College/Technical Training

There is one college located on the installation which offer classes predominantly during the evening to accommodate the working adult.  They are open to active duty members, veterans, retirees, reservists, all of their adult family members and civilians with base access. 

Columbia College is located at 1045 W. Midway Street, Building 2739 Room 116 and can be reached at 360-279-9030. Columbia College has six 8-week accelerated terms throughout the year. The following is a sample of some of the degrees and certificate opportunities available on base, please see the Columbia College website for a more complete listing of their in-person, online and hybrid classes:

• Associate Degrees: General Studies, Nursing & Health, Business, Management & Human Resources, Computer & Mathematics, Sciences and Social Sciences.
• Bachelor's Degrees: General Studies, Business Administration (with various concentrations such as: Management, Marketing, Finance, and Accounting, and Humanities).
• Master's Degree & Certificates: Business, Management & Human Resources, Humanities, and Social Sciences.

• Naval Air Station Whidbey Island no longer has a local Navy College Office. You can connect with a Navy College Counselor, including Live Chat, on the Navy College website.
• College level exams such as the CLEP and DSST are now available through our on-base National Test Center, operated by Columbia College. These exams are computer based and still FREE to active duty members. Others with base access may take these exams for a fee. Contact Columbia College at 360-279-9030.
• Tuition Assistance is the Navy's primary educational financial assistance program for active duty personnel and provides funding for tuition costs for courses taken in an off-duty status at a college, university or vocational/technical institution, whose regional or national accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and who have signed the Department of Defense and service specific memorandum of understanding. All active duty members need to complete WebTA Training, click on “Tuition Assistance” then on “Web TA Training.” A degree plan from your chosen school will need to be uploaded. You must have an individual education plan or a degree plan before TA can be authorized. Special Note: The revised DOD Instruction 1322.25 states all institutions providing high school completion and post-secondary education programs through the DOD Tuition Assistance Program MUST agree to the new DOD MOU and have a signed copy on-file with DOD prior to the service member receiving TA approval to attend their institution. Active Duty please review NAVADMIN 112/23 for updated eligibility requirements.
• Dantes Online Academic Skills Training is available online and on the Online Academic Skills Course app. This provides Sailors and family members an opportunity to brush up on language arts, reading and mathematics prior to taking placement or college entrance exams in the comfort of their own home.
• Navy College Program for Afloat College Education  offers participating Sailors high quality learning opportunities and experiences with both Instructor Led and Distance Learning courses from accredited post-secondary institutions. For complete eligibility and information please visit the NCPACE page on the Navy College Program website.
• NCP Distance Learning Partnership Schools provide associate and bachelor degree programs relevant to each rating, and make maximum use of military professional training and experience to fulfill degree requirements. Sailors may view the current listing and review degree plans from these institutions on the Navy College website.
• Rating Roadmaps and Degree Roadmaps identify the American Council on Education recommended college credit for Navy training, and rating specific work experience across a Navy career in a specific rating. Degree Roadmaps are rating relevant degrees that make the most of recommended credit for Navy training and on-the-job experience. These roadmaps may also be viewed at the Navy College website.
• MilGears is a Platform Suite of Tools through Naval Education and Training Command as part of MyNavy HR Force Development, which ensures that Sailors are equipped with the specific skills they need to do their jobs and have access to professional growth opportunities to enhance their careers. MilGears provides service members and veterans the ability to upload formal documentation, capture military training and experience, and add additional obtained qualifications. Once upload is complete, they can view customized and available career and educational pathways they can pursue while in service or afterward. You can find more information on the MilGears website.

The Joint Services Transcript is an academically accepted record that is validated by the American Council on Education. The primary purpose of the JST is to assist service members in obtaining college credit for their military experience. Sailors have access to their personal JST online at the JST website.

Local Colleges

There are a number of colleges and universities in the surrounding community which offer a variety of programs. Active duty and their family members pay in-state tuition rates. Be sure to inform the schools that you are stationed here on military orders either as yourself or as a spouse. You may need to provide a copy of your orders for verification purposes, in order to obtain the in-state rates.

Embry Riddle Aeronautical University is located off base at 981 NE 21^st Court, Oak Harbor, WA. Their phone number is 360-279-0959 and they can also be reached via email. 

Skagit Valley College (SVC) has a Whidbey Island campus located just outside the Seaplane Base while their main campus is located in Mount Vernon, Washington, approximately 30 miles from the base. SVC has a wide range of certificate and degree programs, GED preparation and testing, English as a Second Language support, and a Tutoring Program. Their phone number is 360-675-6656.

Western Washington University's main campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, approximately a 75-minute commute from NAS Whidbey Island. They offer both undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

University of Washington is located in Seattle, Washington, approximately a two and a half hour commute from NAS Whidbey Island. They offer a wide variety of degree programs with day, evening, and weekend classes available.

Tutoring

Tutor.com became available in April 2020 (funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and Coast Guard Mutual Assistance) at no cost for all DoD service members and their family members. Personalized help is available in more than 100 subjects for grades K-12 and college students, including math, writing, reading, ELL, science, English, social sciences, history, accounting, finance, nursing, world languages, computer science, study skills and test prep.  We also provide tutoring with bilingual Spanish-speaking tutors for math, science and social studies.

The Spouse Education and Career Opportunities Program provides expert education and career guidance to military spouses worldwide and offers comprehensive information, tools and resources to support SECO lifecycle phases: career exploration, education and training, employment readiness, and career connections. The MySECO website ensures spouses have 24-7 access to online education and career information, resources, tools and assessments. Using the tools and assessments, spouses can begin to explore their interests, skills, passions and personality type to determine the best fit for education and career choices and start to build a portable and meaningful career path.

In the pursuit of education, training or licensure opportunities, military spouses can speak to a Career Coach to learn about funding options such as the MyCAA Scholarship (up to $4,000), other military affiliated or traditional scholarships, and researching schools or programs.

For more information visit: https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil