Free Online Courses for Veterans & Certifications for Military Spouses

Free or Low-Cost Online Courses for Military & Veterans

Flexible Learning: Online courses offer the flexibility to learn at your own pace, which is particularly beneficial for military personnel with unpredictable schedules. This flexibility allows you to balance your education with your service commitments.
Specialized Programs: Many online platforms provide specialized programs tailored for veterans transitioning to civilian employment. These programs often include free training that offers comprehensive skills training, support services, and practical assistance in securing job opportunities. This can significantly ease the transition from military to civilian life.
Cost-Effective: Online courses are often more affordable than traditional classroom-based education. Additionally, many platforms offer financial aid, scholarships, and discounts for military personnel and veterans, making education more accessible.

Benefits of Online Courses for Military & Veterans

Online courses offer numerous benefits for military personnel and veterans, including flexibility, convenience, and accessibility. These benefits are particularly important for those who are transitioning to civilian life or seeking to enhance their skills while still serving. With online courses, military personnel and veterans can:

Learn at their own pace and on their own schedule
Access courses from anywhere with an internet connection
Balance coursework with other responsibilities, such as work or family obligations
Gain new skills and knowledge to enhance their career prospects
Take advantage of free or low-cost courses and certifications

Whether you’re on active duty or a veteran, online courses provide a practical and efficient way to advance your education and career. The ability to learn from anywhere and at any time makes it easier to fit education into your busy life, ensuring you can continue to grow professionally without sacrificing other important commitments.

Are you looking to upskill or reskill to land the job you want? You’re in luck! Several companies offer free or low-cost certifications for veterans and military spouses. Certifications and courses can vary by organization, so we compiled a list for you. Online certifications available for veterans and military spouses include Six Sigma, project management, salesforce, and more.

Free or Low-Cost Online Courses for Military & Veterans

Are you looking to upskill or reskill through skills training to land the job you want? You’re in luck! Several companies offer free or low-cost certifications for veterans and military spouses. Certifications and courses can vary by organization, so we compiled a list for you. Online certifications available for veterans and military spouses include Six Sigma, project management, salesforce, and more.

Free Courses

Sigma Forces

Military-focus

Sigma Force’s certifications and education programs are globally accredited. Sigma Forces is a veteran/military spouse-owned business, giving them a unique understanding of the importance of upskilling and reskilling for the military community. Learn more here.

Courses offered by Sigma Force:

- Marketing and Sales
- Scrum
- Lean Six Sigma
- Six Sigma

SalesForce Military

Military-focus

SalesForce Military program offers free 100% remote Salesforce courses for military and military spouses. The program covers certification costs, can be completed in 6 months, and the opportunity to participate in a 12-week paid job training program is available to all who qualify. Learn more here.

Courses offered by Salesforce Military:

- Salesforce Administrator
- Salesforce Developer
- Sales Cloud
- Marketing Careers
- Salesforce Architect
- Business Analyst
- Salesforce Consultant
- Service Cloud
- Salesforce Designer

Syracuse University Veterans Career Transition Program

Military-focus

Through Syracuse University’s Onward to Opportunity (O2O) program transitioning military members and military spouses can take free accredited courses. Learn more here.

Courses offered by Onward to Opportunity (O2O):

- Customer Service
- Information Technology
- Entry Level IT Technician
- Cyber Security
- Cloud Services / Information Security
- Business Management
- Project Management
- Six Sigma
- Human Resources

FEMA Independent Study Program (FEMA ISP)

FEMA Independent Study Program (FEMA ISP) offers over 200 free self-paced courses. The courses are similar to military experience, making them a great fit for the military community and first responders. FEMA has its own professional certification. Learn more here.

Courses offered by FEMA ISP:

- An Introduction to Hazardous Materials
- Special Events Contingency Planning for Public Safety Agencies
- Civil Rights and FEMA Disaster Assistance
- Public Information Officer Awareness
- Introduction to Emergency Management for Higher Education
- And More

The USO Pathfinder Transition Program

Military-focus

The USO Pathfinder® Transition Program is available to active duty, reserve, national guard, and military spouses. The program offers 3 professional development courses in partnership with Microsoft. Learn more here.

Courses offered by USO:

- Skillsoft
- IBM SkillsBuild
- Coursera

Career Forward by HOH

Military-focus

Career Forward is a career program offered by Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) for veterans. The program is designed to help veterans get certifications in as little as 6 months. Veterans can enroll in the self-paced Google Career Certificate program to help launch a new career. Learn more here.

