Military spouse paid fellowship program expanding, with more money

Military spouses will soon see the expansion of a paid fellowship pilot program, with higher compensation and the extension to those living overseas, as the Defense Department program becomes permanent on Jan. 1, 2026.

Meanwhile, on Sept. 1, Defense Department officials are temporarily closing applications for the Military Spouse Career Accelerator Pilot , as they start to shift to the permanent program, as authorized by law in the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill. That permanent program, dubbed the Career Accelerator, will reopen for applications Jan. 1.

The pilot program has offered 12-week fellowships to military spouses with participating employers, with DOD paying a stipend to spouses during that time.

The DOD stipend during those 12 weeks is generally less than what employers pay