GI Bill® Sports Management Degree & Military Career Pathways

Earn a U.S. Sports Management Degree Online or On Campus — Now Eligible for GI Bill® Benefits Worldwide

A New Pathway for Active Duty, Veterans, and Military Families

Transitioning from military service into a civilian career is a major life step — and your leadership, discipline, teamwork, and mission-focus are exactly what the sports industry needs.

Through a new partnership between Sports Management Worldwide (SMWW) and Fort Hays State University (FHSU), eligible military students can now use the GI Bill® to earn a sports management degree online or on campus — from anywhere in the world.

This is the first time in SMWW’s 25-year history that our coursework is directly integrated into a GI Bill®-eligible degree pathway.

Classes begin mid-January — early application is strongly encouraged, as military enrollment and GI Bill® verification can take several weeks.

Degree Programs for Military Students

All degree pathways include up to three SMWW-delivered courses that will be listed in the FHSU academic catalog and count toward degree requirements:

(pick one or all 3!)

• Athlete Management (Sports Agent) Course
• Name, Image & Likeness (NIL) in Athletics Course
• Sports Sales & Marketing Course

These courses are taught by SMWW faculty with real-world sports industry experience.

You can study fully online while stationed anywhere.

Or attend classes on campus in Hays, Kansas, USA

GI Bill® & Military Education Benefits

You may be eligible if you are:

• Active Duty

• National Guard or Reserve

• U.S. Veteran or Retired Military

• Military Spouse or Dependent using transferred benefits

• Stationed inside or outside the United States

Yes — GI Bill® benefits can be used worldwide for the online degree programs.

Military-to-Sports Career Pathways

Your experience translates well into:

• Sports Agent, Athlete Representation & Sports Agency

• Team Operations & Front Office Roles

• College & Professional Coaching Staff Support

• Player Development, Scouting & Recruiting Evaluation

• Sports Analytics and Data Strategy

• Event, Arena, and Stadium Operations

• Sports Media, Broadcasting, and Communications

More than 30,000 SMWW graduates now work in sports business across 164+ countries.

How to Get Started

1. Apply

Apply once — the same application works for all students.

Just note “SMWW–FHSU Military Pathway” when prompted.

(Apply early — GI Bill® processing can take several weeks.)

2. Verify Benefits

Our Military Student Advisor will help confirm GI Bill® eligibility and transfer any prior academic or service credit.

3. Begin Coursework

Start with your SMWW sports courses, then continue through FHSU — online or on campus.

GI Bill learners simply apply, get accepted, submit their Certificate of Eligibility, and FHSU directly bills the VA for tuition—no out-of-pocket tuition required for Post-9/11 100% eligible students.