Overview

In a sense a form of continuing education grant, the veteran education grant allows those previously engaged in military service the opportunity to fulfill academic goals once out of the service. Whether a program had already been started and interrupted or whether a veteran wished to pursue an academic career from scratch, the veteran education grant is an essential aid. Indeed, with the rising cost of post-secondary education, veterans, as well as many other citizens, are finding it difficult to balance jobs, families, and the desire to improve themselves through a college education. Thankfully, help is available from state, federal, and private organizations in the form of a veteran education grant.

Most of these grants provide tuition and fees reimbursement for veterans at approved schools. There may be restrictions on full-time or part-time study and there will be residency requirements in the location of study before and after military service. Often, the length of the grant is dictated by the length of military service. Other requirements may include maintaining a certain grade point average, enrolling for a certain number of credits, meeting certain family income limits and not already having a bachelor’s degree (though there may be some exceptions).

Family Can Help

Family members of veterans can also sometimes qualify for a veteran education grant, depending on the grant. Again, there will most likely be restrictions on this money mostly based on degree of relatedness to the veteran, length of military service of the veteran, and residency and financial restrictions.

A veteran education grant can be donated by the federal or state government, non-profit organizations, academic institutions, research institutions, funding institutions, corporations, or private individuals. Grants.gov is an excellent place to start the search, which is a site listing all Federal grants available ($ 400 billion are available) as is Ed.gov, the home page of the US Department of Education. Internet searches are helpful, and sites such as finaid.org, collegeanswer.com, and the Michigan State Library website are excellent sources for veteran education grant information.

Great Value in Programs

One of the best ways to research grant opportunities is to visit your regional foundation library, located at most major universities. Your local library will also have books listing grant opportunities, and you can consult with the librarian if you have any questions. These kinds of books will also be available either at your high school counselor’s office or your university’s financial aid office. You can purchase these books at book stores. For more specific information on grant opportunities available, veterans can contact the Office of Veterans Affairs or speak to their local County Veterans Service officer.