Courses offered by Career Forward:

- Data Analytics
- IT Support
- Project Management
- User Experience (UX) Design

Free or Low-Cost Courses

Chartered Certified Project Manager Certifications (CCPMC)

CCPMC has developed the Military Governmental Educational Advanced Placement Exemptions program that allows for special military exemptions for the MPM and CIPM certifications. If military members meet the eligibility requirements for the two courses, they would be exempt from the training or accredited college degree requirements, fees may apply. CCPMC also offers over 100 certificate courses. Learn more here.

- Courses offered by CCPMC:
- MPM Master Project Manage
- CPM Chartered Process Manager
- CIPM Certified International Project Manager
- Engineering Certifications
- CSSA Certified – Six Sigma Analysis
- OSHA Safety Credentials
- And more

Coursera

Coursera is a collection of free or low-cost courses/certifications by 200+ companies and universities. They are not military-focused; However, their courses/certifications are well-known and recommended by many companies. Learn more here.

Courses offered by Coursera:

- Data Science
- Health
- Arts and Humanities
- Information Technology
- Business
- Social Sciences
- Physical Science and Engineering
- Math and Logic

Alison

Alison offers over 4,000 accredited online courses. The courses are free to take and self-paced. There is no cost to take the classes, however, users will incur a cost to obtain a diploma or certificate. Learn more here.

Courses offered by Alison:

- IT
- Health
- Language
- Business
- Management
- Personal Development
- Sales & Marketing
- Engineering & Construction
- Teaching & Academics
- English

Skill Storm – Military Focus

Skill Storm works with transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses to develop their technology career goals. Skill Storm courses are approved for VA funding and offer scholarships for military spouses. Learn more here.

Courses offered by Skill Storm:

- Introduction to Coding
- Objected-Oriented Programming
- Programming in JAVA
- Data Structures
- Relational Database and SQL
- Introduction to Pega
- Introduction to AWS
- Full Stack Java Development
- Introduction to Salesforce

Certifications and Training

Certifications and training programs can help military personnel and veterans gain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their careers. These programs can be particularly beneficial for those who are transitioning to civilian life or seeking to enhance their skills in a specific area. Some popular certifications and training programs for military personnel and veterans include:

Project management certifications, such as the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification
IT certifications, such as CompTIA A+ or Cisco CCNA
Cybersecurity certifications, such as CompTIA Security+ or CISSP
Data analytics certifications, such as Google Analytics or Microsoft Power BI
Business management certifications, such as the Certified Business Manager (CBM) certification

These certifications can open doors to new career paths and provide a competitive edge in the job market. By investing in these training programs, military personnel and veterans can ensure they have the skills needed to thrive in their post-military careers.

IT Certifications for Veterans

IT certifications can be a great way for veterans to gain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the IT industry. Many organizations offer free or low-cost IT certifications for veterans, including:

- CompTIA A+
- Cisco CCNA
- Microsoft MCSA
- VMware VCP
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner

These certifications can help veterans gain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in a variety of IT roles, including network administration, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. With the growing demand for IT professionals, obtaining these certifications can significantly enhance a veteran’s career prospects in the tech industry.

Transition Support and Resources

Transitioning to civilian life can be challenging for military personnel and veterans. Fortunately, there are many resources available to help make the transition smoother. Some popular transition support and resources include:

The Transition Assistance Program (TAP)
The Veterans Affairs (VA) Transition and Care Management (OEF/OIF/OND) Program
The Military OneSource Transition Assistance Program
The USO Transition 360 Alliance
The Wounded Warrior Project Transition Program

These resources can provide military personnel and veterans with the support and guidance they need to succeed in their transition to civilian life. From career counseling to job placement services, these programs are designed to help veterans navigate the complexities of entering the civilian workforce and finding meaningful employment.

Military Spouse Support

Military spouses often face unique challenges, including frequent moves and deployments. Fortunately, there are many resources available to support military spouses, including:

The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) program
The Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP)
The USO Military Spouse Transition Program
The Military Spouse Career Center
The National Military Spouse Network

These resources can provide military spouses with the support and guidance they need to succeed in their careers and personal lives. Whether it’s through career counseling, job placement services, or educational opportunities, these programs are designed to help military spouses overcome the challenges they face and achieve their professional and personal goals.

Added Benefit

Not only are you getting a leg up on the competition by upskilling/reskilling for free or low-cost and advancing your career by obtaining certifications, but many of the organizations listed above have employment assistance programs specifically for the military community. Career services include interview prep, resume building, work programs, personality tests, career guides, and more.