Educational Benefits

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs, offers various education benefits for the returning veteran. We hope that you will find what you are looking for in these program descriptions.

If you need additional assistance, please call the VA toll-free number 1-888-GI-BILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) to speak with a Veterans Benefits Counselor.

Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents – A listing of all VA benefits.

Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents

2008 Edition

To download as a Portable Document File, click here or on the image to the left. (930 KB PDF)

To view as a series of Web pages, click here.

General GI Bill

General information about Active Duty & Reserve GI Bill programs including information on eligibility, how to apply, programs covered by the GI Bill & payment information. Click here for more information.

Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty (MGIB-AD)

The 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.

General Information

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Montgomery GI Bill – Selected 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.

General Information

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Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)

REAP was established as a part of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005. It is a new Department of Defense education benefit program designed to provide educational assistance to members of the Reserve components called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency (contingency operation) as declared by the President or Congress. This new program makes certain reservists who were activated for at least 90 days after September 11, 2001 either eligible for education benefits or eligible for increased benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)

VEAP is available if you first entered active duty between January 1, 1977 and June 30, 1985 and you elected to make contributions from your military pay to participate in this education benefit program. Your contributions are matched on a $2 for $1 basis by the Government. 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.

General Information

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Summary of Benefits Under the Educational Assistance Test Program (Section 901 of Public Law 96-342)

Section 901 is an Educational Assistance Test Program created by the Department of Defense Authorization Act of 1981 (Public Law 96-342) to encourage enlistment and reenlistment in the Armed Forces. Benefits are available to individuals who entered on active duty after September 30, 1980, and before October 1, 1981 (or before October 1, 1982, if entry was under a delayed enlistment contract signed between September 30, 1980, and October 1, 1981).

NOTE: Although Public Law 96-342 established a beginning date for the test program as October 1, 1980, the military service departments did not start offering the test program to new enlistees until December 1, 1980.

Air Force Eligibility Requirements for Section 901. All three of the following criteria must have been met to establish eligibility for this benefit.

* Must have enlisted between December 1, 1980 and September 30, 1981.

* Enlistment must have been in one of the following Air Force Specialties: 20723, 20731, 20830, 46130, 46230A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, or Z, 46430, 81130

* Enlistment must have taken place at one of the following locations: Beckley, WV; Buffalo, NY; Dallas, TX; Fargo, ND; Houston, TX; Jackson, MS; Louisville, KY; Memphis, TN; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; Seattle, WA; Sioux Falls, SD; Syracuse, NY

Pamphlet Adobe PDF

Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA)

Section 301 of Public Law 109-461 adds a new category to the definition of “eligible person” for DEA benefits . The new category includes the spouse or child of a person who:

* VA determines has a service-connected permanent and total disability; and

* at the time of VA’s determination is a member of the Armed Forces who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient medical care, services, or treatment; and

* is likely to be discharged or released from service for this service-connected disability.

Persons eligible under this new provision may be eligible for DEA benefits effective December 23, 2006, the effective date of the law.

For more information contact your local VA office. See HERE.

DEA provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition, or who died while on active duty or as a result of a service related condition. The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. If you are a spouse, you may take a correspondence course. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.

Special Restorative Training is available to persons eligible for DEA benefits. The Department of Veterans Affairs may prescribe special restorative training where needed to overcome or lessen the effects of a physical or mental disability for the purpose of enabling an eligible person to pursue a program of education, special vocational program or other appropriate goal. Medical care and treatment or psychiatric treatment are not included. Contact your local VA office for more information.

Special Vocational Training is also available to persons eligible for DEA benefits. This type of program may be approved for an eligible person who is not in need of Special Restorative Training, but who requires such a program because of a mental or physical handicap. Contact your local VA office for more information.

General Information

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National Call to Service Program

This National Call to Service Incentive program requires a participant to perform a period of national service to be eligible for benefits. It is a Department of Defense program that is administered by VA.

Information for more info

Information provided by US Department of Veteran Affairs – Click here for more visit their website