SpouseWorks Scholarship Planner

The SpouseWorks Scholarship is the new name for My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA), renamed by the Department of Defense in June 2026. It is a scholarship that helps military spouses pursue portable careers, providing up to $4,000 in financial assistance toward a license, certification, or associate degree. The scholarship pays tuition and testing fees at approved institutions. It is available to spouses of active duty service members, and of National Guard and Reserve members on Title 10 orders, in grades E-1 through E-9, W-1 through W-3, and O-1 through O-3 (including O-1E, O-2E, and O-3E) who have completed high school or a GED.

Plan across fiscal years

The scholarship allows up to $2,000 per fiscal year (October 1 through September 30), with $4,000 total and a three-year window to use the funds starting from your first course. If your program costs more than $2,000, plan to split enrollment across fiscal years to use the full benefit. Many programs offer payment plans that align with this structure.

Stack credentials

If your first program costs less than $4,000, you may be able to use remaining funds for a second credential. For example, completing a Bookkeeping certification ($1,200) could leave $2,800 for a second program like CompTIA Security+. Check with a SpouseWorks career coach for specific stacking rules.

Choose remote-friendly programs

Military families move every 2-3 years on average. Programs with high remote-work potential let you build a career that moves with you. Medical billing and coding, bookkeeping, project management, and cybersecurity all have strong remote job markets.

One of the biggest challenges for military spouses with state-licensed careers is transferring credentials after a PCS. Federal legislation and interstate compacts have improved portability significantly:

• ARELLO Compact (Real Estate): 15 states participate in the cooperative certification compact, allowing licensed agents to practice across member states without retesting.

• Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC): Over 40 states participate, though nursing programs typically exceed the scholarship's $4,000 cap.

• National Certifications: Programs like CompTIA, PMP, and medical billing (CPC/CCS) are nationally recognized and require no state transfer.

• DoD Licensing Resources: The Department of Labor maintains a licensing portability guide for military families.