• Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Montgomery GI Bill
• Scholarship programs

The Post 9/11 GI Bill is the newest of the financial aid programs available to the military. In many ways, it’s similar to the MGIB, but the differences are enough that students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the program. Once a student decides they’re going to apply for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, they may not revert back to the MGIB, so it’s important to get all your answers prior to application. At the same time, the VA has to go through thousands of Post 9/11 GI Bill applications, so the sooner you’re prepared to apply for it, the more likely you will receive it the semester that it’s needed!

What are some of the perks of the Post 9/11 GI Bill vs. the MGIB?

• Students studying at a campus may receive BAH, or a housing allowance, and may also receive funds for covering textbooks and other miscellaneous materials.
• Students may attend vocational schools with government funding.
• Military-friendly schools like Saint Leo University may opt to offer additional financial aid assistance for tuition that is not already covered through the state-determined allotment of the Post 9/11 GI Bill; this is called the Yellow Ribbon Program.

To learn more about the Post 9/11 GI Bill, including whether you qualify, what you need to do to apply, and the benefits you may be eligible for, visit the Veteran Benefits GI Bill Blog to learn about the Yellow Ribbon Program; alternatively, you can check out the Department of Veteran Affairs’ VA GI Bill page.

Saint Leo University’s administrators are eager to assist veterans ready to enroll in college when the new Post-9/11 GI Bill comes into effect August 1.

“It’s great for the military and it’s great for our country,” Saint Leo University President Dr. Arthur F. Kirk Jr., said in a recent interview with Spirit, the university magazine.
Because of the bill, SLU expects new enrollments at its main campus in central Florida, as well as at its continuing education centers and teaching locations at or near military bases in seven states.

Military tuition rates at Saint Leo are set on a state-by-state basis, but in all SLU locations students covered by the new GI Bill will find the basic benefits, or the basic benefits plus special university and federal aid, will cover their educational costs.

The basic benefits of the bill are sufficient to meet SLU’s military tuition rates in Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, California, and at Florida teaching locations beyond the main campus, and through the Center for Online Learning.

For the benefit of new GI Bill students who will attend the main campus, or who enroll at teaching locations in Georgia, Saint Leo University is joining the Veterans Administration’s new “Yellow Ribbon” program for certain colleges and universities. These institutions, or at least some of their teaching locations, have higher tuition fees than provided for by the new legislation. But the “Yellow Ribbon” institutions are partnering with the VA to provide enough added student financial assistance to bridge the gap. That way, these military students and veterans will still be able to attend the private or public institutions of their choosing and attain the degrees they desire.

Prospective students with questions on the new GI Bill can visit a special Veterans Administration Web site for the most comprehensive information available, at www.GIBILL.VA.gov.
Saint Leo has staff members covering each teaching location who are able to help with questions about applying for the new GI Bill at SLU. Call 1-800-707-8846 for information.

Yellow Ribbon Program

Saint Leo University announced after the May release of the Post 9/11 GI Bill application that they will be participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program. The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision of the Post 9/11 GI Bill designed to aid students in the over-the-top tuition expenses that are not covered under the Post 9/11 GI Bill’s regular benefits.

The Post 9/11 GI Bill was designed so that qualifying active military, military reserve, and veterans could receive tuition assistance up to the in-state undergraduate tuition costs at the college of their choice. For universities with higher tuition costs higher than an in-state university equivalent, the Yellow Ribbon Program steps in to mitigate the extra expenses. Here’s how it works:

A college may, at their option, waive 50% of the additional expenses of their tuition; the VA, in return, covers the additional 50%. This is the maximum benefit of the Yellow Ribbon Program, adding up to 100% coverage of the student’s over-the-top tuition expenses. Some colleges may only waive 25%, in which case, the VA would cover 25%, and the student would be left with the remaining 50%.

For example: Saint Leo University’s main campus charges $8,498 per class. The Post 9/11 GI Bill only covers $8,186 of these expenses, leaving an excess of $312. Saint Leo University waives $156 of this additional expense through the Yellow Ribbon Program, and the VA in turn covers the other $156, leaving the student with a zero-dollar obligation.

It is important to note that the Yellow Ribbon Program is completely voluntary enrollment on a college-by-college basis. A college is not required to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program at all, or may opt for partial participation. Once a college has enrolled for partial or complete participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, they must provide the benefits of the additional fee waiver equally to all students.

Saint Leo University is proud to support the U.S. military by signing up for complete enrollment with this wonderful opportunity. The official release for which colleges are participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program comes out in June, but for prospective military students considering Saint Leo University, this information is useful while preparing for early enrollment.

A student only qualifies for the Yellow Ribbon Program if they receive 100% of the benefits of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. If a student does not have enough military background and only receives a percentage of the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, they cannot take advantage of the Yellow Ribbon Program.

