Military Benefits and Financial Aid: VA Education Benefits

Walden University is a participating Yellow Ribbon institution. The Yellow Ribbon Program is a supplemental program to the Post 9/11 GI Bill® and is not a standalone program. It creates a “contingency fund” through an agreement between Walden University and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). For more information, please visit the VA’s website.

Each academic year, the VA establishes the maximum amount, known as the “annual cap.” The Post 9/11 will cover all tuition and fees under the annual cap, and if tuition and fees should exceed the cap, under the Yellow Ribbon Program, Walden will cover 50% of the excess tuition and fees, and VA will match Walden’s contribution.

Please be advised that Walden’s participation in the Yellow Ribbon program is voluntary and is subject to change.

To be eligible for Yellow Ribbon, students must be eligible for all the following:

• Eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill® at 100%
• Using their Post 9/11 GI Bill® at Walden University
• Have remaining entitlement under the Post 9/11 GI Bill®
• No longer on active duty and identify with the VA as a veteran
  • If you are a spouse using transferred Post 9/11 GI Bill®, the transferor must no longer be on active duty and identify with the VA as a veteran*
  • If you are a child using transferred Post 9/11 GI Bill®, you are eligible for Yellow Ribbon whether or not the transferor is on active duty
• Your tuition and fees must exceed the VA annual cap.

The VA has also brought significant changes to the Yellow Ribbon program under the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act also known as the “Forever GI Bill®.” To learn how these changes may impact you, please visit the VA’s website.

Please be advised that the VA administers and determines eligibility for education benefits and does not provide your benefit information to Walden. For more information about your benefits, please contact the VA by calling 1-888-442-4551.

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.

The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship also known as the “Fry Scholarship” provides Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits to the children and surviving spouses of Servicemembers who died in the line of duty while on active duty after September 10, 2001. For more information, please visit the VA’s website.

The Fry Scholarship provides up to 36 months of education benefits at the 100% level. Surviving spouses do not have a time limit to use their benefits, however they will lose it upon remarriage. Children are eligible between ages 18 to 33.  Age limitation is removed for children who become eligible after January 1, 2013.

The VA has also brought significant changes to the Post 9/11 GI Bill® and Fry Scholarship under the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act also known as the “Forever GI Bill®.” To learn how these changes may impact you, please visit the VA’s website.

The VA administers the Post 9/11 GI Bill® and Fry Scholarship. For more information, please visit the VA’s website or call the VA at 1-888-442-4551.

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.

Top-Up benefits are available to students who plan to use Tuition Assistance (TA) where TA does not cover entire cost of tuition and fees. Top-Up is not a standalone program and is used in conjunction with TA. For more information, please visit the VA’s website.

Top-Up payments are drawn from your Montgomery GI Bill® or Post 9/11 GI Bill®. For example, if your course is 3 months long and Top-Up is used, you will have used 3 months of your GI Bill®. If you plan to use your GI Bill® at a later time or transfer your GI Bill® to your dependents, please think carefully about using Top-Up.

If you plan to use Top-Up and have not applied for the GI Bill®, you must apply for the Montgomery GI Bill® or Post 9/11 GI Bill® through the VA. For application instructions, please contact the VA by calling 1-888-442-4551.

TA is administered through your Education Office on base or post. For more information about TA or to apply, please contact your Education Officer specific to your branch of service.

The VA administers the GI Bill® and the Top-Up program. For more information, please visit the VA’s website or call the VA at 1-888-442-4551.

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.

The Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty (MGIB), also known as Chapter 30, is available to servicemembers and veterans who have at least two years of service.

To be eligible for MGIB, students must have:

• Enrolled through their branch of service
• Paid $100 per month for 12 months
• Completed the minimum service obligation

For more information, please visit the VA’s website.

MGIB Chapter 30 provides:

1. Up to 36 months of education benefits
2. Paid as a monthly stipend based on student’s enrollment status
3. Payments are released directly to student 30 days after starting classes and every 30 days thereafter as long as student is enrolled.
4. Students must self-verify with the VA by logging into WAVE or calling the VA’s verification phone number at 1-877-823-2378 before monthly payments are released.
5. Must be used within 10 years from release of active duty

For current payment rates, please visit the VA’s website for payment rates.

