Military Online Degree Programs
Statement of Service
Recognized as one of the top 20 schools for military education by Military Advanced Education, more than half of students enrolled at CSU are members of the U.S. military. CSU has also been recognized as one of G.I. Job's Top Military Friendly Schools as well as one of Military Times EDGE Magazine's Top 50 Schools for Servicemembers. Completely online programs, open enrollment, flexible courses and affordable tuition allow Servicemembers to achieve a quality education while preserving our nation’s freedom.
To speak with a Military Support Respresentative, please contact the Military Support Group at 1.800.977.8449 ext. 6533, or email militarysupportgroup@columbiasouthern.edu
Military Discounts
All Service members receive an application fee waiver. Spouses or children of active duty military men and women will receive the waiver and a ten percent tuition discount.
Credit for Military Training
CSU allows transfer of credit hours for prior academic credits, training, and relevant professional licenses and certifications. Up to 75 percent of undergraduate courses and 50 percent of graduate courses can be transferred into your degree program. Students are allowed to transfer in 15 percent of coursework into the DBA program. For the full Transfer Credit Policy, please download the CSU Student Handbook.
CLEP Courses
The College-Level Examination Program offers students a chance to earn college credit by earning qualifying scores on selected examinations offered by CollegeBoard for knowledge they've acquired through independent study, prior course work, on-the-job training, professional development, cultural pursuits or internships.
Columbia Southern University grants credits for the CLEP tests in which scores that meet the American Council on Education recommended levels for acceptance have been achieved. CLEP exams are eligible for possible transfer credit up to the maximum allowance per degree at CSU (e.g. up to a total of 45 semester hours of credits for an associate degree or up to 90 semester hours for a bachelor’s degree). CSU has no maximum number of courses that will be accepted, except that at least 15 credit hours of associate degree level courses and 30 credit hours of bachelor’s degree level courses must be taken at CSU.
CLEP offers more than 30 different types of exams covering a multitude of topics.
To learn more about the CLEP exams, visit www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/about.html and speak with a CSU academic advisor.
Educational Benefits
CSU is approved to offer Military Tuition Assistance (TA) and Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits. Additional education funding is available to those approved for TA and eligible for MGIB-Active Duty benefits. In most cases, these benefits cover the entire cost of your program. You can complete seven undergraduate courses or six graduate courses annually without exceeding the DoD annual ceiling of $4,500. The CSU tuition rate for undergraduate and graduate courses is below the DoD semester hour cap of $250.
Memberships
CSU is a member of GoArmyEd, Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) and AU-ABC.
GoArmyEd
Few other colleges and universities have been invited to participate in the U.S. Army GoArmyEd initiative that allows active duty Soldiers to request TA online. This dynamic online portal automates many of the paper-based processes historically conducted with Army Education Counselors. If you are currently enrolled at CSU or are planning to apply, please visit GoArmyEd to set up your account and to learn more about how to take advantage of your TA benefits.
Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC)
SOC is a consortium of more than 1,800 colleges and universities that provide educational opportunities for Servicemembers and their families. SOC is cosponsored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in cooperation with 13 other educational associations, the Military Services, the National Guard, and the Coast Guard.
Air University Associate-to-Baccalaureate Cooperative (AU-ABC)
As an Air Force friendly school, CSU is one of few universities that have enrolled in the Air University Associate-to-Baccalaureate Cooperative (AU-ABC). This initiative allows Airmen to transfer 64 Semester Hours of the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) degree into a bachelor’s degree program. The accelerated program requires no more than 60 semester hours to complete select bachelor’s degree programs with CSU and will be offered in a completely online format.
To participate in the AU-ABC program, registrants must be active duty Air Force, Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard. However, degree requirements can be completed after a member retires or separates from the service. For more information, including available degree programs, please visit the Air Force Virtual Education Center on the Air Force Portal.