Many United States armed forces veterans choose to pursue higher education after their service. Sometimes this can come at a sharp cost. Military service members receive relatively low pay and little opportunity to build up a college savings plan. Fortunately, several entities, such as federal and state governments, offer education grants to veterans.
Montgomery GI Bill
The Montgomery GI Bill was designed to help both active duty and veteran military members receive money toward an education. Active duty members who have served more than 3½ years and qualified veterans can receive 33 months of benefits for up to 10 years after discharge. A monthly non-taxable amount that's adjusted each year is given to veterans attending school. The amount is dependent upon the number of credit hours taken. Active duty members are also eligible for the "Top Up" program, in which the Veterans Administration pays up to $250 per credit hour for higher education; this amount does not count toward GI Bill benefits. Until 2008, qualifying recipients were required to have paid $100 a month for 12 months to be eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill.
Post 9/11 GI Bill
The Post 9/11 GI Bill was signed into law in 2008. It allows veterans who served at least 90 days after September 11, 2001, to receive educational benefits. Unlike the Montgomery GI Bill, there is no pay-in requirement. The school the qualifying veteran attends receives direct payments from the V.A. in an amount equal to or less than the maximum state school's tuition. For instance, veterans attending college in Arizona would receive up to $657 per credit hour toward tuition, according to the GI Bill website.
Vocational Rehabilitation Program
In addition to helping veterans find new jobs, the Vocational Rehabilitation Program can help veterans train for those jobs. This help can be financial, by paying tuition costs for required classes; or item-specific, such as new laptops or money to pay for school books. A veteran must have at least a 20 percent or greater service-connected disability and incur an employment handicap based on that disability and other factors.
State Grants
Some states provide special grants to veterans. Wisconsin, for example, has a Wisconsin GI Bill separate from the Montgomery or Post 9/11 GI Bill. It provides a full waiver of tuition for up to 128 credit hours for veterans attending the University of Wisconsin System and Technical College System schools. Veterans must reside in Wisconsin.
American Veteran Grants
The American Veterans Society provides scholarship grants that vary in amount, depending on the school attended. Requirements for these scholarships can also vary. As of the time of writing (April 2011), the University of Phoenix awards 50 $7,000 scholarships yearly to veterans who complete an essay that answers questions about what higher education means to them and their long-term goals, as well as why America needs to support veterans.
Tags: Montgomery Bill, higher education, Post Bill, veterans attending, Active duty, Active duty members