The Post 9/11 GI Bill and the Yellow Ribbon Program

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.