Whether you’re an active duty, reserve, or veteran member of the U.S. military, you may be able to qualify for more than one military benefit program. The key is to decide which is best for your situation in order to maximize your available benefits.
Types of Benefits
Tuition Assistance
The U.S. Department of Defense’s Tuition Assistance (TA) program can make education more affordable for eligible active duty, reserve, and National Guard personnel. The per semester hour cap is $250, which is the current tuition for our bachelor’s degree completion programs, and depending on your branch of service, the fiscal year ceiling is $4,000-$4,500. Talk to your financial aid advisor about the possibility of combining TA funds with other military benefits.
Post-9/11 GI Bill®
As of August 1, 2014, each applicant is eligible for up to $20,235.02 each academic year. You may be eligible for a maximum of 36 months of education benefits. As part of the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, online students may also be eligible to receive a monthly housing allowance (MHA). For those enrolled solely in an online distance learning program, the housing allowance payable is equal to one-half the basic allowance for housing (BAH) for an E-5 with dependents. Your first step in obtaining your GI Bill® education benefits is to apply for your Certificate of Eligibility (COE).
To begin your COE, visit the VA website (www.benefits.va.gov/ benefits) and use VA Form 22-1990, found in the Veterans Online Application (VONAPP) system. Please note your application approval process can take up to 12 weeks. Upon receiving your approval letter, you must then send a copy of your COE to your selected schools, stating your chapter benefits and the percentage of benefits for which you are eligible.
Another veterans benefit available is the Yellow Ribbon Program which is intended for veterans who are attending a more expensive private school or a public school as a non-resident, out-of-state student. The program serves as a supplement to the Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits.
Montgomery GI Bill
The Montgomery GI Bill encompasses both the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty (Chapter 30) and the Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606) and is available for those who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces. Students who are eligible for both the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill must choose which program benefits they’d like to receive, as benefits cannot be combined. Complete details can be found on the VA website.
The Council of College and Military Educators (CCME) Scholarship
The CCME has several types of scholarships available for active duty military and veterans who are working toward the completion of a higher education degree at a CCME membership institution, like Norwich University. You can be awarded $1,000 for each year that you are enrolled in 12 or more credit hours and have a cumulative 2.5 GPA for bachelor’s programs. Visit ccmeonline.org/scholarships to learn more about the eligibility requirements and scholarships offered by CCME.
Norwich University Military Scholarship
A total of $1200 in scholarship money is provided for those qualified in our online master’s programs. This equals a distribution of $400 per semester and is applicable to tuition only. Active duty, National Guard, and Reserve personnel are eligible for the military scholarship for any online master's degree offered through Norwich University. The military scholarship is not transferrable to dependents. This scholarship is not available to retired military personnel.
Continuous enrollment is not required to maintain eligibility; however, amounts used for partial semesters shall not be reinstated. Please note that scholarships are not additive.
We're Here to Guide You
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
