Getting Started as a Military Student at SNHU
Step 1: Review military benefit eligibility.
- If you are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces,
- Contact your military branch's education office to find out what benefits are available to you.
- Work with your education officer to set up your paperwork in preparation for Tuition Assistance authorization and any other potential benefits, like the GI Bill®.
- If you are eligible for VA education benefits and have not yet applied, you will need to complete an application for benefits through Vets.gov. Please retain a screenshot of the confirmation page once your application is complete.
- If you have previously used your VA education benefits at another institution, you will need to complete a Request for Change of Program or Place of Training in order to update your current education benefits. Please retain a screenshot of the confirmation page once complete.
Step 2: Review Costs and Apply to SNHU.
- You should understand the cost of tuition, fees and books for attending SNHU.
- Tuition cost per credit and fees for online undergraduate and graduate programs.
- Actual book costs for online courses can be located by searching the SNHU Online Bookstore by term, location, and course ID.
- A comprehensive list of all conditional student fees may be reviewed in the Academic Catalog by going to Policies-Student Account and Fees-Tuition and Fees.
- Apply to one of our online degree programs. (If you plan to attend as a traditional day student, visit our campus military page.)
- An SNHU admission counselor will contact you, usually by phone, to confirm your application.
- Inform your counselor you're currently serving or are a veteran and that you'll be using your military benefits.
Step 3: Submit paperwork documenting your prior education.
- Send your admission counselor an attestation form certifying you have a high school diploma or GED.
- If you are transferring credits from a post-secondary military or civilian institution, your counselor will also need your transcripts.
- For any credits earned through military training or institutions while serving in the Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy, a Joint Service Transcript may be requested by Southern New Hampshire University on your behalf. Please complete a Joint Service Transcript Request Form to allow us to retrieve these.
- If you intend to transfer credits earned through the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) or from a previously attended civilian college or university (U.S. only), complete a transcript request form to allow us to retrieve your transcripts directly from those institutions.
- If you’ve taken courses through the Defense Information School (DINFOS), you may be eligible for transfer credits, along with a 10% tuition discount. Visit our DINFOS transfer page to learn more.
Step 4: Review acceptance and benefits.
Each branch of the military has specific benefits, as do veterans and spouses. Choose the section below that's applicable to you.
Air Force and Space Force
- Visit your local base education office and the Air Force Virtual Education Center (AFVEC) to declare that you've been accepted to SNHU, and request Tuition Assistance authorization and/or any other education benefits paperwork.
- Send your Tuition Assistance authorization directly to your dedicated SNHU admission counselor.
- Once SNHU's military benefits team has reviewed your Tuition Assistance authorization, your admission counselor can enroll you in courses.
Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) students and graduates can earn their bachelor's degree faster through an AU-ABC program pathway.
Looking to finish your CCAF degree? Enroll in our flexible, online General Education Mobile (GEM) program.
Army
- Upon acceptance to SNHU, work with your admission counselor to enroll in your classes for the next term.
- Then, log in to your GoArmyEd.com account and register yourself for the classes you just signed up for with your admission counselor.
- After completing your course registration in GoArmyEd.com, notify your admission counselor to finalize the enrollment process.
- Note: You must enroll in both SNHU and GoArmyEd.com. The two systems are managed separately, so you are a critical link in ensuring both systems contain the correct information.
Are you an Army warrant officer? Get your degree faster when you enroll in an approved pathway:
Coast Guard
- Notify your branch’s education office that you’ve been accepted to SNHU, and request Tuition Assistance authorization and/or any other education benefits paperwork.
- Send your Tuition Assistance authorization directly to your dedicated SNHU admission counselor.
- Once SNHU's military benefits team has reviewed your Tuition Assistance authorization, your admission counselor can enroll you in courses.
Marines
- Request Tuition Assistance.
- Get a copy of your SNHU program evaluation and a Statement of Fees to upload to WebTA.
- Your statement of fees from SNHU should detail the term dates, course information and tuition fees.
- Notify your branch's education office by logging into myeducation.netc.navy.mil.
- Complete "My Education Plan," then "Upload File." (This is your SNHU program evaluation.)
- WebTA will automatically send an approval notice to your commanding officer for approval.
- Notify both your education officer and your SNHU admission counselor via email that all items have been uploaded and appropriate entries made.
- Your education office will verify all facts and documents for final approval authority. Then your educational services officer (ESO) will send you an email authorizing your TA and directing you to log back into myeducation.netc.navy.mil.
