Leaving the military and wondering what your education options are?

Leaving the military is a huge milestone. For many service leavers and veterans, education plays a vital role in transitioning to civilian life. Whether you're looking to retrain, upskill, or follow a passion you’ve put on hold, there’s a wide range of support and study options to help you get there.

This guide covers why education matters after the military, what financial support is available, and which learning routes might suit you best.

During your military career, you’ve built an incredible set of transferable skills and experience, discipline, leadership, teamwork, and technical knowledge. But many civilian careers also require formal qualifications or updated industry-specific training.

 Retraining helps you:

• Access a wider range of career opportunities
• Adapt to new technologies and industries
• Gain confidence during your transition
• Make your CV stand out to employers

Investing in lifelong learning is one of the most effective ways to secure a meaningful and sustainable career after service.

There’s a lot of financial support available to help veterans and service personnel planning on leaving the military to access further and higher education.

The Enhanced Learning Credits Scheme (ELCAS) helps fund courses at Level 3 and above. Backed by the Ministry of Defence, it allows you to claim up to £2,000 per year for approved learning.

Learn more at elcas.mod.uk

Read Why upskill with online Enhanced Learning Credits courses

The Publicly Funded Further Education/Higher Education (PF FE/HE) scheme gives eligible veterans access to free college or university courses. It must be with an approved provider listed on the ELCAS website.

Learn more at Claiming Publicly - Funded FE/HE

The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) provides access to free or subsidised training in everything from project management and logistics to tech and health care.

Learn more at MOD CTP

If you’re applying for a degree or college course, you may also be eligible for Student Finance, which includes tuition fee loans and maintenance loans for living costs.

Learn more at Student Finance and Support Available | UCAS

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most popular routes for service leavers and veterans.

Online learning is flexible and accessible, making it perfect for those juggling family, work, or other commitments. Many UK universities offer online degrees and diplomas, including ARU.

Learn more at Armed Forces Online Degrees

Other online options include government-funded Level 2 and 3 courses through Free Online Courses UK - Free Courses in England.

Prefer a practical route? Vocational training gets you job-ready in fields like construction, engineering, health care, and IT. Look to your local further education college. They will usually offer an extensive range of vocational evening courses.

Going to university can open up professional careers and leadership roles. Furthermore, RPL/APL (Recognised or Accredited Prior Learning), your military experience might reduce the time and cost of a degree.

UCAS provide information on what to consider when applying – read UK Armed Forces veterans and service leavers | UCAS

Short employability courses help with the basics, such as CV writing, IT skills, and interview preparation. These courses will make it easier to get back into the job market and give you a boost of confidence.

Apprenticeships are open to adults of all ages and combine paid work with formal training. Great for gaining experience while earning. They’re funded by the employer, so it means you won’t have to pay tuition fees.

Degree apprenticeships combine studying for a degree and on-the-job training. Sectors are diverse: such as supply chain management, construction management, quantity surveying, and mechanical engineering.

Learn about ARU’s degree apprenticeship portfolio - Degree apprenticeships - ARU

If you’re interested in education, teacher training could be a natural fit. Programmes like Troops to Teachers support those leaving the military into teaching with bursaries and tailored training.

Learn more at Get support if you're a veteran | Get Into Teaching GOV.UK

The Armed Forces Covenant is a national promise that those who serve or have served in the military and their families are treated fairly. Many educational institutions sign up to it, offering extra support to veterans and service leavers.

ARU is proud to be part of this, holding a gold award for our part in its Employer Recognition Scheme.

You can access services through the NHS, Combat Stress, Help for Heroes, and others. Many universities also offer veteran-specific mental health and wellbeing services.

Some useful links:

• Mental health support for veterans, service leavers and reservists - NHS
• Mental health services for veterans | Combat Stress
• UK Armed Forces and military veterans charity | Help For Heroes

The CTP, university outreach teams, and charities like the Royal British Legion can help you choose a course, write your application, and apply for student finance.

If you would like to talk to us about any of our online degrees, contact us to talk through your options.