Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges
for the Coast Guard


How It Works

Follow these steps to use SOCCOAST:

  1. Education Services Office

    Go to your Coast Guard Education Services Office. A counselor helps you find a field of study and a college that offers a degree in that field. That college is your SOCCOAST home college.

  2. Enroll

    Enroll in your home college.

  3. Education Counselor

    Your Coast Guard education counselor pairs you with an education counselor at your home college.

  4. Student Agreement Plan

    Your home-college education counselor evaluates your prior learning (including military experience) and completes a SOCCOAST Student Agreement Plan.

  5. Start Classes

    Begin taking courses.

  6. If You Are Transferred

    If you are transferred to other installations, continue working on your degree by distance learning or at SOCCOAST colleges on base or near your new installation.

  7. Transcipts & Scores

    After you complete courses, send the transcripts to your home-college education counselor. Likewise, send your home-college education counselor scores for any credit-by-examination tests you take.

  8. Apply to Graduate

    After you successfully complete coursework toward a degree, apply to graduate at your home college. Double-check that all of your documentation and records have been sent to your home-college education counselor.

  9. Congratulations!

    If everything is in order—Congratulations! Your home college awards your college degree.


JoeSpeak: Home college

A home college is where you begin your studies. Most colleges require you to complete 25% of your coursework with them to be considered a resident there.

JoeSpeak: Student Agreement Plan

A form your home college uses to evaluate college credit you should get based on service experience, standardized tests and other college courses you have taken. The form also lists the courses you need to complete to earn your degree.

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