Veterans Educational Assistance Program
How It Works
College, Vocational and Technical Schools, and Cooperative Education
Say you contribute $100 to the program each month for the first 27 months you were in the service. You have then contributed $2,700 to the program. The government will add $5,400 ($2,700 x $2) to your $2,700 contribution. You then have $8,100 available to use for your education.
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In this example you made contributions for 27 months, so your educational benefits will be available for 27 months of full-time study. You will receive $300 a month because:
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If you attend school less than full time, you would receive a smaller monthly benefit, but for more months. In this way, you can still use your full $8,100 of benefits.
For example, if you attend half time your monthly benefits will be cut in half, to $150 a month. But you will be eligible for benefits for twice as many months—54 months.
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Likewise, if you attend three-quarters time, your monthly benefits will be $225 a month and you will be eligible for 36 months of benefits.
Correspondence Courses
You may be reimbursed for 100% for the established charge up to your total benefit amount. Your total benefit amount is determined in the same way as it is in the first example.
Flight Training
You may be reimbursed for 60% of the approved charges for the course, including solo hours, up to your total benefit amount. Your total benefit amount is determined in the same way as it is in the first example.
Apprenticeships and On-the-Job Training
The monthly rate is a percentage of your monthly full-time benefit, as determined in the first example. The rate drops the longer you are enrolled:
- 75% of the full-time rate for the first six months of training.
- 55% of the full-time rate for the second six months of training.
- 35% of the full-time rate for the rest of your training.
License and Certificate Tests
You may be reimbursed up to $2,000 per test. You can’t receive benefits for other fees relating to a license or certification. However, often courses leading to a license or certification are approved for benefits.
| JoeNote: Lump-Sum Contributions |
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Instead of making monthly contributions, you may contribute large sums at times you choose. These are called lump-sum contributions. You decide how many months of contributions you want a lump-sum contribution to represent. This determines how many months of eligibility the lump-sum contribution entitles you to. For example, if your lump-sum contribution is $200, you may request that it represent two monthly contributions of $100 each. The amount you choose must be between $25-$100 and be divisible by 5. |
If you are eligible, VAJoe.com can help you find schools where you can use your VEAP benefits.
