College Guide for Veterans and Service Members

Deciding to go to college after leaving the military can be difficult. There are vast differences between enlisted life and college life. Going from a structured life in service to your country as part of a team to a classroom setting that often finds you working alone can be a difficult adjustment to make.

With your years of experience in the armed forces, it’s important to evaluate what you are looking for in a school and degree program. You may be more comfortable in a distance or online learning environment than one where you commute to campus daily.

Attending college online can also ease the transition between the military and college by allowing you to work at your own pace without the high intensity of an on-campus program. This may sound intimidating to some, because they may assume it might be difficult to find the support they need without the guidance of an in-person student veteran group or office.

That’s why it’s crucial to understand the offices and student organizations available to you. Many colleges and universities have veterans affairs offices available to both online and on-campus students. If your school doesn’t offer VA services or isn’t able to meet your needs, you may consider reaching out to a local veterans group or making sure that you keep in contact with your friends and family to avoid feelings of isolation.

When it comes to deciding which path to take, it’s important to remember the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which can help to cover higher education costs for many. Some colleges may offer tuition discounts for military members, so reach out to any colleges you’re interested in to determine if either of these financial aid options are available.

After learning various technical and trade skills, it can be unclear whether you should enter a bachelor’s degree program or pursue a master’s degree. Even if you never completed a college degree prior to your service, your experience in the military can translate into college credits through a credit-by-exams program.

One such program is College-Level Examination Program, or CLEP, which gives you the opportunity to take one of the 33 college subject exams offered through DANTES. These exams are available at 1,800 universities across the country and can be used at 2,900 colleges.

CLEP exams are available at no cost for military personnel. CollegeBoard.org offers an eligibility chart for easy reference.

Resources to help you explore your college options

Students who choose to attend college online through distance learning can still take advantage of the GI Bill benefits.

Under the GI Bill, you’ll continue to receive coverage for tuition, books, and supplies at the traditional rate a student would be allowed if they attended on campus. The main difference between those attending on campus and online is the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). Typically, the MHA changes based on the ZIP code where your school is located. Those attending solely online are eligible for half the national average of the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) regardless of which school they attend, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

In 1944, the GI Bill, also known as the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, was signed into law. This bill affords many benefits to the men and women who have served in the United States armed forces. Whether you are currently serving in the military or are a veteran, the GI Bill can offer more opportunities and better benefits when pursuing higher education and securing a career after discharge.

Montgomery GI Bill Eligibility

To be eligible for the GI Bill, you must meet the two requirements below, along with the requirements from one of four different categories, depending on when you served.

To view the specific categories and eligibility requirements, visit the Montgomery GI Bill page at Military.com. Most of those who qualify for the GI Bill will now utilize the Post-9/11 GI Bill to pay for education instead of the traditional Montgomery GI Bill, based on when they served.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill is available to those who served on active duty after September 10, 2001. If you served for at least 90 days after that date and were honorably discharged, you are eligible for this benefit. The percentage available to you is determined by how long you served on active duty. The Veterans Benefit Administration offers the chart below as a reference point.

This chart shows the timeline and the payable benefit for individuals looking to use their GI Bill funding.

Along with the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, some institutions participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program. This program allows colleges and universities that voluntarily enter into an agreement with the VA to fund tuition and fee expenses that exceed the amount payable under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

The university can choose to contribute a certain dollar amount above those expenses and the VA will match the contribution. To be eligible for this program, you must enroll in an approved program at an institution that participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program. You must be qualified for the Post-9/11 GI Bill at 100% of the maximum payment amount.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs maintains a list of all participating institutions on the Yellow Ribbon Program Information page.

On Aug. 17, 2017, the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, better known as the Forever GI Bill, was signed into law. This enhanced version of the GI Bill expands education benefits for service members, veterans, families, and survivors.

Some of the changes took effect immediately, while others will go into effect by the end of 2022. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website offers an outline of the changes to the GI Bill. We’ve included it below for easy reference.

Effective from the date of implementation:

Effective Jan. 1, 2018:

Effective Aug. 1, 2018:

Effective Aug. 1, 2019:

Effective Aug. 1, 2020:

Effective Aug. 1, 2022:

If you aren’t sure if you qualify or have any Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, you can check your eligibility with a Statement of Benefits available through the VA website. Once you know which benefits are available, you can submit an education application through the same website.

