Oregon Veterans Benefits Programs
The following are Oregon state-level veterans’ benefits programs for education, healthcare, housing, and employment.
Education Benefits for Veterans in Oregon
In addition to federal programs such as the GI Bill, veterans benefits programs are provided by the state of Oregon.
Oregon National Guard Scholarship
The Oregon National Guard State Tuition Assistance (ONGSTA) program “provides 100% funding for tuition at no more than the state residency rate” to qualifying National Guard members attending state-supported schools.
The Oregon Student Aid official site describes this program as a “grant” offering up to 90 credits at Oregon community colleges and 180 quarter credits/120 semester credits at Oregon state-supported universities.
Your eligibility for other government tuition assistance may affect your eligibility for this option. Talk to an admissions counselor about using this program before applying.
Veterans Educational Bridge Grant
The Veteran Educational Bridge Grant offers up to $5000 for qualifying veterans who are “unable to complete their academic programs on time, due to the unavailability of a required class.”
One of the goals of this program is to help veterans attend those classes and complete their educational journey. To qualify, applicants must be veterans as defined by the State of Oregon and must be:
- Eligible to receive G.I. Bill benefits
- An Oregon resident
- Enrolled in a VA-approved, Oregon-based program
- Unable to complete an academic program due to the unavailability of one or more required courses.
Learn more at the Veteran Educational Bridge Grant webpage
Find colleges in Oregon with our School Finder. Use the filters to sort schools by state.
Housing Benefits for Veterans in Oregon
Oregon Veteran Home Loan Program
The State of Oregon is one of several states offering a home loan program for veterans that is separate from the VA Home Loan option offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Oregon Veterans home loan program offers eligible veterans fixed-rate financing for:
- Owner-occupied primary residence
- Loans offered to the Fannie Mae limit
- 4 home loan maximum life benefit
- Primary residences only
To qualify the veteran must have a military discharge that is not punitive and:
- Served more than 90 consecutive days, beginning on or before January 31, 1955, or;
- Served more than 178 consecutive days beginning after January 31, 1955, or;
- Served 178 days or less and discharged because of a service-connected disability, or served 178 days or less and was discharged with a disability rating or has served at least one day in a combat zone.
Other qualifying criteria may also apply. These are conventional mortgages and require a down payment of at least 5%, with 20% down required to avoid mortgage insurance. These loans are offered by participating lenders, so you’ll need to find one to apply.
Oregon Tax Breaks For Veterans
Disabled veterans and surviving spouses in Oregon may qualify for a property tax exemption on their primary residence.
- The veteran must be 40% or more disabled because of military service.
- The exemption amount may vary annually and is offered to active duty service members, Guard, and Reserve members.
- To qualify, veterans must be “certified by the VA or any branch of the Armed Forces as having disabilities of 40 percent or more or be certified each year by a licensed physician as being 40 percent or more disabled,” according to the State of Oregon official site.
Learn more by contacting your nearest county assessor or visiting the Oregon Department of Revenue and searching for the keyword “veteran.”
Nursing Home Benefits for Veterans In Oregon
The State of Oregon operates two veterans homes, one in Lebanon and one in The Dalles.
These are long-term care facilities offered to veterans with Honorable discharges, spouses, and qualifying parents who lost a child due to military service. Applicants may be required to show a medical need for long-term care.
Services may vary depending on location, but the veteran homes offer a combination of skilled care, memory care, and rehabilitation care.
Oregon Burial Benefits For Veterans
The State of Oregon does not operate a state cemetery for veterans at press time. Willamette National Cemetery is open to veterans who qualify for burial in a VA cemetery. Contact the Department of Veterans Affairs for more information on burial or interment in a VA cemetery.
Employment Benefits for Veterans In Oregon
Veterans’ Preference
Oregon law allows veteran hiring preference. Qualifying veterans who complete an “initial screening, application, or civil test for a position with a passing score” may be given five additional preference points.
- 10 points may be added to a disabled veteran’s score. For positions not tested and scored, preference may be offered to a veteran or disabled veteran by other means.
- Oregon’s veterans’ preference laws do not “compel a public employer to hire a veteran or disabled veteran based solely on their veteran status,” according to the State of Oregon official site.
- It does “require that an eligible veteran or disabled veteran be appointed when their application assessment, combined with applicable veterans’ preference points, is equal to or higher than that of a non-veteran.”
Professional Licensing For Military Experience
Oregon state law was modified in 2012 to allow veterans to get “official accreditation” for qualifying skills that translate to the civilian workplace.
Professional licensing agencies in Oregon must accept military training or experience as “an allowable substitution for traditional civilian education or experience required for licensure, certification or registration.”
The result of this requirement, in part, is that veterans don’t need to attend additional schools or get new training. See Oregon.gov for more information
Oregon Veterans’ Emergency Financial Assistance
The Oregon Veterans’ Emergency Financial Assistance Program or OVEFAP, is for veterans and their immediate families who need financial assistance.
OVEFAP offers a one-time help to offset the costs of emergency or temporary housing, housing expenses, utilities, insurance, or house repairs. Other needs, such as medical or dental expenses, may also qualify.
Payments are sent to creditors only, the applicant will not receive any funds. Credit card payments do not qualify for this assistance. View the application form to learn where to send documentation and your application.
For more information regarding Oregon veterans’ benefits, please visit the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs
Related state military and veteran information: