National University takes up to 25% off tuition for public safety professionals, and up to 25% for their spouses and dependents, on online programs with monthly start dates. The percentage depends on the level of degree, and you prove your job to an enrollment advisor with a pay stub, a badge copy or a few other things the page lists.
The school calls itself a veteran-founded nonprofit. Its Public Safety Promise page says you can earn a degree in fields like criminal justice, homeland security and public administration without putting your career on hold. Classes are online, and a new start comes around every month.
How To Get The National University First Responder Discount
- Open the Public Safety Promise page with the button below and fill out the Request Information form. The page says it connects you with a dedicated advisor who can walk you through degree options and benefits.
- Tell the form when you’d like to start. The choices run from as soon as possible out to 7+ months, which gives you room to line a start up with your schedule.
- Pick one proof from the page’s list and send it to your advisor (the list is in the proof section below).
- Ask your advisor which of your programs carry the 25%, since the page says “most.”
Who Qualifies, In The School’s Words
Read this part closely. The page says “public safety professionals” and, in its next line, “public safety personnel, their spouses, and dependents.” It doesn’t name police, firefighters, EMTs, dispatchers or corrections officers in the offer itself. It doesn’t mention retirees or volunteers either. If your job is on the edge of that phrase, ask an advisor whether it counts before you apply, and get the answer in writing if you can.
Spouses and dependents are covered at the same up-to-25% level, which matters if the degree you’re picturing belongs to someone else in your house.
What The Percentages Cover
The page lays out three levels. You get 25% off most associate, bachelor’s, master’s and certificate programs, 15% off most doctoral programs, and 10% off the Juris Doctor program. The word “most” shows up twice, so a program you’re eyeing might sit outside the list. The page also says other restrictions may apply, and it doesn’t say whether the discount stacks with other aid or what happens if you’re already a student. Those are advisor questions.
Proof You’ll Need
The page gives five ways to show you’re eligible, and you need one: an email to your enrollment advisor from your work email address, a paycheck stub from the last 90 days, an email or letter from your supervisor or HR, a copy of your employee badge, or a screenshot of your employee portal. Every option runs through your employer, so a retired or volunteer member should ask the advisor what they’d accept.
Credit For Training You’ve Already Done
Separate from the percentages, the page lists credit for prior training and experience as a benefit, and says NU accepts up to 30 credit hours for professional training. Ask the advisor how your academy hours would be counted before you map out a degree plan.
Q&A
Q: How much do public safety professionals save at National University?
A: Up to 25% off tuition on most associate, bachelor’s, master’s and certificate programs. Doctoral programs get 15% and the Juris Doctor gets 10%, according to the page.
Q: Does it cover police, fire and EMS?
A: The page says public safety professionals and doesn’t list jobs. Ask an advisor whether yours counts.
Q: Can my spouse or my kids use it?
A: Yes. The page offers spouses and dependents up to 25% as well.
Q: What proof does the school want?
A: Any one of the five listed above. A pay stub from the last 90 days is the one with a time limit.
Q: Does it combine with other tuition help?
A: The page doesn’t say, and it adds that other restrictions may apply. Ask before you enroll.
Q: Is there a different school to compare?
A: Our Liberty University page covers that school’s first responder rates.
More Information:
National University’s terms can change, so read the Public Safety Promise page before you apply. For more ways to stretch a budget, browse our money discounts. You can also see it alongside other options in How First Responders Can Save Thousands on College Tuition: The Best Schools Offering Tuition Discounts.