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Military members, veterans, and their families have special opportunities when it comes to funding higher education. Given the high cost of attending college, they’re well worth checking into.

Find out about student loans for military dependents: children, spouses, and sometimes other relatives of active duty service members.

What Are Student Loans?

First things first: What are student loans, and how do student loans work?

Student loans are a type of financial product wherein a bank or other lender gives a student up-front money with which to pay for college and other educational expenses. Student loans can be used to cover tuition, textbooks, and even living expenses such as housing. Student loans are available through the government as well as through private lenders, and can be taken out by parents or students themselves.

Student loans, like all forms of debt, come at a cost: Interest accrues from the time the first loan check is disbursed. In the case of Direct Subsidized loans, the U.S. government covers the interest so long as the student is enrolled at least half-time and for the first six months after the student stops attending.

Although student loan interest rates tend to be lower than, say, credit card interest rates, the charges can still rack up over time. This is part of the reason Americans are saddled with a whopping $1.8 trillion in student loan debt.

💡 Quick Tip: You can fund your education with a competitive-rate, no-fees-required private student loan that covers up to 100% of school-certified costs.

Who Is a Military Dependent?

Military dependents are relatives of an active-duty service member, or sometimes a veteran, who can qualify for benefits based on their family member’s service.

Some family members, such as military spouses and children under the age of 21, automatically qualify as dependents. Other family members, such as parents and adult children, may also qualify if they meet certain criteria. Military dependents may receive death benefits, low-cost housing, and other discounts due to their status.

Financial Aid Service Organizations for Military Dependents

Here are some of the financial aid options open to military members and their dependents.

Government-Sponsored Financial Aid

For most students, including military dependents, the government is the first place to turn for financial aid: Along with the opportunity to take out Subsidized Direct Loans, you may be eligible for grants and scholarships thanks to your service or your family member’s. To apply for federal aid, you’ll need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) annually.

For instance, if your parent or guardian died in service in Iraq or Afghanistan after 9/11, you may be eligible for the maximum federal Pell Grant regardless of your family’s income.

If you already have federal student loans, you may also be eligible for military student loan forgiveness, depending on the type of loans you have and what you or your family member’s service history looks like.

Additionally, the Army and Navy Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, or ROTC, offers no-cost scholarships at over 1,000 colleges across the United States. See the official Federal Student Aid website (StudentAid.gov) for full details.

Recommended: I Didn’t Get Enough Financial Aid: Now What?

American Legion

The American Legion offers college funding to the children of veterans who died or became disabled as part of post-9/11 service through their Legacy Scholarship program. The scholarship awards up to $20,000 and can be renewed up to six times.

AMVETS

AMVETS offers scholarships of $4,000 for military dependents, including sons, daughters, and grandchildren of veterans or active-duty personnel, as well as spouses, to help with educational expenses. These scholarships, awarded based on need and academic merit, are designed to bridge financial gaps after other aid is applied.

💡 Quick Tip: It’s a good idea to understand the pros and cons of private student loans and federal student loans before committing to them.

Paralyzed Veterans of America

Paralyzed Veterans of America offers scholarships of up to $2,500 for full-time students and $1,000 for part-time students to its members, their spouses, and their dependent children under 24 years of age. Awardees may apply a second time, but are only eligible to receive the scholarship twice in a lifetime.

Veterans of Foreign Wars

The organization Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) also offers student veteran support in a variety of ways, including its Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship, which awards qualified applicants up to $5,000 per semester (per family), as well as the Student Veteran Support Grant, which is designed to be used for events and outreach efforts that assist veterans who are currently enrolled in college. The Student Veteran Support Grant can be used for up to $500 per event up to twice per fiscal year for a total of $1,000.

Recommended: Types of Federal Student Loans

Private Student Loans for Military Dependents

Finally, military dependents may also choose to look into private student loans to fund their education.

Private student loans are, as their name suggests, not backed by the government and are instead offered by private banks, credit unions, and lenders. They do come with certain advantages — for example, they generally don’t carry the same lifetime maximums as publicly funded student loans, and you may have more flexibility when it comes to your loan term and repayment schedule.

