Welcome, Service Members!

We are so glad you are joining the KU community! Located in 345 Summerfield, we are your centralized resource and offer study and meeting spaces, computers, CAC readers, a 24-7 lounge, dedicated staff to provide support tailored to all military-affiliated students, and more.

Transitioning to KU

These tools can help you in your decision-making process.

Undergraduate students
  • Apply to KU (Note: ACT/SAT scores are no longer required.). We offer undergraduate application fee waivers for military.
  • KU awards some college credit for military courses. Visit the Credit for Prior Learning page and look for the “military service credit” section for more details.
    • To get credit for military courses, if you list your military affiliation and include your SSN on your KU application, we will order a copy of your military transcripts from the JST system for you; or you can get them on the JST website and have them sent to KU. (Air Force – you will need to request your CCAF and/or Air University transcript).
    • Visit KU CredTran to see how JST/CCAF courses have historically transferred. For JST or by MOS, select the state, "District of Columbia." For CCAF/Air University, select "Alabama."
    • Visit the KU credit transfer page to learn more.
  • You may be eligible for foreign language proficiency credits, credit from CLEP exams, and/or credit for high school work: Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate (regardless of when you graduated high school). Visit the Credit and Exemption for High School Work page to learn more.
     
  • Once admitted, freshmen/new students: Learn more about next steps for freshmen, including signing up for orientation and enrolling in classes.
  • Once admitted, transfer students: Once you're admitted to KU, expect a call from a KU Navigator who will help you get set up and connect you with an advisor. Learn more about next steps for transfer students.
Graduate students
  • Steps to using GI Bill benefits at KU. Includes information on
    • Ch. 30 - Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty
    • Ch. 33 - Post 9-11 GI Bill
    • Frequently asked questions about using benefits
  • VA Work Study – on-campus jobs in the Military-Affiliated Student Center for GI Bill users. Visit our Get Involved page to learn more. 

Start with your Education Service Officer/counselor prior to enrolling to determine eligibility. You should be able to locate your ESO contact in either your TA portal or on your military installation. 

Academic Programs for Military Personnel

Advanced Education Programs (AEPs) incorporate a variety of sub-programs through which military personnel can pursue fully funded masters or doctoral degrees. These sub-programs include:

  1. Advanced Civil Schooling (ACS)
  2. Expanded Graduate School Program (EGSP), which include:
    • Commanders Program and Menu of Incentives (MOI)
    • Graduate School for Active Duty Service Obligation (GrADSO)
  3. Performance Based Graduate School Incentive Program (PB-GSIP)

AEPs require certain documentation from the university to complete the eligibility and acceptance packets. These documents may include:

  1. Letter of Acceptance. The letter needs to list the specific program you are attending, contain the university letterhead, and signature block from the university admissions office. To obtain a letter of acceptance, apply and be admitted to KU.
  2. Application for Detail as Student at Civilian Educational Institution (DA 2125). This document outlines your proposed class schedule and timeline for degree completion. A signature from an Academic Advisor in your graduate program is usually required on the document to validate the schedule and timeline. You can obtain this once you have been admitted.
  3. Tuition Agreement. This document lays out all the costs of the program by semester and needs to match your proposed class schedule. The agreement needs to include a KU letterhead and signature from a KU official. Once you have your proposed class schedule from your advisor, contact the MASC for assistance.

If you have trouble obtaining any documentation or have any questions and don't know where to start, please fill out our contact form, selecting "active duty programs" for the topic and answer the subsequent questions.

KU Leavenworth provides tier one graduate level education to the Leavenworth and Northland community members, officers attending the Army’s Command and General Staff College, and online distance learners. KU Leavenworth coursework can be completed within 10-12 months through accelerated programming and flexible class times to fit the schedules of working adults and military careers. With staff offices and classroom space located on Fort Leavenworth and in the Towne Place Suites hotel, students have access to the same academic and student support, professors and educational rigor as those attending main campus in Lawrence.

Visit the Leavenworth page or the respective links below for more details on the following programs:

