What Veterans Education Benefits Are There Besides the GI Bill?

While there isn’t much that the Veterans Affairs office can do for you in terms of educational benefits, the situation is anything but bleak.

You have already used up your GI Bill benefits (which is good, since otherwise they would have expired and gone to waste by now), so that isn’t an option. But the GI Bill is only one source of educational assistance that a veteran can count on. Beyond that, there are many programs in the forms of state education programs, school tuition breaks for veteran status, and scholarships that can make advancing your education easier. If you need to, you can still apply for college loans and grants, especially if you haven’t done so before.

There are so many different scholarships available out there, with so many different eligibility requirements, that I won’t try to sum them up. Scholarships are provided by many non-profit organizations, individuals, and corporations, and the odds are that there are at least a few out there that you can use. A search through lists on government sites like students.gov and the Department of State web-site can give you an idea of where to look for these scholarships. One note of caution: if you’re asked to pay any amount of money to apply for a scholarship, pass it up. Legitimate scholarships give away money, not take it.

Go to the school that you intend to attend, and speak with a financial aid counselor. At some colleges, education counselors handle this job. They will know the most appropriate state programs, and whether the school gives a price break to veterans. Many do, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to ask.