school in your approved MyCAA Career and Training plan. Here is a list of MyCAA approved programs by State so you can look for an institute closest to where you’re stationed. But that’s not the only option you have. You can even choose to pursue an online training program at a MyCAA approved school such as Career Step should you prefer it.  Once you’ve found a program you like, you might make a request for financial assistance when you course is set to start within 30 days.

MyCAA has made it possible for military spouses to pursue an education which has helped them find successful, fulfilling careers all across the country. You, too, can have a career you’re proud of. It only takes 3 simple steps!