Important Veteran Education Benefits
Most Important Veteran Education Benefits
If you’re a veteran returning to school or still on active duty, seeking a degree, veteran benefit programs can be confusing. Your choice of schools is influenced by many factors.
But how do you know which not-for-profit schools provide the best veteran- and military-friendly programs for students?
CollegeRecon identifies key veteran benefits programs that are available on campuses to assist veterans and active-duty military. These benefits are available at community colleges, colleges, and universities.
BAH: Basic Allowance for Housing
The Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) payments you receive for the Post 9/11 GI Bill are based on the military’s Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates for an E-5 with dependents. The Department of Defense adjusts the BAH every calendar year (or January 1) based on changes to housing osts across the country. BAH is not paid during summer or winter breaks, but Spring Break counts.
Veterans Upward Bound Program
The Veterans Upward Bound Program is designed to motivate and assist veterans in developing the academic and other skills necessary for acceptance and success in a postsecondary education program. The program provides assessment and enhancement of basic skills through counseling, mentoring, tutoring, and academic instruction in the core subject areas.
ROTC Program
When enrolled in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, you learn and develop leadership skills and prepare for a career as an officer in the U.S. Military. You will learn first-hand what it takes to lead others, motivate groups, and how to conduct missions as a military officer. Find schools for Army ROTC, Navy ROTC, and Air Force ROTC.
ACE Credit For Military Experience
The ACE Military Evaluations Program evaluates formal military training in terms of academic credit, allowing thousands of military personnel to earn credit for college-level learning acquired in the military. Your Joint Service Transcript (JST) may be sent as an official document to colleges and universities, at the student’s request, for use in the credential evaluation process.
Follow ACE Standards For Credit
ACE’s Military Guide presents credit recommendations for formal courses and occupations offered by all branches of the military. All recommendations for college credits for military experience approval are based on ACE reviews conducted by college and university faculty members who are actively teaching in the areas they review.
Awards Credit For CLEP Exam
The CLEP exams allow veterans to receive college credit by earning qualifying scores on any one or more of 34 assessments, allowing them to move directly into higher-level courses, saving time and money.
Awards Credit For DSST Exam
DSST (formerly DANTES) is also a credit-by-examination test. Whereas CLEP tests are almost exclusively used for lower-level credit at regionally accredited institutions, DSST’s are available for both upper and lower level credit.
In-State Tuition Extended for Active Duty
These institutions charge active duty veterans, regardless of their actual state of residence, no more than the in-state tuition rate for a resident of the state.
Approved for TA Funding
Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is a benefit paid to eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard. Congress has given each service the authority to pay up to 100% of its members’ tuition expenses. Each service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application process and restrictions. This money is usually paid directly to the institution by the individual services.
Yellow Ribbon Program
Tuition & fees may exceed the amount the Post 9/11 GI Bill will pay if you are attending a private school, or are attending a public school as a nonresident student. Institutions recognized as Yellow Ribbon Schools make additional funds available for your education program without an additional charge to your GI Bill entitlement.
RELATED: List of Yellow Ribbon Schools
Scholarships for Military
Apply for a military specific scholarship at these institutions to help drive down the cost of your education.
Reduced Tuition for Military
These institutions offer tuition discounts for members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Go here for a list of schools that rank highly across all veteran benefits programs
Full-Time Veteran Counselor on Campus
A full-time veteran counselor is on campus to offer support and assistance for a wide range of student-veteran issues. These counselors will assist veterans in a number of ways, including helping them determine which services they need to succeed and then directing them on how to engage them.
Club/Association for Veterans
These institutions offer student-veteran clubs and associations on their campuses.
The Key Factor: Credit for Military Training
Not all institutions will adhere to all of these categories or participate in every student-veteran benefits program. However, I do think that receiving credit for military experience is the most important factor when choosing a college or university.
If veterans or military personnel are able to acquire credit for military training, they are already helping to drive down another important factor, the price of an education. More credits acquired equals less courses to take for that particular degree.
In our ranking, earning credit is the most important factor when searching for a college or university as a veteran or military personnel.
Find GI Bill-approved Schools for Military and Veterans!
