Individual Care

Education

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For many transitioning veterans, education is the first step towards realizing a purpose-driven life. Whether you are a new student or simply starting a new semester, the NYC Department of Veterans' Services (DVS) recognizes that adjusting to life out of uniform can be quite a challenge. DVS is committed to providing the tools student veterans need to live, learn, and work in NYC.

Connect to education services by filling out the VetConnectNYC form and selecting "Education" as your preferred service:

Request Services on VetConnectNYC

See below for a list of resources to finance your education, receive tutoring, find a mentorship program, and more:

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Find GI Bill Approved Schools

Use the WEAMS Institution Search Tool to 

  • find out which schools are GI Bill approved
  • check what benefits you’ll get at different schools
  • learn a location’s GI Bill Monthly Housing Allowance and Basic Housing Allowance

Credit for Military Occupational Experience and Training

The Joint Services Transcript (JST) is an academically accepted document approved by the American Council on Education (ACE) to validate a service members' military occupational experience and training along with the corresponding ACE college credit recommendations.

Education Benefits

  • The Post 9/11 GI Bill provides education benefits for those who have served on active duty for 90 or more days after Sept. 10, 2001. Individuals must meet at least one of the requirements listed below:
    • Served at least 90 days on active duty (either all at once or with breaks in service) on or after September 11, 2001, or
    • Received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged after any amount of service, or
    • Served for at least 30 continuous days (all at once, without a break in service) on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged with a service-connected disability, or
    • Are a dependent child using benefits transferred by a qualifying veteran or service member
  • The Forever GI Bill expanded eligibility for GI Bill benefits by including:
    • Reserve duty that counts toward post-9/11 eligibility: The time that a Reservist was ordered to active duty to receive authorized medical care, be medically evaluated for disability, or complete a Department of Defense (DoD) health care study on or after September 11, 2001, now counts as an active duty toward eligibility for the Post-9/11 GI Bill program. An individual may use this entitlement to pursue a course of education beginning on or after August 1, 2018.
    • Purple Heart Recipients: Servicemembers and honorably discharged Veterans who were awarded a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, will be entitled to Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits at the 100-percent benefit level for up to 36 months. This was effective on August 1, 2018.
  • Montgomery GI Bill is available to active-duty members who served at least two years on active duty. You can get benefits through MGIB-SR if you're a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard Reserves, Army National Guard, or Air National Guard, and you meet all of the requirements listed below:
    • Have either a six-year service obligation (you agreed to serve six years) in the Selected Service, or
    • Are an officer in the Selected Reserve who agreed to serve six years in addition to your initial service obligation, and meet other requirements

Tuition Support

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Changes for Veterans and Servicemembers

  • Now, for a limited time, federal student loan borrowers who work in public service (federal service includes U.S. military service) may receive credit for past periods of repayment that would not otherwise qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
  • If you have federal student loans, use the Help Tool at the U.S. Department of Education's website: StudentAid.gov/PSLF to determine your eligibility. This tool generally takes less than 20 minutes to complete.
  • The deadline to apply is October 31, 2022.
  • Student Veterans of America provides an overview of what the new PSLF changes mean for Veterans and servicemembers.

Scholarships for Student Veterans

  • Scholarships.com provides a comprehensive list of scholarships available to veterans of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard, and Coast Guard, as well as a free scholarship search tool to help veterans find all the scholarships they may be eligible for. 
  • The Raytheon Missiles and Defense SPY-6 Scholarship provides returning sailors an opportunity to achieve educational goals and position themselves for success in civilian professions. Two $10,000 scholarships are awarded to sailors who pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree at an accredited university and demonstrate leadership in their local community.
  • Google partners with SVA each year to fund scholarships that provide assistance to student veterans pursuing university degrees in the field of computer science. Selected students will receive $10,000 for the upcoming school year.
  • The Comcast NBCUniversal-SVA Scholarship supports two student veterans in any major with an interest in the entertainment industry with a $12,000 scholarship each.
  • Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship: If your parent or spouse was an active-duty service member who died in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001, you may qualify for the Fry Scholarship. 
  • New York State Regents Awards (for Children): Provides up to $450 per year to students whose parent(s) served in the US Armed Forces during specified times of national emergency.
  • Military Service Recognition Scholarship: Available to certain dependents of military personnel who passed away,  permanently disabled, or went missing in combat or a combat zone of operation since August 2, 1990.
  • Pat Tillman Foundation Scholarship: Offers student veterans academic scholarships, lifelong leadership development opportunities, and a diverse, global community of high-performing mentors and peers.
  • Student Veterans of America Raytheon Patriot Scholarship: Competitive scholarship offered exclusively to U.S. Army veterans.
  • Sentinels of Freedom Merit Grant: A merit-based scholarship offered to veterans with a VA disability rating of 50% or higher and have been wounded or injured in a combat or training-related event post 9/11. 
  • Fisher House Scholarship Search: A comprehensive search engine helps you and your family find the best scholarship opportunities for your educational goals. 
  • Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program: Enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad. To be eligible for the Gilman Program, applicants must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving a Pell Grant during the term of their study abroad program or internship. Veterans of military service are encouraged to apply, and preference is given to veterans when other factors are equivalent.
  • Fulbright U.S. Student Program: Funds American citizens to study, conduct research, or teach English abroad. Candidates who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States will be given preference, provided their qualifications are approximately equivalent to those of other candidates.
  • See a list of New York State's scholarships and waivers for student veterans.
  • For more financial aid resources, including branch-specific aid, and scholarship opportunities for veterans and military service members visit Accounting.com.

