This legislation was passed by the Federal government to provide educational and vocational training to World War II veterans, in addition to one year of unemployment compensation and loans to buy homes and start businesses. Since that time, the law has been developed to include a number of benefits for veterans who have served the U.S. in war and in peacetime. A number of specific educational assistance programs have been passed over the years, with the most recent programs being the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) and the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP). These programs are outlined under Title 38 of US Code. The best place for veterans to determine what benefits they are eligible for under Title 38 is the GI Bill website run by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, gibill.va.gov.
This bill applies to veterans who served for any period of time between July 1, 1985 and September 10, 2001. Veterans may use any assistance offered by the bill for up to 10 years from the last date of active service. This 10-year period can be extended under certain circumstances in which a veteran had been kept out of active duty due to disability or if he or she was held by a foreign power. As of 2009, veterans who are eligible under this bill can receive up to $1,321 to use towards tuition and other educational expenses for up to 36 months if they are enrolled as a full-time student, for degree/certificate programs, for on-the-job apprenticeship training, for flight training, or for correspondence courses. Veterans who enroll in the plan contribute $100 a month of their pay for a maximum of one year. Veterans who wish to enroll part-time in school are eligible for lower monthly distributions of financial assistance.
Enacted in 2008, this program covers the full cost of tuition for veterans serving on or after September 11, 2001 to enroll in any public college in their state. The program also covers living expenses and offers a $1,000 stipend for books, among other benefits.
All veterans, especially those who need additional financial assistance for their education that is not covered under the VEAP or MGIB, should fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid commonly known as the Fafsa; see fafsa.ed.gov. This form makes it possible for students to receive grants from individual colleges and from the Federal government. Some scholarship applications also require the form to be filed. Every college and university's deadlines for filing the form are different, so be sure to check with that institution's financial aid department. Some schools give preference to applicants who fill out the form in February prior to the date of the student's anticipated enrollment.
An excellent resource for finding educational grants for veterans can be found at New York City's Foundation Center, which offers information on over 1.7 million grants. Veterans looking for educational funding should start at the center's student page (see References) which gives tips for individuals seeking grants for their education. Another useful website is FastWeb.com, which offers a grants guide in addition to information on colleges, scholarships, internships, and financial aid. FastWeb has specific search page geared for military and veteran education grants (see References).