Grand Canyon University: Military Tuition Benefits and Requirements

Grand Canyon University (GCU) demonstrates its commitment to supporting military service members, veterans, Department of Defense personnel, and their families through various tuition benefits and resources. Understanding these benefits and requirements is crucial for service members and veterans seeking to further their education at GCU.

A Military-Friendly Institution

GCU's dedication to the military community is evident through its various initiatives and support systems. Wendy Proffitt, director of GCU's military division, emphasizes the university's first-hand understanding of the opportunities and aspirations of active-duty and retired service members. GCU has been recognized as a Military Friendly School, an honor bestowed upon the top 15 percent of colleges, universities, and trade schools that excel in embracing America's veterans as students.

Criteria for this recognition include efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students, successful recruitment outcomes, academic accreditations, and additional benefits such as on-campus veterans programs, credit for service, and military spouse programs.

VA Education Benefits at GCU

GCU's military division assists potential students in navigating various VA education benefits. These include:

Montgomery GI Bill® (MGIB-AD) (Chapter 30)
Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33)
Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) (Chapter 35)
Montgomery GI Bill® - Select Reserve (MGIB-SR) (Chapter 1606)
Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) (Chapter 31)
Tuition Assistance (Top-Up)
Tutorial Assistance

GCU can assist students in applying for VA GI Bill benefits or Veteran Readiness and Employment benefits (VR&E). However, it is important to note that eligibility for all VA education benefits is determined by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Read also: Service Member Scholarship Guide

Yellow Ribbon Program

GCU is a proud participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program, a voluntary agreement with the VA to help fund tuition expenses for veterans. This program makes education more affordable for eligible veterans by helping to cover tuition costs that exceed the Post-9/11 GI Bill's limitations.

Applying for VA Benefits at GCU: A Three-Step Process

To utilize VA education benefits at GCU, students should follow these three steps:

Complete VA Forms: With the assistance of a military university counselor, complete all necessary VA forms to begin the VA education benefits application process. If you do not have a Certificate of Eligibility from the VA, please complete the appropriate online application at va.gov.
Submit Documents: Once the application form is completed, submit the documents to your military university counselor.
Certification Process: Grand Canyon University will certify eligible VA benefits in two stages. An initial certification will be submitted with $0 tuition and fees. A subsequent certification will be submitted no later than 60 days after the beginning of the term.

Dedicated Support for Military Students

GCU provides dedicated advisors and military benefit liaisons who can guide students on how to use their benefits to earn a degree. The university also has a Veterans Affairs Office with a team of dedicated military benefit liaisons who process certifications for all VA and Veteran Readiness and Employment entitlements. To ensure accuracy in reporting, all VA applications must be submitted to the Veterans Affairs Office through a military university counselor.

The demands of military life, including deployments and irregular schedules, can make pursuing education complex. GCU addresses this by offering a special military rate per credit hour for active service members and their spouses, as well as scholarships for other military members and their dependents.

Transferring Military Credits

GCU recognizes the value of military training and experience by offering credit for military training and non-traditional learning. The university follows the American Council on Education (ACE) guidelines in awarding credits for military experience. Students can also transfer credits from other universities or from the military to help them earn their degree. To satisfy the residency requirement, students must complete 30 credits of their undergraduate program at GCU.

Read also: Pakistan's Military College Jhelum

GCU also offers Lopes Unofficial Credit Evaluation.

Veterans Center

GCU's Veterans Center provides resident, commuter, and online military students with personalized assistance. The center serves as a hub for GCU student veterans and their families to network and study, offering Wi-Fi access and a veterans resource coordinator who can assist with questions or concerns about military education benefits. The objective is to connect students with the resources they need to meet their academic goals.

Tuition and Costs

GCU offers competitive tuition rates for both online and traditional campus students, which in some cases is nearly half of the national average for private college tuition. GCU has maintained the same annual campus tuition rate since 2009, demonstrating a commitment to affordable education.

In 2024-25, traditional campus students qualified for approximately $7,300 in GCU-funded scholarships for the academic year, reducing tuition to approximately $9,100.

Military Tuition Rate and Scholarships

GCU offers a special military tuition rate for online and evening programs. In addition, the university provides scholarships to veterans and their spouses, as well as employees of the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Public Health Services (PHS), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Read also: Duty, Honor, Achievement at NMMI

Scholarship Opportunities

GCU offers a variety of scholarship options for military students, including:

Active Duty Online Military Undergraduate Scholarship
Active Duty Online Military Graduate Scholarship
Doctoral Online Military Scholarship
Military Veteran Tuition Scholarship
DOD DPHS NOAA Employee Tuition Scholarship
Army ROTC Scholarship
Air Force ROTC Scholarship
Army ROTC National Scholarship
National Guard/Reserve Scholarship Opportunities
Institutional Scholarship

To learn more about eligibility for military scholarships, prospective students can request more information.

Cost Estimator Tools and Resources

GCU provides a comprehensive cost of attendance, aggregating estimated expenses students may encounter during an academic year (Fall/Spring) for each program of study. This includes tuition fees, direct payments to the institution, and additional indirect expenses.

Degree Programs and Learning Options

GCU offers degree programs in a variety of fields, including accounting, business, counseling, justice studies, education, leadership, nursing, and more. The university provides three convenient learning options: a traditional campus environment, evening classes, and online degree programs.

Policies and Processes

GCU follows military policies and processes for the military Tuition Assistance (TA) program for eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Space Force, Air Force, and Coast Guard, along with Reserve and National Guard who pursue online and evening cohort programs. Military university counselors can help students determine how to utilize their benefits to take advantage of the special military tuition rate.

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