National University Earns 2026-2027 Military Friendly® Gold Designation
This award demonstrates NU’s history of serving service members, Veterans, military spouses, and their families through accessible Whole Human Education™
SAN DIEGO, CA (November 10, 2026). — National University (NU), a nonprofit Veteran-founded institution serving 130,000 learners annually across the United States and around the world, has been named a 2026-2027 Military Friendly® Gold School and Military Spouse Friendly® School, recognizing the university’s efforts to create educational opportunities and support for service members, Veterans, military spouses, and their families.
Founded in 1971 by retired U.S. Navy Capt. Dr. David Chigos, National University has a long history of meeting the educational needs of military learners and their families. Today, half of NU undergraduate students are military affiliated, and many are balancing military service, careers, family responsibilities, and education at the same time. NU’s mission is centered on supporting students like this through flexible programs, personal support, and its Whole Human Education™ approach.
“Our military-affiliated students carry responsibilities most learners never face: deployments, PCS moves, transitions out of uniform, and families who serve right alongside them,” said Meg O’Grady, Sr. VP of Military and Government Affairs at NU. “At National University, we work to support them at every step, from their first conversation with an admissions advisor to the day they walk across the stage. This Military Friendly® Gold designation is an honor, but we see it as a responsibility. It pushes us to keep listening to our students and to keep improving how we serve those who have served.”
National University offers a range of resources designed for military-affiliated learners, including four-week courses, tuition reductions for active-duty service members and eligible dependents, military transfer credit opportunities, Veteran-focused student support services, and flexible online and onsite learning options that accommodate military schedules and life transitions. The university also participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program and maintains dedicated military and Veteran support teams that help students navigate admissions, benefits, academic planning, and career development.
Through its Whole Human Education™ approach, National University supports learners inside and outside the classroom, recognizing that academic success is closely connected to personal, professional, and financial well-being. That commitment includes financial support, with more than 35% of NU students receiving institutional aid and nearly $55 million awarded in scholarships and tuition reductions last year.
For more information about National University’s support for military-connected learners, visit www.nu.edu/admissions/military-admissions/.
About National University
National University, a Veteran-founded nonprofit, has been dedicated to meeting the needs of nontraditional, working, and military students by providing accessible, affordable higher education opportunities since 1971. As San Diego’s largest private nonprofit university, NU offers over 150 online and on-campus programs with flexible four-week and eight-week classes and one-to-one graduate education models designed to help students reach their goals while balancing busy lives. Since its founding, the NU community has grown to 130,000 learners served per year—50,000 degree-seeking students and 80,000 workforce and professional development students—and 255,000 alumni around the globe, many of whom serve in helping industries such as business, education, health care, cybersecurity, and law and criminal justice. To learn more about National University’s new possibilities in education including next-generation education, value-rich education, and whole human education, visit www.nu.edu.