Housing For Student Veterans

Qualifying student veterans pursuing higher education in New York City may utilize G.I. Bill housing allowances to subsidize the cost of renting an apartment. It is illegal to discriminate against a student veteran wishing to use the GI Bill to pay for housing. To provide more information to landlords and housing managers, please download this joint letter from DVS and the Department of Social Services (DSS).
DVS and theNew York City Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) aim to provide landlords and student veterans with helpful information about legal protections under New York law for tenants seeking to finance their rent with G.I. Bill housing allowances. For more information, please review this information sheet provided by DVS and CCHR.

Predatory Loans

The NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) has issued a report detailing the predatory practices used by for-profit schools to target student veterans. Below are some valuable takeaways from the report:

  • Veterans who earned bachelor's degrees from for-profit schools had average student loan debt balances 20 percent higher than veterans who attended nonprofit and public institutions.
  • For-profit schools attended by NYC veterans have poor graduation and earnings outcomes and are less likely to offer credit for military experience.

Professional Development and Networking

The Student Veterans of America provides professional development, networking, and leadership opportunities for student veterans across the country.
VA Work Study Program

  • The VA Work-Study Program is an opportunity to get paid for part-time work while you study at a college, vocational, or professional training program. Visit the VA Work-Study website for additional opportunities, a list of approved VA education benefit programs, eligibility requirements, and more information about the VA Work-Study Program.
  • See VA Work-Study Positions at DVS

DOD COOL

Department of Defense (DOD) Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (COOL) is the result of extensive inter-Service collaboration to facilitate credentialing of Service members. All Services recognize the important role that occupational credentials can play in professionalizing the Force and in enhancing the Service member’s ability to transition to the civilian workforce upon completion of military service. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard each have their own Service-specific COOL programs designed to match military occupations to civilian credentials (occupational certifications, licenses, and apprenticeships) and provide resources to help Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen attain these credentials. The Services disseminate this information on their own COOL websites. DOD COOL is the umbrella site providing a single point of access to the Services’ COOL websites.

  • In addition, DOD COOL includes the following features:
    • DOD Civilian COOL — Built from the same mold as its sister sites, DOD Civilian COOL helps federal civilian employees find detailed information on certifications and licenses related to their federal jobs. They can also use DOD Civilian COOL to get background information on credentialing and related topics.
    • Military Occupations Explorer — Learn how military occupations related to each other among the military branches, to civilian occupations and to civilian credentials.

Veterans on Campus

Veterans on Campus-NYC is a collaboration between DVS, our corporate partners, and NYC colleges and universities. Our objectives are:

  • To assist academic institutions in identifying and adopting best practices that create a supportive student veteran experience
  • To inspire new transitioning service members and their families to pursue their higher education goals here in NYC
  • To catalyze and promote academic research that will lead to deeper understandings and innovation
  • To ensure a successful transition to purpose-driven lives through educational achievement and viable careers

Vocational Training


Tutoring

  • The VITAL Initiative is a partnership between the VA New York Harbor Healthcare System and local colleges and universities to provide:
  • Active duty service members and reservists can receive free online tutoring at tutor.com. Expert tutors are available 24/7 to offer support in over 100 K-12 and college-level subjects, including math, writing, reading, ELL, science, English, social sciences, history, accounting, finance, nursing, world languages, computer science, study skills, and test prep.