Military Credentialing: Get Your IT Certification Paid For
If you are serving, separating, or married to someone who is, there is almost always a programme that will pay for an IT certification. The hard part is knowing which one applies to you.
We work with service members, veterans and spouses every month. This is the plain list of funding routes, with the programme’s own page linked so you can check the current rules yourself.
The funding routes
- Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (COOL) for each service
- Army COOL and Army Credentialing Assistance — see our Army IgnitED page
- SpouseWorks Scholarship, formerly MyCAA – up to $4,000 for a licence, certification or associate degree, with an annual cap
- DoD SkillBridge, for service members in their last 180 days
- Our own funding routes: Education Dollars for Duty and WIOA
What to take, in what order
If you have no civilian IT background: CompTIA A+, then Network+, then Security+. That sequence is boring and it works — see our IT career path guide.
If you already did technical work in service: skip ahead. Signals, comms and cyber backgrounds usually go straight to Security+ or CCNA. Tell us what you did and we will tell you honestly where to start.
Costs and the discount
Military personnel and government employees get 10% off published prices. Most students then cover the rest through a credentialing programme. Because each programme caps what it pays per fiscal year, the real planning question is sequencing — which certification this year, which next.
Separating soon?
Look at SkillBridge if you are inside your last 180 days, and at our Education Dollars for Duty and WIOA pages for the routes that apply once you are out. Timing matters: some benefits are easier to use before separation than after.
Related pages
Government and military training
- DoD 8140 certifications explained
- CMMC careers and skills
- NICE Framework cyber careers
- Government and military discount
Frequently asked questions
Will Army Credentialing Assistance pay for your courses?
Yes – see our Army IgnitED page. The annual cap is set by Army policy and changes by fiscal year, so check Army COOL for the current figure.
What replaced MyCAA for spouses?
The SpouseWorks Scholarship. It funds a licence, certification or associate degree up to $4,000, with an annual cap.
Can I use SkillBridge with you?
SkillBridge applies in your last 180 days of service – talk to your command and then to us about timing a class inside that window.
Do you train students who are deployed or on shift?
Yes. Every course runs live online as well as in class in Miami.
Is the military discount on top of funding?
Yes. The 10% comes off the published price first; funding programmes apply to the balance.
Talk to us about your requirement
Government agencies and military personnel get a 10% discount on our training. Private group delivery is available on your dates, on site, at our Miami campus or live online.
Official sources: DoD COOL · Army COOL · SpouseWorks Scholarship · DoD SkillBridge
Written by The Code Academy. Last updated October 2026. This page summarises public federal guidance and is not legal or contractual advice — confirm requirements against the official sources above or with your security manager.
