My dad is retired from the military. Do I have any benefits for college tuition because of this? If so, which schools offer such benefits and what's the process like to apply for them?
Yes, your dad's military service can provide you some benefits towards your college tuition. A prevalent program is the Post-9/11 GI Bill. If your dad served on active duty for at least 90 days since Sept.10, 2001, he could be eligible for this benefit. One unique feature of the Post-9/11 GI Bill is the ability to transfer unused educational benefits to the servicemember's spouse or dependents, which includes you.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill can be used at educational institutions that participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which includes many colleges and universities. The Yellow Ribbon Program can make a private school, out-of-state school, or graduate school more affordable by covering a portion of your tuition and fees that the Post-9/11 GI Bill doesn't cover.
The process to apply for these benefits involves several steps:- First, your dad must agree to share his Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits with you. He can do this through the Transfer of Education Benefits (TEB) portal on the Department of Defense website.- After the benefits have been transferred, you must fill out the VA's Application for Family Member to Use Transferred Benefits (Form 22-1990E) online or mail a completed copy of the form to your nearest VA regional office.- You'll receive an approval or denial notice from the VA, and if you're approved, you can submit the Certificate of Eligibility you receive to your school's financial aid office.
Remember, there are also many scholarships available specifically for military dependents, so consider looking into those as well.
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.