How to Choose the Right Military-Supportive Online College for You

As a military service member, you have proven your ability to take on new and different challenges and see them through. And as a military service member pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree, you have an opportunity to apply that dedication and resolve to the pursuit of academic knowledge and the development of new skills for the civilian world. For veterans, choosing a military-supportive online college or university can help to ease the transition to not just academic life but civilian life in general. For active-duty service members, whether an institution is military supportive may impact whether or not it is even possible to pursue a degree during your term of service. But what makes an online college military supportive? Let’s explore.

What Makes an Online College Military Supportive?

Whether an online college or university is military supportive can hinge on a few factors—for example: whether the institution is accredited; how much flexibility it offers military students; whether it has a dedicated military services center; whether it offers military tuition assistance and is GI Bill®-approved; what its military transfer credit policies are; and whether it offers career services and has an alumni network.

Accreditation

An accredited college or university is one that has been evaluated and approved by an independent accrediting agency (also referred to as an accreditor) recognized by the Department of Education. To become accredited, an institution (or program) must meet a set of specific academic quality criteria/standards set by the accreditor. Thus, earning accreditation speaks to the quality and legitimacy of an institution and its offerings—something that matters to students and employers alike.

Institutional accreditation is particularly important. Why? Because in order to be eligible to receive federal student aid, a college or university has to be accredited by an institutionally recognized accrediting agency.¹ Trident University International is a member of the American InterContinental University System. The System is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Flexible Learning Options

Not all online learning is created equal. This is particularly true when it comes to flexibility. Depending on whether an online degree program is asynchronous or synchronous can significantly impact how easy or feasible it is to pursue your academic goals without upending your life.

Asynchronous online degree programs, such as those at Trident, are truly 100% online—when and where you choose to complete your coursework is up to you. Because asynchronous classes provide maximum flexibility, they can be an attractive option for both veteran and active-duty military students. Live chats and discussion boards promote dialogue and interactions with fellow students and instructors, while 24/7 access to Trident’s extensive online library ensures that you have the materials you need to make the most of your precious study time.

Synchronous online degree programs, in contrast, require students to participate in lectures, live chats, etc. at set times. Some may even have an in-person component. By their nature, synchronous programs are generally unable to match the level of flexibility and convenience of online degree programs that veterans and active-duty service members may need to pursue their academic goals.

But flexibility extends beyond learning format. If you are an active-duty service member, you may be wondering about the elephant in the room: What happens if you are deployed after enrollment? At Trident, military deployment can support an application for a leave of absence (LOA). Military students who receive a notice of deployment should contact the Trident Military Assistance Center for guidance on next steps and the LOA request process.

Contact

Military Student Support Services

An active-duty or veteran-friendly online college or university should offer support services that are tailored to military students and their needs. The Trident Military Assistance Center offers various online resources for former and current service members—from financial management, to employment and training, to mental health and more—and is available to help military students answer any questions they may have.

Trident Military Assistance Center

To ensure that the needs of military students continue to be met, the university has established the Trident Military Affairs Committee (TMAC). The TMAC meets regularly to discuss trends in the military and best practices in serving military students. The committee also provides feedback to support the university’s decision-making regarding the military community.

Military Tuition Assistance: GI Bill® Benefits & Reduced Tuition Rates

As a service member, GI Bill® benefits can be used to pay for college, graduate school and training programs for veterans. These benefit amounts can be significant. But not all schools are GI Bill® approved—meaning that former and current military members should verify a school’s GI Bill® status prior to application and enrollment. Trident participates in the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty and Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Post-9/11 GI Bill® Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve

We also participate in the Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program, a supplemental program which helps fund tuition expenses for veterans and their dependents that are in excess of what is covered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill®. Currently, Trident may contribute up to 50% of those expenses, and the VA will match Trident’s contribution amount.

Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program

Trident is also proud to offer veteran education and military education grants to qualifying students. Veterans, active-duty service members and their dependents are eligible for a reduced tuition rate with a grant applied.*

Veteran education and military education grants

Trident participates in the federal financial aid program, and all military applicants are encouraged to complete the FAFSA to determine whether they qualify for federal financial aid in addition to their military benefits. GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

www.benefits.va.gov/gibill

* University grants or scholarships are based on established criteria as published in the Trident University Catalog or on its website and are awarded after verification that the conditions of eligibility have been met.

Military Transfer Credit

You spent years serving your country. During that time, you underwent extensive training, gained expertise in your MOS, and demonstrated a high level of commitment and discipline. A military-friendly online college or university that recognizes the valuable contributions of service members should offer military students the ability to receive college credit for their qualifying military training and experience. Trident grants undergraduate credit** for military education as recommended by the American Council on Education’s (ACE) Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services, in accordance with transfer credit policies at Trident. To be considered for military transfer credit, students must submit an official Joint Service Transcripts (JST) to the Office of the Registrar.

American Council on Education’s (ACE) Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services

** Transfer credit is evaluated on an individual basis. Not all credits are eligible to transfer. See the Trident University Catalog for transfer credit policies.

Career Services and Alumni Networks

Right now you may be focused on admissions, but at some point during your studies, your focus will turn to life after graduation. You may want to seek out the assistance of your school’s career services department for things like résumé review, interview preparation, or job search resources. Trident Career Center offers all of these resources and is also available to help military students match their skills, interests and values with potential career paths.

Trident Career Center

An alumni association can be another potentially invaluable resource for graduates, as joining one provides an opportunity to potentially grow your professional network, keep in touch with former classmates, mentor current students and more. Trident has many graduates who are current or former military service members, and our Alumni Association could be a great way to connect with them.

Alumni Association

Trident Is a Military-Supportive University

When it comes to college for veterans or active-duty service members, you should choose an institution that doesn’t just “talk the talk” but actually “walks the walk”—by supporting military students through its policies and resources. A military-supportive school should offer a quality educational experience, prioritize flexible learning options, and have policies that potentially enable military students to pursue their academic goals in less time (e.g., through military transfer credits) and at a lower cost (e.g., through GI Bill® benefits). Trident checks all of these boxes. Learn more about Trident’s graduate and undergraduate online degree programs, or contact an Admissions Advisor today.

Online degree programs Admissions Advisor

Trident University International cannot guarantee employment, salary, or career advancement. Not all programs are available to residents of all states. REQ2222523 5/2026

¹ Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), U.S. Dept. of Education, “Overview of Accreditation in the United States” (updated May 8, 2025), https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/higher-education-laws-and-policy/college-accreditation/overview-of-accreditation-united-states