Earning a Degree Online as a Military Service Member
As a military service member, you might be contending with changing schedules and unexpected travel. Earning a degree online can provide flexibility by allowing service members or veterans to complete coursework without having to attend classes at a set time.
The 小蝌蚪APP offers support through both its dedicated Online Student Enrollment Team and the to help veterans, active-duty members, reservists, National Guard, and military dependents use their benefits to earn a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 or master小蝌蚪APP檚 degree. The 小蝌蚪APP is recognized as a Military Friendly school for 2020-2021.
Sammi Conner, director of Veteran Services, says these are a few of the questions she hears most often.
Does UL Lafayette accept military credits?
One of the first questions our team hears from military and non-military students alike is what credits will transfer into their degree plan. For those who have attended college before or earned college credits, those credits will transfer and count toward your overall GPA. Whether those credits will apply toward your degree will depend on the program.
Military credits 小蝌蚪APP credits earned for military experience 小蝌蚪APP must be evaluated by individual departments says Conner.
小蝌蚪APP淲e do accept military credits, so they小蝌蚪APP檙e going to get the credit,小蝌蚪APP says Conner. 小蝌蚪APP淚n order for them to apply to the degree, they have to be evaluated by the department.小蝌蚪APP
Conner says often, students can apply the most credits to programs with a broad focus, like General Studies.
How much will my degree cost?
UL Lafayette online programs offer reduced, flat rate at $380 per credit hour for undergraduate programs and $480 per credit hour for graduate programs.
Conner says while stipends may vary, most service members will have their full tuition paid through their GI Bill and other benefits. The 小蝌蚪APP also waives the application fee for military students.
Service members and dependents may not be able to use their benefits in conjunction with the 小蝌蚪APP's reduced flat-rate tuition.
Students can maximize their benefits by working with the Veteran Services staff.
小蝌蚪APP淚f they contact us, we can walk them through and say, 小蝌蚪APP榟ere小蝌蚪APP檚 how much you小蝌蚪APP檒l get paid if you take this,小蝌蚪APP or, 小蝌蚪APP榟ere小蝌蚪APP檚 how much benefits it will use,小蝌蚪APP櫺◎蝌紸PP Conner says. 小蝌蚪APP淲e talk through with them about how they plan their schedules out.小蝌蚪APP
What happens if I小蝌蚪APP檓 deployed?
Communication is key from the time you apply through graduation, says Conner.
小蝌蚪APP淲e always tell our students to make sure you小蝌蚪APP檙e communicating with instructors from the beginning if you might be deployed during the semester, or just identifying themselves as a military student upfront,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淪ome of them have monthly training they have to go to that could interfere.
小蝌蚪APP淭he instructor is usually willing to work with them.小蝌蚪APP
It can also help to have those connections established in the event of deployment.
Conner says there are processes to ensure military members are able to continue making progress toward their degree once their deployment ends. Students should submit their military orders to the dean of students and discuss their options with their instructor whether they小蝌蚪APP檒l resign or take an incomplete in the course.
Many students enrolled in online degree programs are able to work with their instructors to continue their coursework through their deployment, as long as they have access to a stable internet connection.
For those who do withdraw, Conner says, her office is available to help students re-enroll.
小蝌蚪APP淲e always tell them to let us know so we can expedite the process,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淎s long as they left in good standing, we can help them.小蝌蚪APP
What if I need more help?
Conner says her office can help connect students to other resources on campus, as well, if you need help filing claims or accessing benefits.
小蝌蚪APP淚t doesn小蝌蚪APP檛 have to be a VA issue or even related to education benefits,小蝌蚪APP Conner says. 小蝌蚪APP淲e have access to resources, so we小蝌蚪APP檙e more than willing to help them connect with what they need.小蝌蚪APP
The Office of Veteran Services sends out regular emails to keep students informed of resources and any changes, Conner says. If you小蝌蚪APP檙e enrolling in a 小蝌蚪APP degree program email veterans@louisiana.edu to get connected and ensure you小蝌蚪APP檙e accessing all the benefits you小蝌蚪APP檙e entitled to as a veteran, active-duty member, reservist, National Guard, or military dependent.
Connect with the UL Lafayette Online Enrollment Support Team to learn which online degree program is right for your goals. Email us at online@louisiana.edu.
