The Army provides you with all of the training needed to succeed at your Army job and wherever life takes you after service.
Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC)
ROTC offers scholarships that help cover the cost of your tuition and school supplies and even lets you earn your degree before your service starts. Your training takes place while you're still a student, and you'll be a commissioned Army Officer once you graduate.
Find Your Career At Your Pace
If you’re still looking for the right career, the Army can help. The Army offers a broad range of programs that can help you figure out what career fits you best and help you establish yourself in that field during and after your service.
Gi Bill
The GI Bill helps current and former Soldiers pay for college, trade school, technical school, licensing, certification programs, on-the-job training, online schooling, and more. Many Soldiers using the GI Bill receive full tuition for their service.
Tuition Assistance
The Tuition Assistance program helps Soldiers in active duty, the Army Reserve, or the Army National Guard pay for school or professional training. Eligible Soldiers can receive up to $250 per semester hour and up to 16 semester hours per fiscal year—totaling $4,000 annually to help pay for school or professional training.
Green To Gold
Green to Gold helps active-duty Soldiers cover school costs to finish a four-year BA program or a two-year graduate program while earning a commission as an Officer.
Certifications & Credentials
To help Soldiers gain a competitive advantage in their current and future careers, the Army Credentialing Opportunities Online, or COOL, helps Soldiers find and pay for certifications and licenses for a broad range of Army and private-sector jobs.
help with student loans
The Army has two programs that can help you repay or cancel your student loan debt.
Loan Repayment Program
Under the Loan Repayment Program (LRP), the Army can repay close to $65,000 of your current outstanding student loan debt. This program applies to active duty, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard Soldiers. There are a variety of requirements needed to qualify. Please talk to your recruiter for more information.
Federal Perkins Loan Cancellation Program
The Federal Perkins Loan Cancellation Program gives active-duty Soldiers who have served in combat situations the chance to potentially cancel 100% of their Federal Perkins Loans or National Direct Student Loans. This benefit does not apply to Stafford loans or PLUS loans. Active-duty Soldiers serving at least one year in hostile fire or imminent danger pay areas are eligible for cancellation of their Federal Perkins Loan Program student loans.
Get Your Post-Graduate Degree
Soldiers interested in pursuing post-graduate education may be eligible to potentially receive 100% tuition coverage. Please talk to your recruiter for more information.
Additional Education Benefits
The Army's education benefits provide access to specific programs that can help bring your education goals within reach.
Education Centers
You and your family can access support like free guidance courses for standardized tests on site or nearby every post.
Common Questions
Will the military pay off student loans for spouses?
Unfortunately, there is no military student loan forgiveness for the spouses of service members. The Army offers other tuition assistance and career advancement programs to spouses. Learn more about Family Benefits.
What is the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program?
Under this program, members of the military who have been employed by the military or a qualifying public service job for the last ten years may have their federal student loans fully forgiven. In order to qualify, you need to be employed full-time, which is considered to be at least 30 hours a week or what the employer considers to be full-time, and make 120 monthly and on-time consolidated and reduced payments. Private loans are not eligible.
Am I eligible for the National Defense Student Loan Discharge program?
The National Defense Student Loan Discharge program is available to military members who served in a hostile-fire or imminent-danger location. Eligible Soldiers can qualify for up to 50% of their loan being canceled and up to 100% of Federal Perkins Loans forgiven.
Don’t worry, there’s no obligation if you reach out.
Thanks for reaching out,
Questions you may have right now
- Who will reach out to me?
One of our recruiters will either call or email you to set up time to talk.
- Who will reach out to me?
One of our ROTC recruiters will either call or email you to set up time to talk.
- What will you ask me?
Our conversation will likely begin with some basic qualifying questions, like your age and education level. From there, the conversation will be about getting to know you and your goals for the future. Expect us to ask about your interests and skills so we can suggest Army jobs that might interest you.
- How can I prepare for the conversation?
-
While we'll ask you questions, this is your opportunity to ask some of your own. Here are a couple to get you started:
How can the Army help me pay for college?
Do I have to go to Basic Training?
- How can I prepare for the conversation?
-
While we'll ask you questions, this is your opportunity to ask some of your own. Here are a couple to get you started:
How can the Army help me pay for college?
What is the time commitment for part-time service?
- How can I prepare for the conversation?
-
While we'll ask you questions, this is your opportunity to ask some of your own. Here are a couple to get you started:
Can the Army help me pay for medical school?
Do I have to go to Basic Training?
- How can I prepare for the conversation?
-
While we'll ask you questions, this is your opportunity to ask some of your own. Here are a couple to get you started:
How do I apply for ROTC scholarships?
How do I join ROTC at the college I want to attend?