1. Transferability to Dependents

The Post 9/11 GI Bill allows a member of the military to transfer up to half of their benefits to a spouse or child if they have been part of the military for a minimum of six years and agree to serve for another four years. The Department of Defense (DoD) has the final word of approval on this eligibility.

This transfer of benefits is meant to have a positive impact on recruitment and retention. Those that have already served for ten years and cannot serve for an additional four years due to disability may also qualify for transferring benefits. Another temporary ruling has been put into effect (until 2013) where if the military personnel was already scheduled for retirement before the four years are up in 2012, they may be eligible to transfer benefits provided they serve until their retirement date (more).

None of this is considered final yet because the rulings have not been officially signed (more).

Addressing these nitty-gritty aspects of eligibilty was likely brought up by several stories of specific issues that came up in an article released today on Navy Times. Two members of the military that served for 20+ years were faced with their benefits potentially not being available to their children due to injury and already-scheduled retirement. This is obviously a great injustice to someone that has served the country for several decades; the DoD and VA realize these kinds of issues need to be addressed.

2. Housing Stipends for Distance Learners

House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Bob Filner is currently trying to pass an amendment to the Post 9/11 GI Bill prior to the benefits beginning in August that allows distance learners to receive a living stipend. While this originally was discussed back in February, it was brought up again only a couple of days ago during the rush of May Post 9/11 GI Bill concerns.

Unfortunately, as it stands now, the final ruling (stated yesterday) was that distance learners will not be getting the living stipend. This has a large impact on online education and is one of many reasons why some people might still be applying for the older Montgomery GI Bill. Which leads into the next topic…

3. Post 9/11 GI Bill vs Montgomery GI Bill

Several issues have caused people to weigh the the benefits of the Post 9/11 GI Bill versus the older Montgomery GI Bill.

As an example, distance learners do not benefit from the living stipend, so if they are attending a distance learning program with low tuition costs (such as a community college), the flat fee provided by the Montgomery GI Bill (currently $1,321/month) might yield more than the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

Another case are military students attending college in California. Due to the fact that California has declared their tuition costs are zero to in-state students, the Post 9/11 GI Bill provides no tuition benefits to a California student. The flat fee for the Montgomery GI Bill could therefore be more beneficial if given the right circumstances (more).

4. GI Bill Eligibility and Tuition Rates

People are still looking for information regarding whether they qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill and what tuition is being offered by state. The following are some excellent resources that are from May 2009 for further reading:

• Post 9/11 GI Bill Tuition Benefits by State
• Find Your New GI Bill Fee and Tuition Rate
• GI Bill Official Website

Air Force Students

The Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program, or the “Yellow Ribbon Program,” is a provision of the Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 meant to assist with tuition costs that exceed the in-state college tuition normally provided. This provision allows colleges to enter an agreement with the Department of Veterans Affairs to help fund any cost that exceeds the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition rate. This is especially important for private colleges that might be charging more per semester than a student’s local college campus. Colleges may contribute up to fifty percent of the additional expenses that exceed the Post 9/11 GI Bill’s benefits and the VA will match the same amount, dollar-for-dollar.

The college must be the one that applies Yellow Ribbon Program; while a student can suggest it, it is the college’s responsibility to enact participation in the program. The college must also meet the following guidelines:

• Provide the Yellow Ribbon Program to students on a first-come, first-serve basis, rather than on the amount of time and money a student invests into their education;
• Continue to provide the service to students that are eligible as they continue their education in later semesters, provide their grades are high enough to qualify for financial aid;
• Offer the student the assistance as a grant or a scholarship, not as a loan;
• Openly state the amount the school provides;
• Openly state the amount of students that receive the benefit each year.

How does this concern the veteran student?

The Post 9/11 GI Bill will provide students with the same amount it would cost for them to attend an in-state university. This means that many veterans would not normally be able to attend private schools for their education due to the higher costs involved in private education, even though there are merited, reputable private schools like Saint Leo University and American Sentinel University that offer education specifically designed for veterans.

Some institutions will cover all excess tuition costs beyond the Post 9/11 GI Bill’s benefits, while others will only cover some of the excess tuition, leaving the remainder as a financial responsibility for the student. Colleges also mix the Yellow Ribbon Program with the exceptional benefits of no-interest undergraduate loans.

Am I eligible?

Only students getting the maximum benefits of the Post 9/11 GI Bill qualify for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Those requirements are as follows:

• They served after September 10, 2001 for at least 36 months;
• They were honorably discharged from active duty for a service connected disability and also served 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001;
• They are a dependent eligible for Transfer of Entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill based on a veteran’s service under the eligibility criteria listed above.

How do I know my college participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program?

A list of participating education programs can be found here. A list of the schools that have enrolled in the Yellow Ribbon Program will be available after June 1, 2009, the extended deadline for colleges to apply.

For additional information, read the letter from VA secretary James Peak explaining the Yellow Ribbon Program.