However, private student loans sometimes carry higher interest rates than federal loans do, and your (or your cosigner’s) credit report will be pulled in order to qualify you — which isn’t the case for loans from the government. Because private loans lack the borrower protections afforded to federal student loans, they are most often considered as a last resort option.

The Takeaway

As a military dependent, you have a lot of options to consider when it comes to financial aid. Be sure to look into scholarships offered by the American Legion, AMVETS, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the VFW. Military dependents should also apply for a Pell Grant, which doesn’t need to be repaid. And federal subsidized student loans give borrowers a break on some accrued interest.

For some, private student loans offer an attractive combination of accessibility and flexibility. (Keep in mind, though, that private student loans tend not to be eligible for student loan forgiveness and other programs.)

If you’ve exhausted all federal student aid options, no-fee private student loans from SoFi can help you pay for school. The online application process is easy, and you can see rates and terms in just minutes. Repayment plans are flexible, so you can find an option that works for your financial plan and budget.

FAQ

Do military dependents get free college?

Not automatically, but there are programs specifically designed to help military members and their dependents pay for college.

Does the military pay spouses’ student loans?

No, the military does not have programs that directly pay off a spouse’s existing student loans. Military loan repayment programs are incentives offered to the service member as part of their enlistment contract, not their spouse.

However, military spouses can take advantage of other benefits and federal programs to manage or potentially forgive their student debt.

Can military dependents get FAFSA?

Yes, military dependents can qualify for federal financial student aid using the FAFSA®, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA is a good first place to turn when looking for financial aid because it can match you with low-cost, need-based options like Direct Subsidized Loans.

Photo credit: iStock/Liudmila Chernetska

SoFi Private Student Loans
Please borrow responsibly. SoFi Private Student loans are not a substitute for federal loans, grants, and work-study programs. We encourage you to evaluate all your federal student aid options before you consider any private loans, including ours. Read our FAQs.

Terms and conditions apply. SOFI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. SoFi Private Student loans are subject to program terms and restrictions, such as completion of a loan application and self-certification form, verification of application information, the student's at least half-time enrollment in a degree program at a SoFi-participating school, and, if applicable, a co-signer. In addition, borrowers must be U.S. citizens or other eligible status, be residing in the U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or American Samoa, and must meet SoFi’s underwriting requirements, including verification of sufficient income to support your ability to repay. Minimum loan amount is $1,000. See SoFi.com/eligibility for more information. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. SoFi reserves the right to modify eligibility criteria at any time. This information is subject to change. This information is current as of 4/22/2025 and is subject to change. SoFi Private Student loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).

SoFi Bank, N.A. and its lending products are not endorsed by or directly affiliated with any college or university unless otherwise disclosed.

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

SOISL-Q425-025

If you have federal student loans, you can enroll in an Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plan, which may make your monthly payments more affordable. That’s because the amount is calculated based on your discretionary income and the size of your family.

Income-Driven Repayment is the umbrella term for several federal repayment programs tied to salary, while Income-Based Repayment refers to one specific plan. (Yes, it’s a bit confusing.)

Once you are enrolled in an IDR plan, you will need to “recertify” annually, by providing updated information about your salary and family size — essentially reapplying for the plan. The government uses this information to calculate your payment amount and adjust it if necessary.

You can easily recertify online or by mail. Read on to find out when to recertify your income-driven repayment, how to do it, and more.

What Is Income-Based Repayment?

As noted above, the correct umbrella term is Income-Driven Repayment, which currently encompasses three different plans. These plans are available to federal student loan borrowers to help make their payments more manageable. It’s an option to keep in mind when choosing a loan or if your current federal loan payments are high relative to your income. The program is intended to make the amount you pay on your student loan each month more affordable.

