If you’ve served in the U-S armed forces, the government wants to say thank you. Making a college education accessible is just one of the ways. Through college grants and the GI Bill, the U-S government has millions of dollars available to veterans and their dependents to help pay for college. The Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are just two places veterans and their dependents can look for education funding.

The best known military education program is the Montgomery GI bill, or MGIB. The bill became law in 1944 under President Roosevelt. Since World War II the bill allowed more than two million veterans to attend college. The GI bill provides monthly benefits for active duty service members, reservists and veterans. To qualify you must have served at least two years on active duty and have your high school diploma or the equivalent. The GI bill pays for 36 months of education benefits, an estimated $40,000 value.

The GI Bill is not considered financial aid by colleges and universities, because the money is paid directly to you. That means veterans are still eligible for student loans, scholarships, and Pell Grants. However, GI Bill payments reduce the amount of student financial aid you are eligible to receive. GI money can be used not only for tuition,but also, fees, books and living expenses. The tax-free money can also be used to pay for independent study programs, required continuing education, licensing, certification, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. Once you leave the armed services, you have ten years to use your benefits.

Last year, Congress approved a new GI Bill. The Post 9/11 GI Bill provides education benefits for service members who have served on active duty for 90 or more days since Sept. 10, 2001. The Post 9/11 GI Bill covers 100% of tuition. It also provides a monthly allowance for housing and up to $1000 a year for books and supplies. The new bill does not refund military members for courses completed before July 2009.

Armed Forces Tuition Assistance, TA, is a benefit for eligible members of all the armed services. Each division can pay up to 100% of tuition expenses of its members. TA is not a loan, it’s like money a veteran has earned. Each arm of the military has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application process. Unlike money from the GI Bill, tuition assistance is paid directly to the school.

Private scholarships and grants provide more than $300 million for members of the military, veterans and their families. Many scholarships are awarded to veterans fitting a specific description. Veterans of foreign wars, disabled veterans and veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom are just a few of the scholarships available. Even if you are getting money through the GI Bill, college loans can be used to off-set the costs of books, fees, and living expenses.

Don’t forget your years in the service gave you valuable experience and training. Much of that can be used for college credit. The American Council on Education, ACE, can help you and your school figure out how many college credit hours you’ve completed even before you arrive on campus.

The government has programs in place to help military veterans and their dependents with grants for college. The GI Bill, Tuition Assistance, scholarships and grants offer money to help going to college affordable.

Numerous scholarships, grants, and loans are also available exclusively for members of the military and their family members.  Applicants for all of our programs must plan to attend an accredited college or university during the school year as a full-time student. All loans, grants, and scholarships are designated for students seeking their first undergraduate degree. No loans, grants, or scholarships are applicable toward graduate study.  There is one online application for all scholarships, grants, and interest-free loan programs.  A few of these are described below; for information on these and other programs, visit the MOAA website.

American Patriot Scholarship

As a result of the terrorists’ attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, the MOAA Scholarship Fund established the American Patriot Scholarship to help children of uniformed services personnel-officers and enlisted- who died while in Active service as a member of the Regular, Guard or Reserve Forces.

The amount and number of grants awarded to students is based on the amount of money raised each year from public and private donations made to MOAA. For the 2009-2010 school year, over 50 students whose parent died while in Active service are receiving a $5,000 grant. Each student is eligible to receive the American Patriot Scholarship for up to five years of undergraduate study at an accredited 2- or 4-year college or university of their choice, but will be at least $2,500.

To qualify, a student must be a child of a member of the Uniformed Services who died while in Active service. They must be under the age of 24 at the time of application. The maximum age for students who are serving or have served in the Armed Forces before completing college will be increased by the number of years served, for up to five years of service or 29 years of age. Military academy cadets are not eligible for this program

General John Paul Ratay Educational Fund Grants

These $4,000 grants are limited to children of the surviving spouse of retired officers.  A student cannon receive both a MOAA loan and a Ratay grant.  Students applying for a loan who also meet the criteria of the Ratay grant automatically will be considered.  No separate application is required.

Interest-Free Loan and Grant Program

Interest-free loans, MOAA’s main program, are renewable annually for up to five years of full-time undergraduate study. Assistance is available only to students who have not yet earned an undergraduate degree. The interest-free loan and grant program provides $5,500 loans, which are renewable for up to five years of undergraduate study. Students selected as loan recipients and their their military parent must sign a promissory note before funds can be disbursed. Loans are disbursed in two increments: one-half by early August and one-half by mid-December.

Designated Scholar Program

Loan recipients are automatically considered for this program.  It replaces the $5,500 interest free loan with a $5,000 interest free loan and a $500 grant.  No special application is necessary.

In addition to the programs mentioned above, there are also numerous scholarships and grants available for each branch of the military.  Some examples include the Army Scholarship Foundation (www.armyscholarshipfoundation.org), and Navy-Marine Corp Relief Society Education Programs (www.nmcrs.org/education).   More information can be found on these and other scholarships through MOAA’s Scholarship Finder at www.moaa.org/scholarshipfinder.

