By MyArmyBenefits staff     April 2026

As you get close to retirement, you may be wondering what education benefits are available to you while you are still in the Army. The first step in learning what you are eligible for is to visit the MyArmyBenefits Federal Benefits library and click on the “Education” drop down menu to find a list of education benefit fact sheets available to you.

If you are on active duty, active-duty orders, or are drilling, you are eligible for Tuition Assistance (TA). The TA program offers $250 per semester hour for up to 18 hours per year (max of $4,500/year) towards tuition costs only—no fees, books, or course materials are covered. Using TA incurs a service obligation of two to four years depending on your status, so be sure to start with enough time to complete your degree and fulfill any service obligation prior to your planned retirement date. Courses must be from accredited schools recognized by the Department of Education and the Department of Defense Memorandum of Understanding (DOD MOU). To find schools approved by both agencies, visit the TA Decide page. Soldiers requesting TA for the first time must use the Army IgnitED decision support tool and take ArmyIgnitED TA training before submitting their request.

If your college tuition costs exceed what TA pays, look into using Tuition Assistance Top-Up (TATU). If eligible, this program covers the difference between the costs covered by TA and the full course costs for up to 36 months. To use this benefit you must qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty and your course costs must be more than what TA covers.

Credentialing Assistance (CA) through Army COOL is another way to add additional education through credentials or certifications to your resume before retirement. The CA program includes credentialing courses and exams valuable for success in the fields of management, IT, healthcare, and others. It does not require a service obligation, but use is limited to one credential per year with a maximum of three credentials for every 10 years of service. Eligible Soldiers must get command approval before applying for CA and use the decision support tool on Army IgnitED. This program is not available to commissioned officers. CA has an annual cap of $2,000 with the total cap set at $4,500 for use of TA and CA. For example, if you use $2,000 this year in CA, you have $2,500 to use for TA.

Depending on your dates of service and other factors, you are likely eligible for GI Bill benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill, the Post 9/11 GI Bill (Forever GI Bill), or in certain circumstances, a combination of both. The GI Bill programs provide 36 to 48 months of education benefits and can be used while still serving but you should do your research and carefully consider whether it makes sense to do so. 

Use the benefits you earned in the way that is most beneficial for you. Visit the MyArmyBenefits Benefit Library Federal Fact Sheets for more information about your education opportunities before and after retirement.