Three Surprising Connections Between Military-Connected Students and Enrollment Growth
Higher education institutions across the country are looking for sustainable enrollment growth strategies. While many schools focus on traditional student populations, one often overlooked but powerful driver of enrollment growth is military-connected students—veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. Beyond their access to military education benefits, these students bring unique strengths that align with emerging trends in higher education. Three surprising ways military-connected students can help institutions grow and thrive in 2025 and beyond.
1. Military-Connected Students Are the Original Lifelong Learners
Lifelong learning has become a strategic focus for universities aiming to boost enrollment. Institutions are increasingly shifting away from the traditional "four-year degree" model toward a more flexible, skills-based approach that serves learners at multiple points in their careers. Many decision-makers don’t realize that military-connected students already embody this trend.
Service members and veterans are accustomed to continuous education—whether through leadership courses, technical certifications, or specialized military training. This means they're not just looking for a single degree; they're potential repeat learners who will return for additional credentials, micro-certifications, and graduate programs. Schools that create strong, ongoing relationships with military-connected students will benefit from multiple enrollment touchpoints throughout their lives, leading to sustained institutional growth.
2. They Strengthen the Case for Employer Partnerships
One of the fastest-growing enrollment strategies for colleges in 2025 is forging direct partnerships with employers to create customized degree and certification pathways. The challenge? Convincing employers that investing in education benefits for employees is worthwhile. Military-connected students help bridge this gap in surprising ways.
Veterans and service members have extensive experience with employer-funded education through programs like the GI Bill®️, Tuition Assistance, and SkillBridge. Their successful transition into civilian careers provides compelling case studies for why education benefits work. Institutions that showcase these stories can use them to build stronger cases for corporate education partnerships. Moreover, military spouses—another key subset of military-connected students—are an untapped talent pool for employers, further incentivizing businesses to collaborate with universities.
By leveraging military-connected students as proof of concept, institutions can strengthen their position in the growing education-as-a-benefit movement and attract students and corporate funding.
3. Military Families Drive Demand for Online and Hybrid Innovation
While online education has been around for decades, the next phase of innovation focuses on hyper-flexibility, competency-based education, and AI-driven personalized learning. Military-connected students are among the strongest drivers of these trends.
Active-duty service members frequently relocate, requiring educational options that travel with them. Military spouses need programs that accommodate unpredictable schedules. Even veterans balancing career transitions prefer learning formats that adapt to their needs. Their demand for flexible, high-quality online and hybrid programs has pushed institutions to develop cutting-edge solutions that benefit all students.
When universities invest in military-friendly online programs, they inadvertently enhance their digital learning experience. The same AI-powered support tools and asynchronous learning models that serve military-connected students can be leveraged to attract and retain other non-traditional learners, fueling enrollment growth across multiple demographics.
Tapping Into the Military-Connected Growth Engine
Military-connected students are more than just a niche population; they catalyze enrollment growth, lifelong learning, corporate partnerships, and educational innovation. Universities that recognize and embrace this connection will be well-positioned to thrive in 2025 and beyond. By aligning recruitment strategies with the strengths of military-connected learners, institutions can create a sustainable growth model that benefits all students—not just those with military ties.