Federal Veteran Education Benefits

There are a variety of education benefits administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. To determine your eligibility, and which program is right for you, please contact your County Veterans Service Officer (CVSO), the University of Wisconsin-Platteville School Certifying Official at veterans@uwplatt.edu, or a veterans benefits counselor.

The Post 9/11 GI Bill^® (Chapter 33)

The Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits veterans with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or those discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. Payment rates vary based on length of service. Tuition is paid directly to the university. Students may be eligible for a monthly housing allowance, and annual books and supplies stipend. Apply for benefits from the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Program 

The Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship program is for students training in high demand STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields.

The Rogers STEM Scholarship will provide up to nine months of additional Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits (to a maximum of $30,000) to qualifying Veterans and Fry Scholars seeking an undergraduate STEM degree or who have earned a STEM degree and are seeking a teaching certification.

Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30) 

The Montgomery GI Bill provides a monthly benefit for up to 36 months to eligible veterans. In general, veterans have 10 years to use MGIB benefits following release from active duty. Apply for benefits from the Montgomery GI Bill.

Montgomery GI Bill for Selected Reserves (Chapter 1606)

The Montgomery GI Bill for Selected Reserves program under the Montgomery GI Bill may be available to a veteran who is a member of the Selected Reserve. The Selected Reserves include the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Reserves as well as the Army National Guard and Air National Guard. It does not require you to have service on active duty. Apply for benefits from the Montgomery GI Bill for Selected Reserves.

Reserve Education Assistance Program (Chapter 1607)

REAP is a program that provides up to 36 months of education benefits to members of the Selected Reserves, Individual Ready Reserve, and National Guard, who are called or ordered to active service in response to a war or national emergency declared by the President or Congress. Apply for benefits from REAP.

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program (Chapter 31)

The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program’s primary benefit is vocational rehabilitation services for veterans who have a service-connected disability. To receive benefits a veteran must be found both eligible and entitled. Apply for vocational rehabilitation benefits.

Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 35) 

The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program provides education benefits to eligible spouses or children of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition, or who died while on active duty or as a result of a service related condition. Apply for benefits from the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship

The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship provides Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to the children of surviving spouses of service members who died in the line of duty on active duty after September 10, 2001. To apply, take these steps depending on your situation:

• Make sure that your selected program is approved for VA training. Please visit our GI Bill Comparison Tool for help in choosing a school.
• To apply, obtain and complete VA Form 22-5490, Dependents Application for VA Education Benefits. Send it to the Regional Processing Office with jurisdiction over the state where you will advance your education and training. If you are a son or daughter, under legal age, a parent or guardian must sign the application. When applying, you will be required to make an irrevocable election between the Fry Scholarship and the Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) program to receive benefits. Children of a Servicemember who died in the line of duty prior to August 1, 2011 may be eligible for both DEA and Fry but they cannot be used at the same time.
• If you have started your educational program, take your application to your school or employer. Ask them to complete VA Form 22-1999, Enrollment Certification, and send both forms to VA. He or she can submit an Enrollment Certification electronically using VA Enrollment Manager. (Note: Schools must contact their VA representative to receive this form.)

Yellow Ribbon Program 

The Yellow Ribbon Program provides additional funding for students who may be attending a private institution that has higher cost, or, who are attending college out of state and paying a higher cost of tuition.

To be eligible for this program, you must be eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill at the 100% level. This program is designed to help cover the cost between what is paid by the Post 9/11 GI Bill, and the cost of tuition.

This program is limited in funding, so please contact your School Certifying Official for more information, to see if you qualify, or to see if funding is available. Apply for the Yellow Ribbon Program benefits.

DANTES Troops to Teachers 

The Troops to Teachers program is designed to help eligible personnel transition to new careers as public-school teachers in high-need schools and school districts.

A network of State TTT Offices has been established to provide participants with counseling and assistance regarding certification requirements, routes to state certification, and guidance concerning the pursuit of employment.

The TTT home page provides detailed program information and resource links, including links to state Departments of Education, state certification offices, model resumes, and other job listing sites in public education. In Wisconsin, contact Steve Campbell at 800.9478387 or steve.campbell@dva.state.wi.us.