Veterans Benefits

When you combine the benefits provided by your Post 9/11 GI Bill with your enrollment in a Yellow Ribbon school such as Teachers College, a post-graduate education becomes more affordable for veterans, regardless of your financial need. 

Some benefits of the Yellow Ribbon Program include:

• Service members Civil Relief Act (SCRA) Interest Rate Cap – Pay limited interest on your federal or private student loans while on active duty 
• Military Service Deferment – Postpone federal student loan repayment during certain periods of active duty and immediately following active duty
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness – Qualify for forgiveness of your Direct Loans once you make qualifying payments, while in military service
• Deferments After Active Duty – Defer repayment while you prepare to return to school after serving active duty
• Zero Interest – Pay no interest while you are serving in a hostile area that qualifies you for special pay
• Repayment Based on Income – Base your repayment plans on your income and qualify for a lower payment, or even no payment, with the possibility of future loan forgiveness

More details apply to these and other Yellow Ribbon benefits. Please visit the Veterans Affairs website to learn more about the Yellow Ribbon Program and how to apply. 

Troops To Teachers (TTT) can help you transition to a career in teaching. TTT seeks to address teacher shortages in underserved communities, especially in math, science, special education and other significant subject areas. 

The Department of Education offers stipends up to $5,000 to help pay for your teacher certification costs and bonuses of $10,000 to teach in schools serving lots of students from low-income families. If you accept the stipend or bonus, you must agree to teach for three years in targeted schools.

Review TTT eligibility requirements and placement assistance services on ProudToServeAgain.com.

You might qualify for the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship if:

• Your undergraduate degree is in a STEM field
• You are enrolled in a teacher certification program, and 
• You have six months or less remaining on your Post 9/11 GI Bill

If you are eligible, you could receive up to nine months of additional Post-9/11 GI Bill® entitlement or a maximum of $30,000. Visit the Rogers STEM Scholarship website or contact VA’s Education Call Center by phone at 1-888-442-4551 for more information. 

• New York State Division of Veterans' Affairs offers Veterans Tuition Awards (VTA) for veterans enrolled both full-time and part-time at schools in New York State. Students must reapply each year.
• Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation has scholarship opportunities for children of current and former active duty and reserve Marines.
• National Military Family Association Spouse Scholarship Program awards scholarships to spouses of Uniformed Services members (active duty, National Guard and Reserve, retirees, and survivors). 
• ThanksUSA Scholarships provides scholarships to spouses and dependent children of active-duty military personnel.
• Pat Tillman Military Scholarship supports educational opportunities for you and your families.

VA Mortgage Center Military Education Scholarships are offered twice a year, in May and November.

• Federal Student Aid – Information about repayment plans, deferment and forbearance, and other options available to assist with repayment of federal student loans.
• Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion - Nationwide consumer reporting agencies where you can place an active duty alert on your credit report. Simply enter "active duty alert" in the website search box to access forms and contact information.
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Homepage
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs GI Bill Website
• Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)
• DOD Student Loan Repayment Program
• Veterans Disability Discharge Program

• New York State Higher Education Services Corporation Military Corner – Current information about grants and scholarships for service members and families.
• New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs – Specific information for current and former New York State National Guard members.

• Know the name of your loan servicer. They manage your loans and handle your repayment plan. You can find their contact information on the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). Be aware that loan servicers can change, and it is your responsibility to stay up-to-date on the details. If you have more than one loan and have not consolidated your loans, you may have more than one servicer.
• Establish an account on your servicer's website. Your account enables you to view details about your student loan and make payments online. Be sure that your loan servicer has your current contact information, including an email address that you check regularly.
• Sign up for automatic payments. This can help keep your loan in good standing.
• Place an active duty alert on your credit report. This can help reduce the risk of identity theft.
• Consider granting power of attorney to someone that you trust. This person would manage your financial matters while you are deployed, including your student loans. The legal assistance office on base can help.
• Try to make regular interest payments. Even if military deferment is available to you, try to reduce the amount of money you pay in the long run. 

Review your repayment options regularly. Repayment plans based on income can help keep your payments low and offer a path to loan forgiveness.