Additional Funding Beyond the Post-9/11 GI Bill
Veteran Education Benefits After the GI Bill
Sometimes the Post-9/11 GI Bill is exactly what you need, and other times that benefit simply isn’t enough, or you need to use a different type of program. However, there is confusion about what available beyond the GI Bill.
Which programs can you use as an alternative, or after you have run out of Post 9-11 GI Bill benefits? When you search for these programs you may find a combination of active and inactive veteran education benefits options. We examine both below because many inactive programs still appear in top Google search results; knowing which are still active and which are no longer an option is key.
Montgomery GI Bill for Active Duty
New troops entering the military today are enrolled in the Post-9/11 GI Bill. We include the Montgomery GI Bill here because older service members and veterans who qualified for this benefit may still be able to use it if they have remaining entitlement. The Montgomery GI Bill is typically not a factor in most new GI Bill benefit applications, unless you are a servicemember affected by the Supreme Court’s Russell v. United States decision.
The Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB-AD) gave educational benefits to veterans and service members who had served at least 2 years of active duty.
This type of GI Bill can be used for
- College degrees
- Certificates
- Technical or vocational courses
- High-tech training
- Licensing and certification tests
- Entrepreneurship training
- Apprenticeships and on-the-job training
- Certain entrance exams
- Flight training
- Correspondence courses
Under certain circumstances, you can also use this for remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses. These benefits are payable for 10 years after you are released from honorable active duty service.
This benefit was offered for up to 36 months based on the type of training you want, the length of your service, your category, college fund eligibility, and other factors.
The Yellow Ribbon Program
The Yellow Ribbon Program is an active option for students who qualify. It’s a provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. Participating schools help fund tuition expenses that exceed the annual maximum cap for a private school or the resident tuition at a public school.
- Participating colleges or universities may contribute toward expenses, and the VA would provide matching funds.
- The schools must agree to meet specific standards to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
- There may be limited availability. Apply for the benefit early; it is offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
- You are not guaranteed to receive the benefit every year you are in school.
- The benefit covers mandatory fees for students but not room and board.
- Use your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to apply for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Can I use the Yellow Ribbon Program Once My Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits are Gone?
No. The Yellow Ribbon Program is used in conjunction with the GI Bill, not as an alternative to it.
Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)
This now-defunct benefit provided educational assistance to members of the reserve components. The National Defense Authorization Act of 2016 ended this program in 2015. Some remained eligible through November 25, 2019, if they were attending school on November 24, 2015, or during the last semester, quarter, or term ending before that date.
Can I Use REAP After I Have Used my Post 9-11 GI Bill
No. The REAP Program is no longer active.
Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
Some veterans still find references to the new-closed VEAP option when searching for benefits information. According to VA.gov, VEAP was closed to new enrollments on 30 June 1985, when the MGIB Program was implemented. VEAP was reopened between 28 October 1986 and 31 March 1987 to give service members a final opportunity to enroll before the program was terminated on 1 April 1987.
This program was available for you if you elected to contribute from your military pay to participate in this program. The government matched the amount that you contributed on a 2-for-1 basis.
Those who qualify (you enlisted on or after January 1, 1977, to June 30th, 1985, and opened a contribution account before April 1st, 1987) were allowed to use VEAP benefits to pay for school regardless of their access to the GI Bill.
National Testing Program
This active benefit allows qualifying students to be reimbursed for fees associated with national admission tests and national tests for college credit under the GI Bill.
- The SAT, LSAT, GRE, GMAT, AP, CLEP, ACT, DAT, MAT, MCAT, OAT, PCAT, TOEFL, DSST, ECE, PLA, and TECEP are all approved tests.
- Fees for extras, such as pre-tests or to receive your scores faster, are not covered.
- You must complete a form for testing reimbursement after applying for your GI Bill benefits.
National Call-To-Service Program
This is an active program serving as an alternative to the GI Bill. This program is offered to:
Troops who completed basic training and served on active duty for 15 months. Without a break in military service, you must have served:
- On active duty, or
- In the Selected Reserve, or
- In the Individual Ready Reserve, or
- In AmeriCorps or other domestic national service programs
In addition, you must have selected one of the following benefits:
- A cash bonus of $5,000, or
- Repayment of a qualifying student loan (no more than $18,000) or
- Educational assistance equal to the monthly MGIB-AD rate for 12 months, or
- Educational assistance equal to 50% of the less-than-3-year monthly MGIB-AD rate for 36 months
You can apply for this benefit by completing an Application for VA Education Benefits Under the National Call to Service, also known as VA Form 22-1990n.
Can I Use This Benefit After Using Up My GI Bill?
This benefit is offered as an alternative to the GI Bill rather than an enhancement of it.
The Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship
The Edith Nourse Rogers Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) Scholarship is for qualifying veterans (and those who qualify for a Fry Scholarship) using the Post-9/11 GI Bill or a Fry Scholarship. This benefit is meant to enhance the Post 9/11 GI Bill, offering up to 9 months (or $30,000) of benefits for training in qualifying STEM fields.
In general, to qualify, you must meet one of the following requirements:
- Must be enrolled in an undergraduate STEM degree program or qualifying dual-degree program, or
- Must have earned a post-secondary degree or a graduate degree in an approved STEM degree field and are enrolled in a covered clinical training program, or;
- Must have earned a post-secondary degree in an approved STEM degree field and are working toward teaching certification.
Can I use the Rogers STEM Scholarship after I have exhausted my GI Bill benefits?
This benefit enhances the Post 9-11 GI Bill, and you may qualify for it if you have 6 months or less of your Post-9/11 GI Bill (or Fry Scholarship) benefits left. It is not meant as a replacement or alternative to the GI Bill.
State Veteran Education Benefits
The states provide other veterans’ education benefits. These programs typically don’t require you to have or use the GI Bill, though some may be designated as the “last payer” for benefits. Some state-level benefit programs only become available once all other avenues of financial aid have been exhausted. That’s one reason why so many of these programs require you to fill out a FAFSA form (Free Application For Federal Student Aid) when applying for those programs.
Here’s a list by state, including US Territories.
Scholarships for Veterans
Many may not realize that several agencies are in place to help veterans with their journey to college. Many colleges and universities have a scholarship programs for veterans and active military members; there are also federal and state programs and private scholarships that can help you pay for your education.
Active Duty Education Programs
- Army Education Programs
- Marine Corps Education Programs
- Navy Education Programs
- Air Force Education Programs
- Coast Guard Education Programs
- Tuition Assistance
RELATED:
- Post-9/11 GI Bill
- Transferring Your GI Bill to Spouse and Dependents
- Biggest Mistake GI Bill Users Make
- GI Bill BAH Rates
- Colleges with the Highest GI Bill BAH Rates
- GI Bill Payment Dates and Rates
About the author
Julie Provost is a freelance writer, and blogger. She lives in Tennessee with her National Guard husband and three boys.