ECPI University Earns 2026 Military Spouse Friendly Schools® Gold Designation

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. June 18, 2026), ECPI University has earned the Military Spouse Friendly Schools® Gold designation for the 2026-2027 academic year in Military Friendly®’s annual national ratings.

The Military Spouse Friendly Schools® designation recognizes institutions that demonstrate a commitment to serving military spouses through academic support, career planning resources, flexibility, military family support, campus resources, federal approvals, and student outcomes.

For ECPI University, the recognition points to a model built for military families whose lives are shaped by deployment cycles, relocation timelines, childcare responsibilities, and career transitions. ECPI University’s year-round, accelerated format allows students to make steady progress without waiting for a traditional academic calendar.

For some military spouses, that can mean using the length of a deployment to complete a credential, advance toward a degree, or prepare for a more portable career before the next transition.

“Military spouses often measure time differently because military life moves in cycles,” said Bill Brown, Executive Director of Military Education at ECPI University and a retired U.S. Army officer. “A deployment, a PCS move, or a career pause can become a turning point. ECPI University’s accelerated model gives spouses a way to use that time with purpose and build toward a career that can move with them.”

Military-connected learners represent a significant share of ECPI University’s student population, with more than 3,500 veterans, active-duty service members, and military spouses enrolled across its 18 campuses and through online programs. This population accounts for over 30% of total enrollment, reaching as high as 60% at the Virginia Beach campus.

ECPI University supports military spouses through on-campus, online, and hybrid programs in technology, health science, business, criminal justice, culinary arts, and engineering technology. Students also receive guidance on education benefits and funding options, including transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits, CH 35 Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance, the Fry Scholarship, Yellow Ribbon Program participation, and the Military Spouse Career Advancement Account Scholarship, commonly known as MyCAA. ECPI University also offers an Active Duty Military Scholarship for eligible service members and spouses enrolled in qualifying online programs.

The Gold designation builds on ECPI University’s record of national recognition for serving military-connected students. In March, ECPI University was named a Top 10 Military Friendly® School in the Non-Traditional / Online Only / Vocational category. The university has also earned recognition from U.S. Veterans Magazine as a Veteran Friendly institution, Military Times: Best for Vets, and the U.S. Department of Labor’s HIRE Vets Medallion Award program.

To learn more about ECPI University’s support for military spouses and military-connected students, visit ecpi.edu/military/military-spouse.