Required information for the Education Benefits Application

You will also be asked about your bank account information and your education history, though these items are not required to complete the application.

There are many Veterans Service Officers (VSO) available to help you if you struggle to complete the application on your own. The Department of Veterans Affairs maintains a database of accredited VSO representatives who are there to help if needed.

It typically takes 30 days to process an application, and if they need more information, they will let you know by mail. Otherwise, you’ll receive a Certificate of Eligibility once your application has been approved.

Visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs GI Bill website for more information.

Each branch of the military offers internal programs to help its veterans and enlisted members attend college. We’ve outlined some of the options available for each branch below.

Coast Guard

National Guard

U.S. Marine Corps

U.S. Navy

U.S. Air Force

U.S. Army

Most student veterans assume they don’t need to complete the FAFSA since the GI Bill is already covering the costs of their education. Completing the FAFSA isn’t just about qualifying for loans. It gives them access to grants and scholarships available through the federal and state governments. There may be a lot more opportunities available to help pay for college than student veterans realize.

There’s a wide variety of scholarship opportunities available from private companies and individual branches of the military for service members, veterans and their dependents, such as:

If you completed a degree without using the GI Bill, there are different loan repayment and forgiveness programs available to veterans and those on active duty. We’ve outlined some of the most popular ones below*:

*Note: As regulations change over the years, please note that financial aid information as described below is often updated at the source. For the most current and up-to-date information, please visit the direct source for the most current details concerning each particular financial aid source.

The Army offers loan forgiveness at a maximum of $65,000. These repayments are issued for up to 33.33% of the soldier’s student loans paid annually, or $1,500, whichever is greater. This is also available for those in the Army Reserves, although the repayment amount is less at only 15%.

When you enlist in the Army Reserve for at least six years, you are eligible to receive up to $50,000 for selected specialties to repay college loans.

The Health Professions Student Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP) is available to eligible health professionals who have student loans to repay. To be HPLRP eligible, you must meet certain requirements.

After you have completed your first year as a JAG officer, you may be eligible for the JAG Corps student loan repayment program. This program pays up to $65,000 toward student loans. Eligible loans include those taken out for undergraduate and graduate programs or law school.

Each branch of Reserve units — Army National Guard, Army Reserves, Air National Guard and Navy Reserves — offers unique repayment programs that include different eligibility requirements and maximum amounts repayable. They will also have a minimum enlistment period (most often six years).

A total and permanent disability discharge (TPD) relieves you from having to repay certain federal education loans you may have. These loans include the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan, Federal Family Education Loan, Federal Perkins Loan or the service obligation for the TEACH Grant.

More information can be found at the Disability Discharge website of the U.S. Department of Education.

For those who have already completed their education and are working for the military or qualifying public service job for at least 10 years, you may be eligible for a complete discharge of your federal student loans.

Examples of qualifying public service jobs are:

The Federal Student Aid website of the U.S. Department of Education offers in depth information on qualifications and eligibility requirements.

It’s important to research the repayment and forgiveness options available to you. Most have specific requirements you must meet to be eligible. If you are struggling to figure out your options, reach out to Veterans Affairs for guidance and advice.

Choosing to further your education after military service requires a unique transition and considerations that civilian students may not face. After you are admitted there are ways to help prepare for and succeed in your college career.

Knowing how to manage your time and finding the studying process that works for you can alleviate the stress you feel during the transition and have an overall positive impact on the mental health concerns you may face moving forward.

Making the transition to college from the military can be nerve-wracking. Traditional students just out of high school don’t have the same priorities and experiences members of the military have. This can create a sense of culture shock, like visiting a foreign country and not speaking the language.

Coming from the military, you are likely disciplined and structured, with the skills to handle high-pressure situations with relative ease. These skills can also help you find success in a college setting. However, utilizing what the military has taught you and tailoring those experiences to help you succeed in college can be a challenge.

Knowing where to look for support during your path to a degree is the first step. You should take the time to learn about the veteran services offered at your college, and how you can participate in those resources. Most universities understand the differences and unique challenges student veterans face and offer individual departments and student groups tailored to help them succeed.

