Military Students: How to Maximize Credit for Training and Service

Whenever someone in the military decides to go back to school, they usually want two things: to finish faster and save money. Good news! Most military training and service is worth college credit if they know how to use it right.

That’s where military college credit for training like ACE credit, Joint Services Transcripts, CLEP/DANTES exams, and military‑friendly schools come in.

This article breaks all that down so any military student can understand how to get the most college credit out of their service.

Related:

ACE Credit Recommendations for Military Training

What ACE Credit Is and Why It Matters

ACE stands for the American Council on Education. Think of ACE as the official group that helps turn real‑world military learning into something colleges can understand and give credit for. They’ve been doing this for decades.

Here’s how military college credit for training works:

ACE reviews military schools, jobs, courses, and training.
They figure out how many college credits each thing should be worth.
Then they put those recommendations in a big database called the ACE Military Guide.
Your Joint Services Transcript (JST) shows those ACE recommendations so colleges can see them.

Why is this important? Because civilian colleges usually don’t know military training at first glance. ACE bridges that gap. Colleges trust ACE military credit recommendations, so they use your JST to decide what credits to give you. The more of your military training matches an ACE credit, the more college credit you can get.

Understanding the Joint Services Transcript (JST)

The Joint Services Transcript (JST) is like your military school record, but made for colleges. It’s the official place where your service shows up in a way colleges can read.

Here’s what a JST includes:

MOS/Rating information — your job in the military and what you actually learned.
Service school courses completed — every school you finished while serving.
Skill identifiers & test scores — like if you did exams like CLEP or DANTES.

Colleges look at your JST like a regular college transcript. They see what ACE recommended and then decide how to apply it to their degree.

For example:

An infantry MOS might be worth leadership, management, or fitness electives in college.
A medic’s training could count toward health science or emergency medical credits.

ACE recommendations give a starting point, but exactly how many military college credits for training you get is up to the school’s transfer policies.

ACE-Credited Training That Converts Easily

Some credit for military experience almost always translates well into college credit. These high‑yield military prior learning credits are worth knowing about because students see the best results with them:

Leadership schools — things like unit leadership or team management.
NCO academies — formal leadership training that actually matches college leadership classes.
Technical schools like IT, aviation, or logistics — these often match real college tech courses.
Medical training, like Corpsman or Medic AIT, is especially beneficial when tied to health science degrees.
Cybersecurity and intelligence training — tech classes that match college courses.
Combat lifesaver & other lifesaving courses — can match emergency care or PE/health credits.

These trainings are popular because ACE usually has a clear recommendation for them, and schools almost always accept them.

When ACE Credit Doesn’t Transfer

Getting military college credit for training isn’t always automatic. Here are some common ways things get stuck:

Accreditation difference: Colleges have their own rules. Even if ACE recommends credit, some schools only take certain kinds of credits. This especially applies if it’s upper‑level vs lower‑level course credit.
Program limit: Some majors (like nursing, education, or engineering) have strict course requirements. Those fields sometimes won’t count military credit toward their core classes, even if ACE recommended it.
Basic training limitation: Basic training and physical training classes sometimes didn’t get ACE recommendations, or schools only gave them as elective credit, not major‑related credit.

If a JST doesn’t get you the credit you expected, there are backup options:

Portfolio Prior Learning Assessment (PLA): Show your skills through a written portfolio. Some schools award credit even if ACE didn’t directly match it.
CLEP & DSST exams: They test your knowledge so you can earn credit by exam.

Using these tools can push your degree even faster when JST alone isn’t enough.

Schools With Strong Military Credit Transfer Policies

What Makes a School “Military-Credit Friendly”

Some schools are way easier on military college credit for training than others. These colleges:

Accept lots of JST and ACE credits — sometimes up to 90 credits toward a bachelor’s degree.
Give credit for MOS, not just individual courses.
Evaluate transcripts quickly, so students don’t wait months to know what counts.
Offer competency‑based programs, online classes, or accelerated paths.
Have a dedicated Veterans Affairs office with counselors who know military credit rules.

These features help students maximize military transfer credits and avoid taking classes they already know from the military, allowing them to graduate faster.

