Paying for Graduate School with Military Benefits

What Does the Post 9/11 GI Bill Cover?

Veteran Victor Reyes used his GI BIll to cover a Master’s Degree at American Military University. “The process was really easy, as the university is geared towards military and they had a liaison who helped file all the paperwork,” Reyes explains.

The GI Bill covered Reyes’ full tuition but not books, some veterans may have to pay out of pocket for the remainder of the costs.

Yellow Ribbon Program

What is the Yellow Ribbon Program?

The Post 9/11 GI Bill pays your tuition and fees for a public college or university. Unfortunately, graduate programs are more expensive than undergraduate programs and often times the GI Bill funds will run out before you have finished that degree program.

The Yellow Ribbon Program is available in some institutions to make additional funds available without changing your GI Bill. You may be eligible for this program if:

You are eligible for the maximum benefits under the Post 9/11 GI Bill

You cannot be on active duty, or be a spouse using transferred benefits

The school must be participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program (and have spots available for you and verify your status with the VA)

Testing Fees

Progressing to higher levels of education often means taking expensive tests.

Tests ranging from the SAT to GRE to MCAT and LSAT are eligible for reimbursement from the VA. Registration fees, administrative fees, and fees for specialized tests are all eligible for reimbursement from the VA.

The costs of these tests are usually subtracted from your GI Bill Entitlements, sometimes up to the amount of a full month. As a veteran, you have many options to help fund your postgraduate education.

Make sure to get in touch with the VA and the Veteran’s Liaison at your university to determine the best combination of funds.