- Log in and open your existing application to view your approved class.
- Print and sign your TA voucher and submit it to Southern New Hampshire University
- Send your Tuition Assistance authorization directly to your dedicated SNHU Military Admission Counselor.
- Once SNHU military benefits team has reviewed your Tuition Assistance authorization, your admission counselor can enroll you in courses.
Military Spouses
- Upon acceptance to SNHU, your admission counselor will work with you to register for classes.
- You'll also be contacted by our Student Financial Services office to arrange financial aid. If you are using the GI Bill® transferred from a spouse or parent, let your admission counselor know and refer to the GI Bill® website regarding GI Bill® Transfers.
- To take advantage of our military spouse discount:
- Provide a screenshot of your DEERS Enrollment form.
- Send this documentation to militarybenefits@snhu.edu after you've enrolled in your first class.
- Also, consider applying for the MyCAA Scholarship, which provides up to $4,000 of tuition assistance to eligible military spouses. SNHU is an approved school to work with MyCAA programs.
- To use your Chapter 35 Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance benefit, contact your local military Education Office for help completing a Veterans Online Application (VONAPP).
- To take advantage of our military spouse discount:
Navy
- Request Tuition Assistance.
- Get a copy of your SNHU program evaluation and a Statement of Fees to upload to WebTA.
- Your statement of fees from SNHU should detail the term dates, course information and tuition fees.
- Notify your branch's education office by logging into myeducation.netc.navy.mil.
- Complete "My Education Plan," then "Upload File." (This is your SNHU program evaluation.)
- WebTA will automatically send an approval notice to your commanding officer for approval.
- Notify both your education officer and your SNHU admission counselor via email that all items have been uploaded and appropriate entries made.
- Your education office will verify all facts and documents for final approval authority. Then your educational services officer (ESO) will send you an email authorizing your TA and directing you to log back into myeducation.netc.navy.mil.
- Log in and open your existing application to view your approved class.
- Print and sign your TA voucher and submit it to Southern New Hampshire University
- Send your Tuition Assistance authorization directly to your dedicated SNHU Military Admission Counselor.
- Once SNHU military benefits team has reviewed your Tuition Assistance authorization, your admission counselor can enroll you in courses.
Veterans
- Upon acceptance to SNHU, you'll work with both your admission counselor and our military benefits team (militarybenefits@snhu.edu) to determine your eligibility and payment options.
- Your GI Bill® eligibility is based on when you served your country and other requirements determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Administration.
- Learn more about your eligibility for military benefits through the VA, including information on:
- If you plan to use financial aid with your VA Benefit, an SNHU Student Financial Services representative will help arrange your financial aid and finalize your paperwork. Students using the Post-9/11 GI Bill® at less than 100% eligibility will be responsible for the percentage not covered by the VA. Note: Your tuition is due at registration and can be covered by credit card payment or money order if you prefer to get started before the benefit is processed. Otherwise, funding should come directly from the VA to SNHU.
- Once our military benefits team has reviewed your VA documentation, your admission counselor can assist in your course enrollment.
Step 5: Review Financial Assistance Information
- Southern New Hampshire University encourages you to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine eligibility for federal, state, and institutional aid programs. You may be eligible for financial assistance that includes grant money and/or work-study funds.
- Please review Applying for Financial Aid to understand the FAFSA process. You may apply for federal student aid at any time while planning to enroll or currently enrolled through June 30th each year.
- Veteran's education benefits are excluded from the definition of estimated financial assistance when determining federal financial aid eligibility.
- There are several need-based and non-need based federal, state, local, private, and institutional financial assistance programs available to SNHU students. Learn more about Federal, State, Grants, and Scholarship, Federal Work-Study, and Student Loans.
- To understand your student aid rights and responsibilities, awarding of aid, reporting additional financial awards, over-awards, financial aid shopping sheet, verification, secondary confirmation, enrollment requirements, disbursement, use, credit balances/refunds, penalties for drug law violations, aid duration and renewal process, please review Financial Aid Terms and Conditions.
- You should review the 'Financial Assistance Information' outlined in our consumer information for additional information.
Step 6: Ask us questions.
- Once you're enrolled at SNHU, you'll be assigned a dedicated military academic advisor. Turn to your military advisor for help with any questions or issues you may have as you progress through your degree program.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official U.S. government website.