The U.S. Army provides education assistance for spouses that are stateside while their military spouse is in active duty. Assistance is also provided for widows and widowers of soldiers who died during active duty if the widow or widower lives in the United States. This program is called the Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program (SEAP). The program provides help on the basis of need. The maximum amount of assistance per applicant per school year cannot exceed $2,500. If tuition is already covered through other assistance, the spouse can request funds for supplies and books.
Spouses overseas can receive financial help through Army Emergency Relief to further their education. These funds are available to spouses in Europe, Korea, Okinawa and Japan. The maximum amount per school term is $350.
For U.S. Air Force families, stateside spouses and spouses of deceased active-duty personnel can receive grants through the General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant Program. These grants are for undergraduate study assistance. The amount received per grant is $2,000 as of 2011.
Spouses who travel overseas with their military spouse can receive tuition assistance through the General George S. Brown Spouse Tuition Assistance Program. The assistance can reach up to 50 percent of the cost of classes and cannot exceed $1,500 per school year.
Within the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, when active-duty spouses are overseas, their spouse can receive assistance for undergraduate and graduate tuition through the Spouse Tuition Aid Program (STAP). Undergraduate assistance can reach $300 per semester, and graduate funds per semester are $350.
Active-duty member spouses can also receive help through the E.P. Travers Scholarship and Loan Program. Grants are $2,000 each and loans are for up to $3,000.
Spouses of U.S. Coast Guard members can receive grants for education expenses beyond tuition through the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA) program. These funds are supplemental grants of $160 maximum each school year.