VA can help you cover the cost of furthering your education and skills through benefits for tuition, housing, training, and other expenses related to your education. VA’s education and training benefits are provided through these GI Bill® programs:
- Post-9/11 GI
Bill
- Yellow Ribbon Program to help pay tuition costs for private, out-of-state, or graduate school
- Montgomery GI Bill
- Reserve Educational
Assistance Program
This program has been sunset and prior eligible Veterans are now eligible under post 9/11. - Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance
VA education benefits may be used toward traditional degrees, non-college degrees, on-the-job training, apprenticeships, licensing and certification and fees to cover tests.
VA also provides assistance to help Veterans transition from military service to civilian employment. Service-disabled Veterans may be eligible for one-on-one support, counseling, and training to boost skills and build careers. Explore VA employment services for details.
Train for a Career in a High-Demand Job or in the High-Tech Industry
- Veteran Rapid Retraining Program (VRRAP)
Offers education and training for high-demand jobs to Veterans who are unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and have no education and Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) benefits. VRRAP ends December 11, 2022.
- Veteran Employment Through Technology Courses (VET TEC)
VET TEC pairs eligible Veterans with market-leading Training Providers offering sought after high-tech training and skills development. If you have at least one day of unexpired GI Bill entitlement, you may be eligible for VET TEC.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. See our terms of use.
VA Requirements
- Copies of your discharge or separation papers (DD-214 or equivalent)
- Documentation of an enlistment incentive or College Fund, sometimes called a “kicker” (note: this is not required to apply for the GI Bill)
- To qualify for a monthly housing allowance, you must attend school more than half time (e.g., seven out of 12 credit hours per term) and not currently be on active duty in the service
VA Application Process
The application process for Veterans seeking to use their education and training benefits varies for different types of applicants. Before you apply, use the chart on this page to determine the right benefit for you. Be sure to use the GI Bill Comparison Tool to research schools and employers based on affordability and value under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
You can be eligible for more than one benefit, but in most cases you must choose which benefit
to receive. This decision is final and cannot be changed. See our frequently
asked questions describing the process.
Once you identify the right VA benefit for your needs, it takes about 30 minutes to apply
online.
- Plan ahead and apply early because VA education benefits can take a few weeks to process.
- Depending on where you live, your application is routed to one of two specialized Regional Processing Offices (RPOs) in Buffalo, New York or Muskogee, Oklahoma.