Coursera for Military Family program offers a wide range of classes and certifications from top universities and companies for free or at a discounted cost to military personnel and their families.
This option is particularly useful for those transitioning from the military who may need industry certifications to validate their skills.
In this article, I will help you understand how you can claim these free benefits on Coursera and your eligibility for them.
I will also help you by suggesting a few courses on Coursera that will help you make your transition a smooth process.
So, without any more hitting around the bush let us get started!
Aim of the Coursera For Military Family
The Coursera Program for Military Families aims to help military personnel and their spouses. The help is provided by supporting them in 5 ways, such as
- Get education
- Develop new skills
- Increase chances of employment
- Achieve their carer goals
- Help military folks adjust well
If you are a military family and cannot find resources for your children, you can take advantage of the various Student offers on Coursera.
Coursera For Military Family- Coursera Collaboration
Coursera for military families is the best example of Coursera for governments and non-profits in action.
The few organizations that have collaborated with Coursera to help Military folks and their families are-
- United Service Organizations (USO)
- Hire Heroes USA
- ACT Now Education
- Veterans Transition Support (VTS)
Coursera For Military Family- Eligibility
The eligibility criteria for military personnel and their spouses differ based on the organizations providing this offer. Let us find out what they are for each one of them-
1. United Service Organizations (USO)
The eligibility criteria for USO that will get you the Coursera courses are as follows-
- Be an active duty military personnel
- Or be a National Gaurd
- Be a military spouse
2. ACT Now Education
You need to meet 1 of the following criteria to enroll with ACT-
- 20+ years of service
- 1 year out or less from separating from the military
- 2-years out or less of retiring
- A Veteran who is not currently serving
- Spouse of an active duty military personnel
- Spouse of a veteran
- ACT Now volunteer Team Member
- Reservist
- National Guard
3. Hire Heroes USA
To access Coursera via the Hire Heroes USA program, you must be registered on the platform and be someone actively seeking employment.
- Veterans Transition Support (VTS)
The VTS Coursera Program is available to all –
- Veterans
- Active duty
- Reservists
- Military Spouses
Where And How To Sign Up For Coursera For Military Family?
If you are eligible to sign up for any of these programs, you need to register with the above-mentioned organizations and apply for courses on Coursera through them.
Here is a table of all the above organizations and the application link for them to access your free Coursera resources designed for Military Families.
| Organization | Link |
|---|---|
| United Service Organizations (USO) | Link |
| ACT Now Education | Link |
| Hire Heroes USA | Link |
| Veterans Transition Support (VTS) | Link |
The application process and time taken for verification could vary and could be long, so be patient.
However, if you are not eligible or do not wish to wait long, you can take courses on Coursera for less using the Coursera Cyber Monday Offer.
8 Coursera Courses For Military Family
Here are a few of the certificate courses that are helpful for Military Families. You can access these below mentiond courses from the table through your Military Coursera Program.
Please note that the course avilability may vary depending on what organization you have signed up with.
| Sr. No. | Free Coursera Courses For Military Families | Best for | Offered By | Course Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Making Your Military Transition a Transformation | Transitioning military members and their spouses | USO | Here |
| 2. | Flores Master of Business Administration | GI Bills Accepted. Accounting, Management, Finance, Business Law | Louisiana State University | Here |
| 3. | Service Transformed: Lessons in U.S. Veteran-Centered Care | Physical, mental, and emotional needs related to military service | University Of Michigan | Here |
| 4. | University Studies for Student Veterans | Veteran inclusivity in college campuses | Columbia University | Here |
| 5. | Violence Against Healthcare | Tools needed to make informed decisions, guide behavior in high-risk areas | University of Geneva | Here |
| 6. | Career 911: Your Future Job in Medicine and Healthcare | Health career, resume and cover letter writing, job search, interviewing, professional networking, and professional communications | Northwestern University | Here |
| 7. | Intellectual Humility: Science | Issues related to humility in your daily life | The University of Edinburgh | Here |
| 8. | De-Mystifying Mindfulness | Meditation, mindfulness, experiential learning through philosophical, psychological and political lenses | Universiteit Leiden | Here |
Coursera For Military Family – Coursera Financial Aid
Suppose you cannot qualify for any of the aforementioned organizations. In that case, you can still get a Coursera course for free or at a discounted cost by applying for Coursera Financial Aid.
Coursera does not offer a separate financial aid service for Military Families. However, Coursera provides financial aid to all its learners who can not afford Coursera courses.
You can search for your desired Coursera course and check whether financial aid is available for it in the space circled in the image above.
Click on the “Financial Aid Available” option and follow the steps on your screen to get an entire or partially paid-off Coursera course.
Coursera Discounts
Other options for you to save on Coursera if you are not able to qualify for any of the military organization programs are the following-
Before you check the Discounts Coursera offers, you can understand the Coursera Pricing here. This will help you know exactly how much you will be saving.
1. Annual Coursera Plan Saves The Maximum
The annual Coursera subscription plan costs $399 for 12 months, while the monthly plan costs $708 for the same period. Therefore, the annual subscription plan is a better deal, saving you $309.
2. Coursera Black Friday & Cyber Monday Deal
During the Thanksgiving festivities, Coursera offers $100 off through its Black Friday Deal in November. This Black Friday Deal is followed by a Cyber Monday sale, during which new users can subscribe for the first month for just $1.
3. Coursera For $1
Coursera offers many discounts and deals throughout the year for its new subscribers of Coursera Plus. One such deal is their referral Program, where the Coursera cost is slashed to $1 for you and your loved ones.
Basically, through your referral link, you and your loved one both get to access Coursera for a month for $1.
Coursera For Military Family- Sucess Story
Here are the success stories of how the Coursera Online Learning Program has helped Military personnel and their families get more education.
Mack’s Journey: Marine Corps To Georgetown
A retired Marine, Mack, who served for 30 years in the Marine Corps, was able to take the BLS program offered by Georgetown University on Coursera and fulfill his lifetime dream of finishing his bachelor’s degree thanks to Coursera.
Read more about Mack’s journey of Marine Corps to Gorgetown here.
Roda Burcham On Finding A Career That Fits The Military Life
Through the collaboration of the USO Pathfinder® Transition Program and Coursera, Roda Burcham, a military spouse, was able to find a job and become an online tutor with her certificate earned online.
This career easily fits into Roda’s life as a military spouse who moves constantly. Find the whole story here.
Conclusion- Coursera For Military Family Helps Families Upskill and Transition Easily!
Coursera for Military Families is a program offered by Coursera that provides military service members, veterans, and their families access to free courses and resources.
The program offers many online courses on topics such as transition to civil life, career development, mental health, financial literacy, and more.
This is an excellent opportunity to access Coursera for free. So, if you want to pursue further education on your terms and at your convenience, sign Up for Coursera through the above-mentioned organizations today.
FAQs
Coursera offers fully free and sometimes waives off partial fees for online learning for military personnel and their spouses, helping them get an education from anywhere they move during their service to the nation.
One Coursera account is for only one member. If your family members use your account and try to obtain a certificate, they won’t be able to do so. As your account and certificates will be registered in your name.
Coursera learners can use their GI benefits to pay for their education on Coursera for select courses.
Coursera does offer degrees that can be completed online. However, these degrees do not give you the title that often comes with the degree earned in traditional schools. Online education, in general, is considered only course completion.
