Financial Aid for Military Students

Most service members are eligible for some form of military education benefits along with traditional civilian financial aid consisting of free gift aid or student loans. To determine your civilian financial aid eligibility, you must fill out the Free Application For Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSA eligibility is based on your financial situation and tax statements from the previous year.

Book Vouchers

Students who are eligible for book vouchers are able to purchase books using financial aid. Note: the book voucher is different than the Post-9/11 GI Bill® book stipend. With the exception of Ch. 31, no student utilizing a GI Bill® chapter is automatically eligible for a book voucher.  Students must have aid in excess of your charges to be eligible for a book voucher. VR&E (Ch. 31) issues book vouchers automatically as part of the program. Military TA users who are being offered a pell grant may be eligible for a book voucher but this must be determined by the Bursar's Office.

Pell Grant Refund

A Pell Grant refund will help reduce your total charges if you are utilizing one of the following GI Bill® chapters: MGIB-AD (Ch. 30), MGIB-SR (Ch. 1606), REAP (Ch. 1607), and DEA (Ch. 35).

If you are utilizing Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Ch. 33) and your eligibility percentage is 100%, the Pell Grant will be refunded to you after the VA pays for your classes; typically the VA pays the school 7-8 weeks after classes start. If you are below the 100% eligibility rate for Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Ch. 33) the Pell Grant can be used to reduce your total charges.

If you are utilizing VR&E (Ch. 31), your Pell Grant will be refunded to you after the VA pays for your classes which is typically 7-8 weeks after classes start.

Special Consideration

The FAFSA application uses your tax information to determine your financial aid eligibility. However, there may be a time when your current financial situation is not accurately reflected by your taxes. You may be eligible to file for a Special Consideration if you have had a major life event, such as:

  • Significant change in family circumstances
  • Unusual medical or dental expenses not covered by insurance
  • Expenses associated with a spouse/parent attending college
  • If you or a  family member have recently become unemployed since filing your taxes

Max Time Frame

If a student is transferring excessive college credit, financial aid regulations mandate that the student be limited to receive aid for only the specific courses required to complete his or her degree. The allowable maximum is 150% of the required number of credits to complete the degree the student has on file with the registrar. This equates to 180 maximum allowable credits for a Bachelor-level degree and 90 maximum allowable credits for an Associate-level degree.

Please contact your campus Military Advisor for more information.