  • Master of Science in Homeland Security: Law & Policy (online): This MS degree is one of the nation's only graduate degrees in Homeland Security to be offered within a School of Law.  This highly interdisciplinary degree prepares officers to develop policies, strategies, plans and programs to reduce America's vulnerability to the full range of homeland security threats and potential catastrophic events. 
  • Master of Science in Business & Organizational Leadership (Fort Leavenworth): This program complements CGSC's leadership curriculum by introducing officers to strategic leadership. The curriculum incorporates relevant, practical knowledge balanced across the tenets for leading and managing people and organizations -- talent management and development, team-building and organizational leadership, strategic direction and change, and leadership.
  • Hybrid Master of Business Administration(online/Fort Leavenworth): The KU MBA program equips students with a comprehensive knowledge of today's top business subjects that can be applied in a variety of professional settings, and the coursework develops the analytical and strategic perspectives students can apply to create success in any business undertaking.
  • Master of Engineering or Master of Science in Project Management (online): These degrees are designed to prepare officers to advance their careers in the military, and afterwards, to thrive in the civilian world of project management. The program emphasizes the strategic role that PM plays in the performance of global organizations and provides them with the full spectrum of PM concepts and methodologies, including portfolio and program management, technical delivery, agile, and change management. 
  • Master of Science in Business - Supply Chain Management and Logistics (Fort Leavenworth): Developed in conjunction with the CGSC's Department of Logistics & Resource Operations, the MS-SCM provides officers with the opportunity to expand their future potential with a specialized degree in Supply Chain Management.  The KU curriculum complements the quality training and experience military logisticians typically enjoy, while providing a broader, civilian economy focus.
  • Master of Arts in Global and International Studies - Interagency Track (Fort Leavenworth): Developed in conjunction with USASOC and the CGSC SOF Element, this program was specifically designed for officers in the SOF community, but is applicable to any officer who is preparing to work within the complex interagency governmental process.
  • Master of Public Administration (online): The MPA is the professional degree for those who seek leadership positions in public service. The MPA is designed to develop the skills necessary to confront society’s most important problems.
  • Graduate Certificate in Public/Nonprofit Management (Fort Leavenworth): This certificate aims to enhance graduates’ ability to manage and lead public and nonprofit organizations ethically and effectively.
  • Graduate Certificate in Homeland Security: Law & Policy (Online): Students interested in supplementing their education with an additional level of expertise in homeland security and cyber law can earn the online Graduate Certificate in Homeland Security: Law & Policy.


 

Learn more about the following programs:

  • Foreign Area Officer programs: Providing courses in over 40 foreign languages and supported through five regional study centers, KU offers 12-18 month MA programs for FAOs in the Americas, Europe, Eurasia, China, North Africa, Middle East, North Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. KU is one of the few universities nationwide that responded to the Army requirement and successfully developed multiple one-year MA programs for FAOs.
  • Masters in Digital and Integrated Marketing Communications (online): This program trains graduates to find, use and analyze information and data to solve organizational problems. Build skills you can use immediately while broadening your thinking and encouraging a mindset for adapting to the ever-changing digital landscape. With certificates in Social Media Strategy and Data Interpretation and Communication, you can become the information expert in your organization.
  • Masters in Applied Behavioral Science (online): Applied behavioral scientists and researchers impact our society and culture in a variety of areas, including social work, public health, law enforcement, special and regular education, medicine, and psychology. Practitioners in this field improve how people learn, work and live. As a pioneering institution in behavioral research and practice, the University of Kansas is an ideal place to further your studies in this field and prepare you for a career of helping others.
  • Online Masters of Business Administration (MBA) 
  • MBA - Petroleum Management: The MBA with a concentration in Petroleum Management combines a unique curriculum of master’s level business and engineering courses. It meets the requirements of active-duty U.S. Naval Supply Corps officers who have been selected by the Navy 811 program.
  • U.S. Army - Harding Fellowship (M.S. in Journalism and Mass Communications): The Harding Fellowship will select, develop, and employ top performing officers as editors for the Army’s professional journals as a continuation of the Harding Project’s goal to improve the Army profession through writing and discussion.

Looking at an enlisted-to-officer program and want to earn your degree from KU? Reach out to your respective ROTC department directly for more information/assistance:

  • MECP/STA-21 (KU Naval ROTC)
  • Green-to-Gold (KU Army ROTC)
  • Not listed? Fill out our contact form selecting "active duty programs" for the topic and answer the subsequent questions so we can help get the information you need.

KU is one of eight DoD Language Training Center universities ans has been designated an LTC since 2013. KU is a leader in the field of foreign language instruction, boasting five area studies centers and offering more languages than any university between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains.

For more information, visit the KU Language Training Center.

Programs & Resources for Students

Located in 345 Summerfield Hall, we offer study and meeting spaces, computers, CAC readers, a 24-7 lounge, dedicated staff to provide support tailored to all military-affiliated students, and more. Learn more about the center.

Health Insurance from the Military

TRICARE beneficiaries: The on-campus Watkins Health Center is not an in-network provider, but students can receive some services for free or reduced rates. Learn more about TRICARE and Watkins Health Center.

Preparing for the Next Chapter

‘‘GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). For more information, see the GI Bill Trademark terms of use."