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Although military service isn't for everyone, it's a good way to help pay for college. If you're interested in entering the military, are currently serving, or have completed your service, use the information here to learn how paying for college can be a little easier. Make sure you consider both state and federal programs to find the resources that best match your military experience and educational goals. Your military recruiter or chain of command can also provide you with information on education benefits. Additional information, including general information to benefit veterans, is available through the Student Veterans of America (SVA) coalition. Be sure to also search for other assistance programs for which you might qualify. To learn which colleges are doing the most to embrace American's veterans as students, refer to G.I. Jobs' list of Military Friendly Schools.
ISAC Programs
ISAC administers two programs, the Illinois National Guard Grant Program and the Illinois Veteran Grant Program, to assist you with paying for college. The Illinois National Guard Grant Program application is available online, allowing eligible Illinois National Guard members to complete and submit the application electronically from anywhere they can access the Internet.
A Comparison of Grant Programs for Veterans chart provides a side-by-side view of the Illinois Veteran Grant and federal Post-9/11 GI Bill programs. Additionally, Choosing the Veteran Education Programs that are Best for You provides a variety of scenorios and comparison for you to review, including both state and federal programs. For complete information about the Post-9/11 GI Bill, refer to the Federal Programs area below.
State of Illinois Programs
The Illinois State Treasurer's Office offers a Fallen Heroes Scholarship to children of fallen Illinois service men and women who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom.
The State of Illinois also offers educational benefits to veterans of the Armed Forces through various other programs, including the MIA/POW Scholarship.
Students attending any of the University of Illinois campuses, who are Illinois residents whose mothers or fathers served in the U.S. Armed Forces during wartime, may be eligible for a Children of Veterans Tuition Waiver. For further information, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Federal Programs
The federal government is another resource for help with paying for your college education. Find out about the Montgomery and Post-9/11 GI Bills and other sources of financial aid.
The Department of Veterans Affairs accepts and processes online applications for the Post-9/11 GI Bill via the Veterans ON-line APPlication (VONAPP) Web site. The Department of Veterans Affairs sends letters to applicants explaining their decision regarding eligibility for the program. Payments for the Post-9/11 GI Bill will be processed beginning in August 1, 2009.
A chart showing the Tuition, Fees, and BAH Rates at Illinois MAP-Approved Colleges provides tuition and fees information, as well as the base allowance for housing (BAH) rates (based on the zip code of the college) that a veteran student could be eligible for through the Post 9/11 GI Bill. The BAH rates are set by the Department of Defense on a calendar year basis, so these amounts could change on December 1 of each year (the current file provides rates for 2009 and 2010). This chart also provides information on which of these colleges are currently participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program, including which students/programs are eligible, the number of veteran students the college will serve, and the maximum dollar amount of the college's contribution per student. Please note that this is a list of Illinois MAP-approved colleges only and is not an exhaustive list of the colleges at which a veteran student can receive Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.
A Comparison of Grant Programs for Veterans chart provides a side-by-side view of the Illinois Veteran Grant and federal Post-9/11 GI Bill programs. For many eligible veterans, the Post-9/11 GI Bill provides more attractive benefits than other veteran education benefit programs, however, veterans should carefully review all their options before making the irrevocable decision to apply for and utilize Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. The document entitled Choosing the Veteran Education Programs that are Best for You provides a variety of scenarios and comparisons for you to review, including both state and federal programs. As you review the scenarios, pay careful attention to the differences that occur when changing from full-time to half-time, as well as to the amount of the housing allowance you would be eligible to receive based on the location of the school you would be attending.
In addition to reviewing the amount of monetary benefits, students should also consider the following:
- What type of training or education are you planning to pursue?
- Is the timeframe to utilize benefits important to you?
- Will you be a member of the Armed Forces on August 1, 2009?
- Are you eligible for the transfer of entitlement benefits through the Post-9/11 GI Bill Program?
- Do you have remaining entitlement under other VA education programs?
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs also provides several benefit comparison charts to help you better understand all your benefit options.
To further assist you, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) has developed a calculator to help you estimate the benefit amounts you would receive for college tuition, housing allowance and book stipend from the Post-9/11 GI Bill, based on the school's zip code and the percentage of benefits you are entitled to receive.
Online Access to VA Payment Information
If you receive benefits through the Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty (Chapter 30), Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606) or Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP, or Chapter 1607), you may access your Veterans Affairs (VA) payment information using VA's Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) system by logging in with your name, claim number (which is generally the Social Security number), and the same password used when you certify your monthly enrollment (although REAP recipients do not verify monthly attendance, they can still use this system to access payment information). Once logged in, select the "Benefits Status Information" link. Under the "Your School Attendance" section, you will be able to see the dates and monthly rate payable for the enrollment period(s). The information may be printed for financial aid and other purposes.
The U.S. Departments of Education and Defense offer the Troops to Teachers program to help military personnel begin a new career as teachers in public schools. Illinois Troops for Teachers provides information specific to teaching in Illinois, including teacher certification requirements, information about teaching degree programs and assistance in locating employment opportunities.
Other/Private Programs
Children of military personnel - active duty, reserve, guard, retired or deceased - may be eligible to receive a scholarship that will pay tuition, books, lab fees and other related college expenses through the Scholarships for Military Children Program.
Benedictine University, Lisle and Naperville, Illinois, offers a First Responder Program, which grants scholarships to pursue college degrees for Illinois veterans of service in Iraq and Afghanistan, and fire and police personnel not contracted with the fire or police district. For further information, contact the university directly at firstresponder@ben.edu.
Student Loan Repayment
Most branches of the U.S. Armed Forces offer student loan repayment programs. For information about the requirements, eligible loans and the repayment schedule, contact your recruiter or chain of command.
Deferment or forbearance of student loan payments is also available due to service in the military. Contact your lender or servicer to initiate the deferment or forbearance process.
College Zone partner Mapping Your Future provides valuable information for soldiers called to active duty and their families to help in ensuring that student loan obligations continue to be met during deployment or reassignment.
If you have any questions about your loan and/or grant amounts, outstanding balances, disbursements or loan statuses, check with the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).
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