- Will I be expected to join if I talk to someone?
No. Our goal is to answer your questions and help you decide if the Army is a good option for you. We understand you may not be ready to join yet, or that we may not be the right fit, and that's fine. There's no obligation for talking to us.
KEEP EXPLORING
Explore more topics that may interest you
Thanks for reaching out,
Questions you may have right now
- Who will reach out to me?
One of our recruiters will either call or email you to set up time to talk.
- What will you ask me?
Our conversation will likely begin with some basic qualifying questions, like your age and education level. From there, the conversation will be about getting to know you and your goals for the future. Expect us to ask about your interests and skills so we can suggest Army jobs that might interest you.
- How can I prepare for the conversation?
-
While we'll ask you questions, this is your opportunity to ask some of your own. Here are a couple to get you started:
Do I qualify to join the Army?
Can I join as an Officer?
- How can I prepare for the conversation?
-
While we'll ask you questions, this is your opportunity to ask some of your own. Here are a couple to get you started:
Do I qualify to join the Army?
Can I join as an Officer?
- How can I prepare for the conversation?
-
While we'll ask you questions, this is your opportunity to ask some of your own. Here are a couple to get you started:
What type of health care jobs are available in the Army?
Can the Army help me pay for medical school?
- How can I prepare for the conversation?
-
While we'll ask you questions, this is your opportunity to ask some of your own. Here are a couple to get you started:
Can I join ROTC at my age
Can I join as an Officer?
- Will I be expected to join if I talk to someone?
No. Our goal is to answer your questions and help you decide if the Army is a good option for you. We understand you may not be ready to join yet, or that we may not be the right fit, and that's fine. There's no obligation for talking to us.
KEEP EXPLORING
Explore more topics that may interest you
Thanks for reaching out, .
We admire you for considering such a big career decision at your age. Unfortunately, we're unable to directly reach out to you until you are at least sixteen years old and a junior in high school. However, the following ROTC info is something that may interest you now.
Questions you may have right now
- How old do I have to be to serve in the Army full-time?
To become an enlisted Soldier, you must be 17 years old. To become an Army Officer, you must be at least 18 years old and have a college degree obtained either through ROTC, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, or from another college or university program. Learn more about Army Eligibility Requirements and how to receive Officer training while in college.
- How can the Army help me pay for college?
There are a variety of options available to help you pursue education with flexibility, such as ROTC programs, the GI Bill, and other programs that help pay for college tuition, trade school, technical school, or trainings. View all of the Education Benefits available to you
- How do I apply for ROTC Scholarships?
Army ROTC has several scholarships available for college-bound high school students. Review your options at ROTC Scholarships, or immediately apply by creating an account at my.goarmy.com to get started.
- How old do I have to be to serve in the Army part-time?
To become an enlisted Soldier, you must be 17 years old. To become an Army Officer, you must be at least 18 years old and have a college degree obtained either through ROTC, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, or from another college or university program. Learn more about Army Eligibility Requirements and how to receive Officer training while in college.
- What are the ways to serve part-time?
You can serve part-time as a Soldier in the Army Reserve or the Army National Guard. By serving part-time, you are able to continue your college education or work a civilian job, while earning an extra paycheck and maintaining many of the benefits of military service.
- How can the Army help me pay for college?
There are a variety of options available to help you pursue education with flexibility, such as ROTC programs, the GI Bill, and other programs that help pay for college tuition, trade school, technical school, or trainings. View all of the Education Benefits available to you.
- How do I become a health care provider in the Army?
You can serve part-time or full-time as you train in our health care program. Upon graduation of the program, you will enter the Army health care team as a Commissioned Officer.
- What types of medical careers are available in the Army?
There are numerous health care careers available through the Army Medical Education Deparment (AMEDD), including physicians, dentists, nurses, veterinarians, and many more. View your career options.
- How can the Army help me pay for college?
There are a variety of options available to help you pursue education with flexibility, such as ROTC programs, the GI Bill, and other programs that help pay for college tuition, trade school, technical school, or trainings. View all of the Education Benefits available to you.
- What are the benefits of joining ROTC?
ROTC makes it possible to achieve your ambitions. Become a leader and serve your country in one of the nation's top leadership training programs. You can do this while maintaining your college curriculum and earning up to 100% tuition coverage. Upon graduation, you're guaranteed a career as an Army Officer.
- How do I prepare to join ROTC?
When you're at least 16 years old and at least a high school junior, you can reach out to us, or even talk to your high school counselor. Together, we'll talk options and decide if ROTC is the right path for you.
- Will I become an Officer if I complete ROTC?
Yes. After graduation, you are commissioned as a highly respected second lieutenant in the Army, entrusted with leading other Soldiers.