The big domestic policy bill that President Trump signed into law in July 2025 makes significant changes to student loan repayment plans. Borrowers who take out loans on or after July 1, 2026, will only have two repayment plans to choose from: a revised version of the Standard Repayment Plan, with a repayment term based on a borrower’s loan amount, and the Repayment Assistance Program (RAP), which is similar to an IDR plan. Payments on RAP may be 1% to 10% of a borrower’s discretionary income for a term of up to 30 years, after which time any remaining balance will be forgiven.

Borrowers with loans taken out before July 1, 2026, will retain access to the three existing IDR plans until July 1, 2028.

The three existing income-driven repayment programs offered for federal student loans are:

•   Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Repayment Plan

•   Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan

•   Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plan

For all of these plans, your payment amount is generally based on a percentage of your discretionary income, which is defined by the U.S. Education Department (ED) as “the difference between your annual income and 150% of the poverty guideline for your family size and state of residence.” There is a Loan Simulator tool you can use to see what your payments would be for each of the repayment programs.

IDR payments are determined as 10% of your discretionary income if you are a “new borrower,” who received their loan on or after July 1, 2014. You must also have no outstanding balance on a Direct Loan or Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL). Loan terms are 20 to 25 years.

Loan forgiveness is now available only under the IBR plan. Any loan balance that remains unpaid at the end of the repayment period on IBR will be forgiven.

Recommended: Guide to Student Loan Forgiveness

Which Federal Loans Are Eligible for an Income-Driven Repayment Plan?

IDR plans are available for the following types of federal loans:

•   Direct Subsidized Loans

•   Direct Unsubsidized Loans

•   Direct PLUS Loans made to graduate or professional students

•   Direct Consolidation Loans that did not repay any PLUS loans made to parents

•   Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans

•   Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans

•   FFEL PLUS Loans made to graduate or professional students

•   FFEL Consolidation Loans that did not repay any PLUS loans made to parents

•   Federal Perkins Loans, if consolidated.

Income-Driven Repayment plans are not available to FFEL PLUS loans or Direct PLUS loans that are made to parents.

It’s also worth noting that IDR plans are not available to private student loan borrowers. One option a borrower with student loan refinancing, you replace your existing loans with one new loan from a private lender. Ideally, the new loan has a lower interest rate, which could lower your monthly payments. However, it’s important to understand that if you refinance federal student loans, you lose access to federal benefits. Borrowers thinking about refinancing should make sure they won’t need those programs before moving ahead.

Recommended: Refinancing Student Loans Without a Cosigner

The Status of the SAVE Plan

The SAVE plan, which was introduced as an IDR plan in 2023, was closed to new borrowers as of February 2025, when a court order blocked its implementation. Borrowers already on the plan have been placed in forbearance; however, interest on their loans began accruing in August 2025.

Also, the time spent in SAVE will not count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) or IDR forgiveness. According to the ED, borrowers currently in SAVE can enroll in the IBR plan to work toward forgiveness.

Unless the court rules before that time, the SAVE plan will be terminated on July 1, 2028.

What Is Student Loan Recertification?

Since your repayment plan is based on your income and the size of your family, you need to reconfirm these details every year.

If you apply for an income-driven repayment plan online, the ED will ask you for consent to access your tax information. If you give consent, they will automatically recertify your plan every year.

If you choose to apply manually, you will need to manually recertify every year.

If your financial situation changes ahead of recertification — like you lose your job — you can submit an IDR plan request to have your payment recalculated.

How to Recertify Income-Driven Repayments

You can apply for income-driven repayments and recertify your status at StudentAid.gov. Filing your application online ensures that it is sent to each of your loan servicers if you have more than one. Alternatively, you can print out the application, fill it out, and send it by mail.

To file online, go to the student aid website above, click on “Manage My Loans,” and then click on “Recertify an Income-Driven Repayment Plan.” You’ll need to log in with your federal student aid ID. Then you can choose to have your plan automatically recertified each year or you can opt to do it manually.

Next you’ll answer questions about your family, including family size, your marital status, and your spouse’s income, if applicable. You can connect your account directly to your tax return to verify your income information. And if your income has changed since your last tax return, you can upload more recent pay stubs.

