Is the Yellow Ribbon Program Obsolete?
Congress created the Yellow Ribbon program under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 to pay tuition costs that exceed national limits.
While federal law has been updated over the years to change how veterans pay for public colleges, the program continues to bridge gaps in college education benefits for military-affiliated people pursuing degrees or certifications.
Some have questioned the Yellow Ribbon program’s relevance after federal laws granted in-state tuition to veterans at public universities, but Yellow Ribbon money is also used to help pay for school at private institutions, advanced graduate degrees, foreign schools, and online programs.
Yellow Ribbon options are available for students seeking opportunities through these education programs, too.
Is the Yellow Ribbon Program Obsolete?
No. The program continues to fund education costs not covered by the base Post-9/11 GI Bill. It serves as an active funding tool for students attending private universities, professional graduate schools, foreign institutions, and out-of-state online programs. We answer some of the most commonly asked questions about the Yellow Ribbon program as it exists today:
Why did people think the Yellow Ribbon program was no longer needed?
Congress passed the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014. Section 702 required public colleges to offer in-state tuition rates to qualifying veterans living in that state regardless of their legal residence. Congress later expanded this through Public Law 114-315 and Public Law 117-68, allowing in-state rates for active-duty personnel and dependents who use transferred Chapter 33 benefits. at military-friendly colleges.
Because the base Post-9/11 GI Bill covers full in-state public tuition, public schools no longer need Yellow Ribbon agreements for their local-resident undergraduate students.
Why is the program still necessary for private universities?
Undergraduate tuition and fees at private institutions frequently exceed $60,000 per year. For example, if a private college charges $65,000 annually, the base Post-9/11 GI Bill pays $30,908.34, leaving an unpaid gap of $34,091.66.
Under an uncapped Yellow Ribbon agreement, the university contributes $17,045.83, and the Department of Veterans Affairs provides a matching $17,045.83. Without this agreement, the student would pay that remaining $34,091.66 out of pocket.
These are hypothetical numbers; your experience will vary.
Use College Recon’s Search Tool to find information about Yellow Ribbon colleges and universities.
How does the Yellow Ribbon program help distance learners?
Federal residency laws protect students who physically reside in the state where their public school operates. A student living in Georgia who enrolls in an online degree program based at a public university in Florida pays out-of-state tuition rates. Public universities that maintain Yellow Ribbon agreements apply matching funds to cover the difference in non-resident tuition for remote learners who do not live in the school’s home state.
How does the program support graduate and professional degrees?
Medical schools, law schools, and Master of Business Administration programs charge tuition rates above standard undergraduate rates. When veterans enter these programs, they exhaust some education benefits early. Yellow Ribbon agreements tailored to graduate schools cover these costs, so students do not rely as much on private loans.
Who qualifies for Yellow Ribbon funding?
Students must qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill at the 100 percent benefit tier. This includes veterans who served at least 36 months of active duty after September 10, 2001; service members discharged for a service-connected disability after 30 continuous days; Purple Heart recipients; Fry Scholarship recipients; and dependents using transferred benefits at the 100 percent rate.
Can active duty troops use Yellow Ribbon benefits?
Yes. Section 105 of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 expanded Yellow Ribbon access to active duty service members and their spouses on August 1, 2022.
Before that date, active duty personnel could not receive Yellow Ribbon funds even if they met the 100 percent service requirement. However, there are other options for those on active duty to help them save GI Bill funds for post-military college if they choose to do so.
Can foreign universities participate in the Yellow Ribbon program?
The Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, amended 38 U.S.C. 3317(a) to allow foreign institutions of higher learning to enter Yellow Ribbon agreements. The Department of Veterans Affairs runs an annual open season from June 1 through July 31 for foreign schools to apply.
Use College Recon’s Search Tool to find information about Yellow Ribbon colleges and universities.
About the author
Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter/editor for Air Force Television News and the Pentagon Channel. His freelance work includes contract work for Motorola, VALoans.com, and Credit Karma. He is co-founder of Dim Art House in Springfield, Illinois, and spends his non-writing time as an abstract painter, independent publisher, and occasional filmmaker.