The VA administers the GI Bill® program. For more information, please visit the VA’s website or call the VA at 1-888-442-4551.

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.

The Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR), also known as Chapter 1606, is available to reservists who are actively drilling with a six-year obligation. For more information, please visit VA’s website.

MGIB-SR Chapter 1606 provides:

• Up to 36 months of education benefits
• Paid as a monthly stipend based on student’s enrollment status
• Payments are released directly to student 30 days after starting classes and every 30 days thereafter as long as student is enrolled.
• Students must self-verify with the VA by logging into WAVE or calling the VA’s verification phone number at 1-877-823-2378 before monthly payments are released.
• Ends when you leave the Selected Reserves

For current payment rates, please visit the VA’s website for payment rates.

Please be advised that effective September 4, 2014, the Department of Defense (DoD) and VA will no longer authorize both TA and Chapter 1606 to be used concurrently for the same classes.

The VA administers the GI Bill® program. For more information, please visit the VA’s website or call the VA at 1-888-442-4551.

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.

The Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) also known as Chapter 1607, is available to reservists who have been called or ordered to active duty in response to war or national emergency.

However, as of November 25, 2015, the program has ended under the National Defense Authorization Act of 2016. Those who remain eligible for REAP have until November 25, 2019 to use their benefits. For more information, please visit VA’s website.

REAP Chapter 1607 provides:

• Up to 36 months of education benefits
• Paid as a monthly stipend based on student’s enrollment status
• Payments are released directly to student 30 days after starting classes and every 30 days thereafter as long as student is enrolled.
• Students must self-verify with the VA by logging into WAVE or calling the VA’s verification phone number at 1-877-823-2378 before monthly payments are released.

For current payment rates, please visit the VA’s website for payment rates.

The VA has also brought significant changes to the REAP Chapter 1607 under the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act also known as the “Forever GI Bill®.” To learn how these changes may impact you, please visit the VA’s website.

The VA administers the REAP program. For more information, please visit the VA’s website or call the VA at 1-888-442-4551.

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.

The Dependents Education Assistance Program (DEA), also known as Chapter 35, is available to dependents and spouses of Veterans who received 100% service-connected disability or of a Veteran who died while on active duty. For more information, please visit VA’s website.

DEA Chapter 35 provides:

• 36 months if you started your degree program on or after August 1, 2018.
• Paid as a monthly stipend based on student’s enrollment status
• Payments are released directly to student 30 days after starting classes and every 30 days thereafter as long as student is enrolled.
• Must be used within 10 years from the date of eligibility

For current payment rates, please visit the VA’s website for payment rates.

The VA administers the DEA Chapter 35 program. For more information, please visit the VA’s website or call the VA at 1-888-442-4551.

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.

If you have sustained a service-connected disability rating, you may be eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program, also known as Chapter 31. Your County Veterans Service Officer must approve your request for funding through Chapter 31.  For more information about Voc Rehab, please visit the VA’s website.

VoC Rehab Chapter 31 provides:

• 100% Tuition and fee payments
• Monthly subsistence allowance
• Book and supplies

For more information on what’s covered, please contact a Voc Rehab Counselor or visit the VA’s website.

Tuition and fees can be invoiced to the VA for payment, however books and supplies cannot be invoiced. To request that Voc Rehab cover books and supplies, you have the following options:

• Pay for your books and supplies out-of-pocket and submit receipts to your Voc Rehab Counselor for reimbursement.

If you plan to purchase books outside of the Walden University Bookstore, please be sure to check with your Voc Rehab Counselor first to determine if the purchases are eligible for reimbursement.

• Complete VA Form 28-1905m, and email or fax a copy to our office for a signature.    
                  Email: military@mail.waldenu.edu

                Fax: 410-209-8031

• The 1905m can be obtained by contacting your Voc Rehab Counselor. Please be sure to list out all required books and supplies on the 1905m. After we have signed the 1905m, we will return the form to you where you will need to send it to your Voc Rehab Counselor for purchasing.

The VA administers the Voc Rehab program. For more information, please visit the VA’s website or call the VA at 1-888-442-4551.