Yellow Ribbon Program: Who Benefits And How To Apply

The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision of the Post-9/11 GI Bill that helps students attend expensive private schools at little to no cost. The program is open to active military service members, veterans, and their dependents. To be eligible, students must meet specific criteria, including serving a minimum of 36 months of active duty after September 10, 2001, and receiving an honorable discharge. The program is available at participating schools that have a voluntary agreement with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to waive tuition costs above the national maximum Post-9/11 GI Bill reimbursement. The VA matches the waived amount, contributing to the student's tuition. While the Yellow Ribbon Program provides valuable support for eligible students, it is essential to understand the specific requirements and limitations of the program.

Who is eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program?

The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision of the Post-9/11 GI Bill that helps students attend expensive private schools at little to no cost. The program is designed to help students avoid up to 100% of their out-of-pocket tuition costs. The Post-9/11 GI Bill normally covers all in-state tuition and fee charges at public schools, along with tuition and fees not exceeding a national cap at private schools. The Yellow Ribbon Program provides additional funds to cover unmet costs for out-of-state students and students attending more expensive private schools.

To be eligible for the program, you must meet the following requirements:

• Qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill at the 100% benefit level.
• Have served at least 36 months on active duty (either all at once or with breaks in service) and received an honourable discharge.
• Have received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, and received an honourable discharge after any amount of service.
• Have served at least 30 continuous days (all at once, without a break) on or after September 11, 2001, and were discharged or released from active duty due to a service-connected disability.
• Be an active-duty service member who has served at least 36 months (either all at once or with breaks in service).

It is important to note that eligibility also depends on where you plan to complete your education. The Department of Veterans Affairs provides an updated list of Yellow Ribbon schools each academic year, and not all schools may participate in the program. Additionally, schools can limit the amount of tuition they waive, the number of students they choose to waive tuition for, and the specific programs they choose to include in the Yellow Ribbon Program.

What is the application process?

The application process for the Yellow Ribbon Program can be broken down into the following steps:

Check Eligibility:

First, ensure you meet the eligibility criteria for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. The general eligibility requirements for the Yellow Ribbon Program include having served in the military for a specific duration and/or having received an honourable discharge.

Research Participating Institutions:

Not all schools participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program. Schools voluntarily enter into an agreement with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to offer this program. You can use the VA's online tool or the GI Bill Comparison Tool to find a Yellow Ribbon school that suits your needs.

Apply for Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits:

Complete and submit the application form for the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits online at benefits.va.gov/gibill/. You will need a campus VA facility code relating to your campus or program location.

Receive Certificate of Eligibility (COE):

If your application for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits is approved, you will receive a COE. This certificate provides a statement of your available education benefits and the portion you've already used. You can obtain this by submitting a benefits claim or requesting a copy by visiting your VA account online or contacting the Education Call Center.

Submit Yellow Ribbon Program Application:

Once you have your COE, complete the Yellow Ribbon Program application for your chosen school and submit it along with your COE to the designated office, such as the school's certifying official, financial aid office, or military liaison.

Wait for Acceptance Notification:

After submitting your application, you will receive a notification from your school about whether you have been accepted into the Yellow Ribbon Program and the amount of money you will receive for tuition and fees.

It is important to note that the application process may vary slightly depending on the specific requirements of your chosen school, so be sure to review their application guidelines carefully. Additionally, some schools may have limited funding or enrolment capacity for the program, so applying early is recommended.

How much funding will I receive?

The amount of funding you will receive under the Yellow Ribbon Program depends on multiple factors. Firstly, your eligibility for the program is determined by your service record and discharge status. If you are eligible, the amount of funding you will receive is decided by your school. They will add up your tuition and mandatory fees, then subtract any aid you’ve received from other sources, such as scholarships, grants, and your Post-9/11 GI Bill tuition payment. The school will then contribute a certain amount towards your extra tuition and fees through a grant, scholarship, or similar program, which will be matched by the government, effectively doubling the contribution.

The amount of funding provided by the school can vary depending on the status of the student (undergrad, graduate, or doctoral candidate) and the type of school. For example, a medical school may receive more funding than a business school. Additionally, there may be limits to the number of students who can receive funding each year, and some colleges may restrict the program to only one school or degree path.

It is important to note that the Yellow Ribbon Program does not cover all expenses. While it can help with tuition and non-optional fees, it does not cover expenses such as room and board, late registration fees, or parking fines.

To find out how much funding you will receive, you should discuss your Yellow Ribbon options with a school representative and a financial aid counselor. You can also use the Department of Veterans Affairs' search tool to find participating schools and their specific funding details.

Does my school participate in the program?

To find out if your school participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, you can use the tool provided by the Veterans Affairs website to find a Yellow Ribbon School. You can also search for participating schools using the GI Bill Comparison Tool. The VA provides an updated list of Yellow Ribbon Schools each academic year.

The Yellow Ribbon Program is a partnership between educational institutions and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The program provides additional financial aid to military-affiliated students. Schools that participate in the program have joined with the VA to help offset any tuition expenses not covered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

The amount of funding you will receive depends on your school. They will add up your tuition and mandatory fees, subtract any aid you've received from scholarships, grants, and your Post-9/11 GI Bill tuition payment, and apply the Yellow Ribbon Program benefit to the final amount. Your school will also need to certify your enrollment and provide Yellow Ribbon Program information.

It's important to note that even if your school participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, there may be limits on which degree programs the benefits apply to, as well as the number of students who can receive the benefits.

What are the benefits of the program?

The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision of the Post-9/11 GI Bill that provides additional funds to help cover unmet costs for out-of-state students and students attending more expensive private schools. The program allows participating universities to sign up to accept a certain number of GI Bill students. The school agrees to contribute a certain amount of funds to help cover the costs that exceed the maximum amount offered by the GI Bill itself. The government will then match the school's contribution, effectively doubling it. This helps many veterans from paying out-of-pocket to attend the school of their choice.

The program can help you pay for higher out-of-state, private school, foreign school, or graduate school tuition and fees that the Post-9/11 GI Bill doesn't cover. The Post-9/11 GI Bill pays all in-state tuition and fee charges at public schools, along with tuition and fees not exceeding a national cap at private schools. The national cap for the 2024-2025 school year was $28,937.09. The Yellow Ribbon Program helps students avoid up to 100% of their out-of-pocket tuition costs.

The amount of funding you'll receive is decided by your school. They'll add up the tuition and mandatory fees, then subtract any aid you've received from other sources, such as scholarships, grants, and your Post-9/11 GI Bill tuition payment. Your school will then apply the Yellow Ribbon Program benefit to this final amount. You'll be notified by the school whether it has accepted you into the program and how much money you'll receive for tuition and fees.

To be eligible for the program, you must qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill at the 100% benefit level, and at least one of the following: you must have served at least 36 months on active duty and were honorably discharged, or you received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged after any amount of service time, or you served at least 30 continuous days on or after September 11, 2001, and were discharged or released from active duty due to a service-connected disability, or you're an active-duty service member who has served at least 36 months on active duty.

Frequently asked questions