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Veterans Affairs Education Benefits

Veterans Affairs Education Benefits

Your service in the U.S. Armed Forces may qualify you and your dependents for one or more of the Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits. If you are eligible for more than one VA education benefit, you must elect which benefit to receive. You may wish to use the VA's GI Bill Comparison Tool or contact a SUNY Veterans Affairs Office for guidance.


The Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)

The Post-9/11 GI Bill is an education benefit program for individuals who served on active duty after September 10, 2001.  Servicemembers may also transfer unused GI Bill benefits to their dependents under specific eligibility criteria.

Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty (MGIB-AD/Chapter 30)

The MGIB-AD program provides education benefits to Veterans and Servicemembers who have at least two years of active duty.

Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR/Chapter 1606)

The MGIB-SR program provides education benefits to persons who enter into a six-year obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, and the Army and Air National Guard.

Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP/Chapter 1607)

REAP provides educational assistance to members of the Reserve components called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency declared by the President or Congress.

The Post-Vietnam Era Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP/Chapter 32)

VEAP is available if you elected to make contributions from your military pay before April 1, 1987 to participate in this education benefit program.

Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E/Chapter 31)

VR&E is a program designed to help Veterans with service-connected disabilities become suitably employed, maintain employment, or achieve independence in daily living.

Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA/Chapter 35)

The DEA program provides education benefits to spouses and dependents of veterans or servicemembers who have 100% disability rating from the VA, or the veteran died as a result of a service-connected disability, or the servicemember died in the line of duty.

New York State Education Benefits for Military, Veterans, and Family Members

Veterans Tuition Award – The Veterans Tuition Award is a New York State program that covers the cost of tuition at SUNY colleges.  It funds undergraduate, graduate or vocational programs and is available for full-time and part-time study.  Eligibility is expanded to all New York resident veterans, regardless of combat service.   

Military Enhanced Recognition Incentive and Tribute (MERIT) – The MERIT scholarship is a New York State program that covers the cost of attendance at SUNY colleges.  It is available to members of the US Armed Forces and their children, spouses, and financial dependents of members of the US Armed Forces or state-organized militia who died or became severely and permanently disabled while performing their military duties, whether in combat or not.  It funds undergraduate programs and is available for full-time study.  

New York State Regents Awards for Children of Deceased and Disabled Veterans – The NYS Regents Awards provides $450 per year to students whose parent(s) served in the US Armed Forces during specific periods of war or national emergency, and as a result of service, either died, suffered a 40% or more disability, was classified as missing in action, or was a prisoner of war.  It can be applied toward undergraduate programs in New York State.

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