List of Top Colleges With Generous Military Transfer Credit Policies

Here are some of the best colleges for military students:

Thomas Edison State University (TESU)

Very flexible with military credit, accepting most ACE/JST credits.
Up to 90 credits can transfer, making it ideal for service members.

University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC)

Supports military students with DoD partnerships.
Accepts JST, ACE credits, and military training, up to 90 credits.

Excelsior University

Accepts JST/ACE credits, especially useful for medical or technical MOS.
Credit awarded depends on the program and individual evaluation.

American Military University (AMU/APUS)

Built for military students.
Accepts JST, ACE credits, and MOS training, helping maximize prior learning.

Purdue University Global

Evaluates JST and military training for credit.
Offers PLA and MOS mapping to turn military experience into college credit.

Liberty University

One of the most military-friendly online colleges, accepting up to 90 credits, including MOS-based training.
Application of credits varies by major.

Colorado State University Global (CSU Global)

Generous with military credit.
JST/ACE training and PLA can transfer to degrees.

Upper Iowa University

Flexible for deployed students.
Accepts JST/ACE credits, online support, and multiple start dates.

Arizona State University (ASU)

Strong veteran support.
Military credit is reviewed case by case; the transfer ceiling is lower than online military-focused schools.

Embry-Riddle Worldwide

Top choice for aviation, aerospace, and engineering.
JST/ACE credits accepted, but MOS-to-degree mapping depends on the program.

Real Examples of Credit Acceptance

To make this real, here are a few practical breakdowns on how to finish college faster with military credit:

68W Medic (Combat Medic / Corpsman)

Credits: 20–40 health science or medical-related JST credit transfer.
Best schools: Excelsior University, Purdue University Global, TESU, Liberty University

11B Infantry (Army Infantryman)

Credits: Leadership, management, or emergency management electives
Best schools: TESU, AMU/APUS, Liberty University, Upper Iowa University

25B IT Specialist (Information Technology)

Credits: Networking, cybersecurity, or technical electives
Best schools: AMU/APUS, UMGC, Purdue University Global, CSU Global

GI Bill + Prior Learning Credits

Why Combining the GI Bill With Transfer Credits Saves You Years

One of the smartest moves for military students is to use their military transcript credits (JST/ACE) along with GI Bill college benefits. Here’s why it works so well:

JST/ACE credits reduce the number of classes you must take.
That means you use fewer GI Bill months on stuff you already know.
You can finish a degree faster military — sometimes going from a typical 4‑year plan down to 12–24 months in school.
That saves money and gets you out into your career sooner.

With smart planning, students take care of basic and general education requirements with JST/ACE, then use the GI Bill on degree‑specific classes.

How to Stretch Your GI Bill Further

Want to make your GI Bill go the longest?

Take CLEP/DANTES (DSST) exams before you start school. These can knock out general education requirements.
Get all your JST/ACE credit evaluated first, then only take the courses you really need.
Choose schools with flat‑rate tuition or military tuition discounts.
Use Yellow Ribbon Program spots (if eligible) at private schools to cover tuition above GI Bill limits.

The goal is simple: stack every free or low‑cost credit before using up valuable GI Bill benefits.

Additional Credit Sources for Servicemembers

Besides your JST, here are other paths to college credit:

CLEP & DSST exams test out of general education courses for college credit.
Portfolio Prior Learning Assessment (PLA): Write up your experience and get credit.
Professional certifications like IT, cyber, EMT, logistics, and project management.
Service schools & PME (Professional Military Education): Leadership and advanced schools often have college credit recommendations with ACE.

Conclusion: Military Students Have the Fastest Path to a Degree

Military students often have the biggest pool of transferable college credit out there, but you have to use it smartly.

Get your Joint Services Transcript and let schools see ACE recommendations.
Pick schools that love military transfer credits.
Stack JST + CLEP/DSST + PLA to cut years off your degree.
Pair all that with your GI Bill benefits and finish school faster with less money.

Most students who plan and ask the right people for help end up graduating sooner and with way fewer classes than they expected. So do it right: request that JST evaluation today and start putting your service to work toward real college credit!

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