On June 22, 1944, President Franklin Roosevelt signed into law one of the most significant pieces of legislation ever produced by the United States government: The Servicemembers’ Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the GI Bill of Rights. By the time the original GI Bill ended in July 1956, 7.8 million World War II veterans had participated in an education or training. Today, the legacy of the original GI Bill lives on in the Montgomery GI Bill, the centerpiece of military education benefits.

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs website, www.gibill.va.gov offers more details on each of the bills available.

Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty (MGIB – AD)

This MGIB program provides up to 36 months of education benefits. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances. Generally, benefits are payable for 10 years following your release from active duty. This program is also commonly known as Chapter 30.

You may be an eligible veteran if you received an Honorable Discharge, AND you have a High School Diploma or GED or, in some cases 12 hours of college credit, AND you meet the requirements of one of the categories below:

CATEGORY I

• Entered active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985
• Had military pay reduced by $100 a month for first 12 months
• Continuously served for 3 years, OR 2 years if that is what you first enlisted for, OR 2 years if you entered Selected Reserve within a year of leaving active duty and served 4 years (“2 by 4″ Program)

CATEGORY II

• Entered active duty before January 1, 1977
• Served at least 1 day between 10/19/84 and 6/30/85, and stayed on active duty through 6/30/88, (or 6/30/87 if you entered Selected Reserve within 1 year of leaving active duty and served 4 years)
• On 12/31/89, you had entitlement left from Vietnam Era GI Bill

CATEGORY III

• Not eligible for MGIB under Category I or II
• On active duty on 9/30/90 AND separated involuntarily after 2/2/91,
• OR involuntarily separated on or after 11/30/93,
• OR voluntarily separated under either the Voluntary Separation Incentive (VSI) or Special Separation Benefit (SSB) program
• Before separation, you had military pay reduced by $1200

CATEGORY IV

• On active duty on 10/9/96 AND you had money remaining in a VEAP account on that date AND you elected MGIB by 10/9/97
• OR entered full-time National Guard duty under title 32, USC, between 7/1/85, and 11/28/89 AND you elected MGIB during the period 10/9/96, through 7/8/97
• Had military pay reduced by $100 a month for 12 months or made a $1200 lump-sum contribution

Effective August 1, 2008 Veterans who served on active duty for three years or more, or two years active duty plus four years in the Selected Reserve or National Guard, will receive $1,321 a month in basic benefits for 36 months (full-time institutional training). Those who enlist and serve for less than three years will receive $1,073 a month. VA will pay an additional amount, commonly called a “kicker,” if directed by the Department of Defense. Rates are lower for Apprenticeship and On-Job training, or for less than full-time training programs.

Montgomery GI Bill – Selective Reserve (MGIB – SR)

The MGIB-SR program may be available to you if you are a member of the Selected Reserve. The Selected Reserve includes the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.  Under the MGIB-SR, you may receive up to 36 months of education benefits, with tuition payments sent directly from the VA to your learning institution.

Your benefit entitlement from MGIB-SR ends 14 years from the date of your eligibility, or on the day you leave the Selected Reserve. If your eligibility to this program began on or after October 1, 1992, your period of eligibility ends 14 years later, or on the day you leave the Selected Reserve. If your eligibility to this program began prior to October 1, 1992, your period of eligibility ends 10 years after, or on the day you leave the Selected Reserve.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill

In July of 2008 the Post-9/11 GI Bill was signed into law, creating a new robust education benefits program rivaling the WWII Era GI Bill of Rights.  The Post-9/11 GI Bill is for individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The Post-9/11 GI Bill will become effective for training on or after August 1, 2009. This program will pay eligible individuals:

• Tuition & fees directly to the school not to exceed the maximum in-state tuition & fees at a public Institution of Higher Learning.   All non-resident tuition and fees must be paid for out-of-pocket by the veteran if you are admitted as a non-resident student.
• Monthly housing allowance based on the Basic Allowance for Housing for an E-5 with dependents at the location of the school.
• Annual books & supplies stipend of $1,000 paid proportionately based on enrollment
• One-time rural benefit payment for eligible individuals

This benefit is payable only for training at an Institution of Higher Learning (IHL). If you are enrolled exclusively in online training you will not receive the housing allowance. If you are on active duty you will not receive the housing allowance or books & supplies stipend. This benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits.  Generally benefits are payable for 15 years following your release from active duty.

You may receive benefits for any approved program offered by a school in the United States that is authorized to grant an associate (or higher) degree.  You may also receive benefits for tutorial assistance or up to $2,000 for the reimbursement of one licensing or certification test.

If you transferred to the Post-9/11 GI Bill from the Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty, Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserves, or the Reserve Education Assistance Program, you may also receive Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for flight training, apprenticeship or on-the-job training programs, and correspondence courses.

If you are a member of the Armed Forces on August 1, 2009, the Department of Defense (DoD) may offer you the opportunity to transfer benefits to your spouse or dependent children. DoD and the military services will issue policy on entitlement to transferability in the coming months.