The Military Spouse Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) Scholarship is a workforce development program that provides up to $4,000 in educational funding to eligible military spouses.
The scholarship helps military spouses pursue licenses, certificates, certifications or associate degrees necessary to gain employment in high-demand, high-growth, portable career fields and occupations. Spouses may use their MyCAA funds at any academic institution approved for participation in the MyCAA Scholarship.
Who Is Eligible for MyCAA?
Spouses of service members on active duty in pay grades E-1 to E-9; W-1 to W-3; and O-1 to O-3 are eligible who can start and complete their coursework while their military sponsor is on active duty, including spouses married to members of the National Guard and reserve components in these same pay grades if the member is on Title 10 orders.
If the service member gets promoted to a rank that makes the spouse ineligible, the spouse will remain eligible as long as they had an approved training plan in place before the promotion.
Starting in 2020, the MyCAA program also serves Coast Guard spouses whose service members are in qualifying paygrades.
Click here to download the MyCAA fact sheet from Military OneSource.
What Will MyCAA Pay For?
The MyCAA Scholarship pays tuition costs for education and training courses and examinations leading to an associate degree. The scholarship also covers the costs for obtaining a license, certificate or certification at an accredited college, university or technical school approved for the MyCAA program. It can also cover the costs of an approved testing organization that expands employment or portable career opportunities for military spouses.
MyCAA will not pay for:
- Tuition for courses and examinations not included in the spouse’s Education and Training Plan and courses already started or completed by the spouse
- Reimbursements of any kind
- Books, supplies, equipment, uniforms, computers and electronic devices of any kind
- Student activities, events and entertainment
- Pre-payment/deposits for future courses, unless costs are part of a block of study
- School or college level entrance examinations, comprehensive exams and related preparatory courses
- Courses, tests or fees normally paid by an employer as part of a job training program
- Fees of any kind including, but not limited to, registration fees, technology fees, parking fees, etc.
- Non-academic credit or ungraded courses, including courses taken on an audit basis or as an internship, practicum, apprenticeship or clinical supervision; also, non-academic credit or ungraded orientation programs
- Courses taken more than one time, unless MyCAA has received a full refund from the school
- General studies, liberal arts and interdisciplinary associate degrees that do not have a concentration
- Personal enrichment courses (excluding academic credit/graded electives in an approved MyCAA Spouse Education and Training Plan)
- Transportation, lodging, child care and medical services
- Course extensions (except for approved hardship waivers)
- Study abroad programs (excluding programs of study offered by participating MyCAA schools on overseas military installations)
- Private licenses (For example, a private pilot’s license would not be covered because it is for recreational use, but a commercial pilot’s license would be covered because it would be used for an occupation.)
- High school completion programs, including online high school completion programs
- Continuing education credits to maintain a standing in a professional organization
How to Apply for MyCAA
Eligible spouses can establish a free MyCAA account by visiting the MyCAA website. Eligible spouses will be allowed to create their Career and Training Plan and request financial assistance when they are within 30 days of course start dates. Additionally, spouses are responsible for applying to their selected school or program and enrolling in each course included in their approved MyCAA Career and Training Plan.
Military spouses interested in the program should begin by:
- Visiting www.careeronestop.org to explore portable career fields and find schools that have programs of study leading to licenses, certificates and degrees.
- Finding a school in the MyCAA website.
- Establishing and managing their MyCAA account on the MyCAA website.
- Using MyCAA resources to create a Career and Training Plan, and apply for financial assistance.
Military OneSource career and education consultants (800-342-9647) can help spouses:
- Explore career interests, evaluate school options, and compare programs of study.
- Develop and implement their Career and Training Plans successfully.
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