Most people don’t realize that the military teaches a plethora of academic skills. While there are intangibles like leadership, discipline, and interpersonal communication, there are also many hard technical skills, depending on your experience and Military Occupational Speciality (MOS). Some examples might include:
- Navigation
- Ballistics
- Aviation maintenance
- Electronics repair
- Supply chain management
- Inventory control
- Cybersecurity
- Foreign language proficiency
- Emergency medical training
If you’re in the military or considering joining the armed forces, it’s important to note that you can transfer many of these skills into college credit, saving both time and money.
How to transfer military credit
The Joint Services Transcript (JST) gives colleges document evidence of a military member’s skills in civilian terms. This is helpful for showing future employers and academic counselors the practical value of your military skills and experience. It also helps colleges understand what a military member knows, allowing them to recommend the appropriate college credits.
Members of the Army, Marine Corp, Navy, and Coast Guard, whether active duty, reserve, or veteran, are eligible for the JST. Air Force members can still transfer military credit, but they must order their transcripts through the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF). The steps for registering for the JST or CCAF can be found here.
Which colleges take military credit?
A lot of them! Around 1,700 colleges provide military credit transfer, and many of these are online colleges, allowing for a more flexible way to continue your education. It’s possible to transfer up to 45 credits toward an associate’s degree, and 90 credits toward a bachelor’s degree, depending on the school.
For the rest of the article, we’ll go over some of the best online colleges for transferring military credit.
Best Online Colleges for Military Credit Transfer
University of Florida
The University of Florida’s online program enrolls 2,500 students and has an acceptance rate of 65%. Students have access to the University of Florida’s faculty and opportunities for internships and studying abroad. The tuition rate varies greatly for in-state versus out-of-state – $112 per credit hour in-state and $500 per credit hour out-of-state respectively. However, the out-of-state tuition fee is waived for active-duty or honorably discharged military members who reside in Florida.
UF online has something called the Free Seat program, which encourages veterans, active-duty military members, and those actively drilling in the Florida National Guard to enroll in a baccalaureate program by waiving tuition and fees for one online baccalaureate course in the first term. But even for those that don’t qualify for that program, University of Florida is still one of the best online schools for military credit transfer, and in general. US News ranks them
- #2 Best Online Bachelor’s Program
- #1 Best Online Bachelor’s Program for Veterans
- #1 Best Online Bachelor’s in Business
- #3 Best Online Bachelor’s in Psychology
- #2 Best Online Master’s in Education
The University of Florida online is a Yellow Ribbon Program member, a GI bill school, and offers military tuition assistance.
Southern New Hampshire University
SNHU is a private, not-for-profit institution that has a large online college program. They have a generous acceptance rate of 96.4%, but they aren’t a diploma mill that graduates everyone that enrolls, with a graduation rate of just under 50%. Their online program is large and in-demand, earning themselves the rank of #1 most innovative school according to US News.
They are accredited by the New England Commision of Higher Education and have multiple program-specific accreditations, such as by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.
SNHU is also very affordable. Their online tuition cost is $330 a credit, which is one of the lowest rates in the nation. Military members might see that figure reduced, as they offer up to 30% off tuition for active duty military members and their spouses. They will accept up to 90 military transfer credits toward your bachelor’s degree, and their courses are done at an accelerated 8 week per term rate to speed up the learning process.
SNHU is a GI bill school, participates in the Yellow Ribbon program, and has military tuition assistance.
Excelsior University
Excelsior is a private, entirely online, and nonprofit college based in Albany, New York, that is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. They offer more than 35 degrees across 6 areas of study:
- Business
- Health Sciences
- Liberal Arts
- Nursing
- Public Service
- Technology
They are especially known for their nursing program.
Excelsior is a little choosy, accepting 67% of applicants. There are almost 16,000 students enrolled at Excelsior. It costs $510 per credit hour for non-nursing programs and $550 a credit for nursing students. This drops dramatically for military members, however, all the way to $250 a credit. Families of military members can see reduced prices as well.
Excelsior is considered one of the top-military friendly colleges. They accept military transfer credit, are a GI bill school, and allow credit through the CLEP and DSST exams. They also launched the Lt. Col. Bryant A. Murray Veterans Center in 2013 for veterans and military service members to get resources on mental health, transitioning from military to civilian life, and more.
Excelsior University is very well reviewed and a great online college for transferring military credit.
Florida State University
Florida State University has 5,500 students enrolled in their exclusively online program. It has a competitive admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 25%. If you’re considering FSU, it’s important to note that you must have 60 credits to transfer into their bachelor’s program. If you are a Florida resident, these credit hours can be completed entirely online through Florida Shines.
Forbes ranks Florida State University as the best online program by a methodology considering affordability, credibility, student outcomes, and student experience. Online students receive the same degree as in-person students and have access to world-class resources from a top state school, such as:
- Academic and career advising
- Tutoring
- Skill building and time management assistance
- Library services
- Online mentoring
- Student disability support and resources
- Veterans services
FSU takes military credit transfer, and they have a helpful table on their website that shows exactly what military skills transfers to which credits and courses in their catalog. They offer tuition assistance for every branch of the military, are a yellow ribbon school, and accept the GI bill as well. Like the University of Florida, they also consider active duty or honorably discharged military members in Florida in-state residents for tuition purposes. They are rated as one of the best schools for veterans.
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a public, land-grant research college with more than 13,000 students enrolled in the online program. It has consistently ranked among the top online college programs for years because of its affordability and quality. OSU has an acceptance rate of 74% and offers 110+ degrees and programs. Their Ecampus has numerous military benefits as well, making it a great college for military credit transfer.
Their tuition and fees ($350 per credit hour) are the same price for Oregon residents as non-state residents, meaning that you can get a good deal here even if you’re not from Oregon. They also will take up to 45 credit hours of military education. They’ll waive the application fee for members of the armed forces, and they are a long-time member of the Council of College and Military Educators, meaning military members enrolled online in a bachelor’s or graduate program are eligible to apply for scholarships through CCME. If you were a resident of the state of Oregon before joining the armed forces, you might be eligible for additional tuition assistance as well.
Oregon State also has the Holcomb Center, named after Congressional Medal of Honor winner Sgt. John N. Holcomb, which brings together veterans and active members of the military across the globe into a tight community. The Holcomb Center assists over 2,000 service members and their families.
OSU online is a GI bill school, a member of the Yellow Ribbon Program, and offers credit for the CLEP exam.
Colorado State University – Global
CSU’s large online program of 9,100 students is a great one for military credit transfer. It is ranked among the top online programs for getting a bachelor’s degree and they have many provisions for military service members, such as:
- Application fee waivers and discounted tuition rates.
- The ability to transfer your military education and training to college credits.
- An internal task force dedicated to military and veteran issues.
- Personalized degree programs.
- Dedicated veteran support groups.
- An early alert system to help students who may be struggling.
Tuition costs $350 per credit at CSU global for both in-state and out-of-state students. CSU global was the first regionally accredited online public school in the United States. They are committed to accepting as many transfer credits as possible and are both affordable and high-quality – carrying the name of Colorado State University, a well-known and reputable university system.
CSU global is a GI school, participates in the Forever GI bill, has a 10% tuition reduction for active duty military members or honorably discharged veterans, and a guarantee to enrolled military members that student costs will not increase during their time at the school.
Make Use of Your Benefits!
There are boatloads of educational benefits and financial assistance for past and present military personnel to consider when applying for colleges. Transferring military credit and taking online classes can save you a lot of money, but don’t forget to learn about all the opportunities out there for people who have faithfully served our country.