To recertify by mail, you can download the Income-Driven Repayment Plan Request form. Fill out the form and attach the required documents. You’ll send the request to the address provided by your loan servicer.

When to Recertify Income-Driven Repayment Plans

Your recertification date is generally the date one year after you started or renewed your IDR plan. Your loan servicers will send you a notice in advance that it’s time to recertify your loan.

If you opted to have your plan automatically recertified by consenting to let the ED access your tax information, the process will happen without you doing anything. You will be notified before payment amounts change.

If your income decreases or your family status changes before your annual recertification date, you may want to recertify earlier. You can fill out a recertification form at any time if you’re struggling to make your payments because your financial situation has changed, and ask for an immediate payment adjustment.

If you fail to recertify your IBR plan by the annual deadline, your monthly payment will switch to the amount you would pay under the existing Standard Repayment Plan. You’ll be able to make payments based on your income again when you update your income information.

The Takeaway

Income-Driven Repayment plans are available to most federal student loan borrowers and they can be a way to make sure your student loan repayments work with your budget. Recertification is a critical step borrowers need to take each year to inform the government of changes to their situation that might affect their payment size.

Borrowers with private loans are not eligible for IDR. They may want to consider other options, such as refinancing, to help manage their loan payments.

Looking to lower your monthly student loan payment? Refinancing may be one way to do it — by extending your loan term, getting a lower interest rate than what you currently have, or both. (Please note that refinancing federal loans makes them ineligible for federal forgiveness and protections. Also, lengthening your loan term may mean paying more in interest over the life of the loan.) SoFi student loan refinancing offers flexible terms that fit your budget.

FAQ

Can you recertify student loans early?

Federal student loan borrowers who are on an income-driven repayment plan can recertify early if their family has grown or their income has decreased by filling out a recertification form at StudentAid.gov. Otherwise, they need to recertify their loans once a year.

How do I recertify my student loans?

You can recertify the IDR plan under which you pay your student loans online at StudentAid.gov. Or you can download and mail in the Income-Driven Repayment Plan Request form with any supporting documentation. If you mail in the request, you’ll need to send a copy to each of your loan servicers.

When should I recertify my student loans?

Your recertification date is the date one year after you started or renewed your IDR plan. Your loan servicers will send you a notice in advance that it’s time to recertify your loan. You can also choose to have your plan automatically recertified each year when you first apply for IDR by consenting to let the Education Department access your tax information.

SoFi Student Loan Refinance
Terms and conditions apply. SoFi Refinance Student Loans are private loans. When you refinance federal loans with a SoFi loan, YOU FORFEIT YOUR ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL FEDERAL LOAN BENEFITS, including all flexible federal repayment and forgiveness options that are or may become available to federal student loan borrowers including, but not limited to: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), Income-Based Repayment, Income-Contingent Repayment, extended repayment plans, PAYE or SAVE. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Learn more at SoFi.com/eligibility. SoFi Refinance Student Loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).

SoFi Private Student Loans
Please borrow responsibly. SoFi Private Student loans are not a substitute for federal loans, grants, and work-study programs. We encourage you to evaluate all your federal student aid options before you consider any private loans, including ours. Read our FAQs.

Terms and conditions apply. SOFI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. SoFi Private Student loans are subject to program terms and restrictions, such as completion of a loan application and self-certification form, verification of application information, the student's at least half-time enrollment in a degree program at a SoFi-participating school, and, if applicable, a co-signer. In addition, borrowers must be U.S. citizens or other eligible status, be residing in the U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or American Samoa, and must meet SoFi’s underwriting requirements, including verification of sufficient income to support your ability to repay. Minimum loan amount is $1,000. See SoFi.com/eligibility for more information. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. SoFi reserves the right to modify eligibility criteria at any time. This information is subject to change. This information is current as of 4/22/2025 and is subject to change. SoFi Private Student loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).

SoFi Loan Products
SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.