Deciding to pursue an online degree can lessen the uncertainty you may feel during this transition, since you can study from anywhere. This allows you to remain close to your friends and family without the same culture shock that on-campus students may struggle with.

Student veterans are often more selective in the activities and courses they pursue, since they most likely have more responsibilities in their personal lives than the traditional student. Because many are already business professionals, they often seek online degree programs that can help them balance school with work and important commitments.

Regardless of whether a student veteran attends on-campus or online, they are also more likely to have stronger relationships with the faculty and staff compared to their civilian counterparts, since their experiences lead them to be more mature and seek those who can expand their knowledge.

Utilizing the opportunities available through your college or local veteran groups can help you find your path to success in college, as well as the career that comes after it.

In the military, most of a service member’s day is planned to the minute. But moving to a college environment, even if attending online, can be a completely different experience. Utilizing some of the skills you have learned or are still learning in the military can help you and other veterans or active-duty members improve your college experience immensely.

Student veterans face unique challenges when it comes to mental health. Many Americans have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq over the years, with an increasing number of them returning home with behavioral, health and complex mental challenges. Unlike physical challenges, these are often difficult to spot at first.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and traumatic brain injury are surprisingly common. Roughly one-third of service members who have been deployed for Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom report symptoms of a cognitive or mental health condition. Knowing the signs of these conditions and recognizing that you need help can move you toward a path of recovery much quicker than ignoring what you feel.

PTSD can be the result of terrifying psychological shock, intense physical trauma, or a combination of both. It is a potentially debilitating mental condition that plagues the sufferer with triggers that can cause flashbacks, nightmares or sleeplessness, anxiety, depression, and more. Both veterans and service members are susceptible to suffering from PTSD.

Receiving treatment before these symptoms escalate can lead to a better quality of life. It’s common to think that PTSD will just go away over time, but if you have had symptoms for over a year, this is unlikely. Untreated PTSD not only impacts your day-to-day life, but it can also have lasting impacts on those you love. It’s not uncommon for those suffering to pull away from friends, family, and the things they once enjoyed.

It’s important to seek treatment for any of the symptoms above. There are many mental health problems that share the symptoms of PTSD. For instance, feeling emotionally detached or having trouble concentrating can be linked to depression. Seeking help from a medical provider can provide a firm diagnosis and point to the correct course of treatment.

Clinical depression (or major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness. It negatively impacts a person’s feelings, actions, and thoughts. Depression can also impact physical health, and its symptoms can vary significantly from one sufferer to the next.

According to the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers(STARRS) — an ongoing research study began in 2015 and funded until 2025 — the risk of depression in service members is often higher than that of civilians. Returning home after a deployment can create a type of culture shock. Because service members have become so accustomed to the fast pace and circumstances of deployment, coming home and leading a “normal” life can be very difficult.

A traumatic brain injury (or a TBI) is a jolt or blow to the head that disrupts the brain’s normal function. The most common form of TBI is a concussion. Traumatic brain injuries can be classified as mild, moderate, or severe. Both non-deployed and deployed military personnel are susceptible to brain injury through a variety of events, including falls, blasts, assaults, sports, car crashes, fragments, and bullets.

Those with a TBI face a unique set of challenges. Not only can they experience some or all of the symptoms above, but they’re often left more prone to PTSD and depression. This invisible illness can make it difficult to complete the simplest tasks, and doing mundane things can take a large amount of thought for those with a TBI.

Here are a few ways you can mitigate the symptoms and effects of TBI.

Most colleges and universities offer some form of healthcare for their students. Services are available for both physical and mental health. Reaching out to the Student Health Services department at your college or university can provide access to professionals who will offer help via their services.

Many universities understand the concerns and struggles that veterans face, and there is often a veterans affairs department or student group that can offer support.

While attending college online, some students may feel like these services aren’t available to them. However, many schools offer the same services through online or phone counseling. For those who don’t feel comfortable reaching out to their university, veterans affairs departments offer a handful of services to help veterans and service members with the mental health struggles they face. There are also unique organizations whose sole purpose is working with veterans who have returned home and continue to struggle with daily life.

One such organization is the Wounded Warrior Project. It’s important to remember that not every wound is visible and that asking for assistance doesn’t equate to weakness. It takes a great deal of strength to ask for help.