Top Veteran Friendly Schools: Michigan
Michigan Awards Top Veteran-Friendly Schools
The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) has awarded Veteran Friendly School status to 63 higher education institutions for the 2021-2022 school year. This program recognizes postsecondary institutions committed to supporting military-connected students’ needs.
Veteran Friendly School Program
Since its inception in 2013, the Veteran Friendly School (VFS) program has become more popular. The program has seen a steady increase in the number of schools dedicated to enrolling student veterans and ensuring that these students are supported throughout their entire educational journey. The Top Veteran Friendly Schools of Michigan help military-connected students transition from boots and helmets to caps and gowns.
Award Levels for Veteran Friendly Colleges and Universities
The program awards Gold, Silver, and Bronze level status to institutions of higher education based on seven criteria. Gold-level certification requires six or more of the criteria, while Silver schools must complete four and Bronze schools, three. The criteria to become a Top Veteran Friendly School are:
- Established process for identifying student veterans
- Veteran-specific website
- Active student-operated veterans club or association
- Veteran-specific career services, resources, advising, and/or outcome monitoring
- On-campus veteran’s coordinator and/or designated staff point of contact
- System to evaluate and award credit based on military training and experience
- Monitoring and evaluation system for student veteran academic retention, transfer, and graduation rates
RELATED: 17 Most Important Veteran Education Benefits
List of Michigan’s Top Veteran Friendly Schools
The list for the 2021-2022 school year includes 63 universities, colleges, and trade schools across the state of Michigan. Awardees range from a boat-building school to community colleges to Big Ten universities.
Gold
- Alma College
- Central Michigan University
- Cleary University
- Concordia University, Ann Arbor
- Davenport University
- Delta College
- Eastern Michigan University
- Ferris State University
- Global Information Technology
- Grand Valley State University
- Henry Ford College
- Jackson College
- Kalamazoo Valley Community College
- Lake Superior State University
- Lansing Community College
- MIAT College of Technology
- Macomb Community College
- Michigan State University
- Michigan Technological University
- Mid-Michigan College
- Montcalm Community College
- Muskegon Community College
- Northern Michigan University
- Northwood University
- Oakland Community College
- Oakland University
- Olivet College
- Saginaw Valley State University
- Schoolcraft College
- University of Detroit Mercy
- University of Michigan
- University of Michigan-Dearborn
- University of Michigan-Flint
- Walsh College
- Washtenaw Community College
- Wayne State University
- Western Michigan University
Silver
- Aquinas College
- Baker College
- Bay de Noc Community College
- Calvin University
- Compass College of Cinematic Arts
- Detroit School for Digital Technology
- Finlandia University
- Focus: HOPE
- Glen Oaks Community College
- Gogebic Community College
- Grace Christian University
- Grand Rapids Community College
- Kettering University
- Kirtland Community College
- Lake Michigan College
- Madonna University
- Monroe County Community College
- North Country Heavy Equipment School
- Rochester University
- Clair County Community College
- Suburban CDL
- West Shore Community College
- Western Michigan University – Cooley Law School
Bronze
- Great Lakes Boat Building School
- North Central Michigan College
- Southwestern Michigan College
Wrapping it all up, Michigan has many schools that have received the veteran friendly designation. These schools represent a great opportunity to help veterans and their families obtain an affordable postsecondary education.
It’s also important to note that many of the same schools are Yellow Ribbon Schools as well. If you’re not familiar with the Yellow Ribbon Schools, these are schools that are participating in a federal government administer program that gives veterans an opportunity to receive additional funding at a participating school. The program has several requirements, but the benefits are well worth exploring further.
RELATED:
- Military Friendly Colleges
- Are “Best Value” Schools Also Military Friendly?
- Michigan Veterans Benefits
- Michigan BAH Rates [updated]
- College Scholarships in the Midwest
About the author
Julie Provost is a freelance writer, and blogger. She lives in Tennessee with her National Guard husband and three boys.