Military, Veterans and Families

VA educational benefits have different eligibility requirements based on your active duty service. The benefits available under each category may vary depending on your situation and length of active service. If you are separated from service, you may be an eligible veteran if you:

• Entered active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985
• Received a high school diploma or equivalent before the end of your first obligated period of service
• Received an honorable discharge
• Continuously served for three years, or two years if that is what you first enlisted for, or two years if you have an obligation to serve four years in the Selected Reserve AND entered Selective Reserve within a year of leaving active duty.

Eligible service members may receive up to 36 months of education benefits. The monthly benefit paid to you is based on the type of training you take, length of your service, your category, any college fund eligibility and if you contributed to the $600 buy-up program. You usually have 10 years to use your benefits.

The Veterans Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program’s mission is to help veterans with service-connected disabilities to prepare for, find and keep suitable jobs. To receive an evaluation for VR&E services, a veteran must:

• Have received, or will receive, a discharge that is other than dishonorable
• Have a service-connected disability rating of at least 20 percent
• Submit a completed application for VR&E services

Benefits may include payment of tuition, fees, books, supplies and a monthly subsistence allowance. The basic period of eligibility in which VR&E services may be used is 12 years from the latter of the following:

• Date of separation from active military service or
• Date the veteran was first notified by VA or a service-connected disability rating

You are required to meet with a VA Voc-Rehab Counselor prior to receiving benefits at NICC. Further information can be obtained from the College's Military and Veteran Services Coordinator Office.

Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) is available if you elected to make contributions from your military pay to participate in this education benefit program. The government matches your contributions on a 2-for-1 basis. To qualify, you must have:

• Entered service for the first time between Jan. 1, 1977, and June 30, 1985
• Opened a contribution account before April 1, 1987
• Voluntarily contributed from $25 to $2,700
• Completed your first period of service and were discharged or released from service under conditions other than dishonorable
• If you are currently on active duty and wish to receive VEAP benefits, you must have at least three months of contributions available.

Benefit entitlement is for one to 36 months depending on the number of monthly contributions. You have 10 years from your release from active duty to use VEAP benefits. If the entitlement is not used after the 10-year period, your portion remaining in the fund will be automatically refunded.

If you have at least 90 days of aggregate active duty service after Sept. 10, 2001 and are still on active duty, or are an honorably discharged veteran or were discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days, you may be eligible for this VA-administered program.

Under this benefit, you may receive:

• Tuition and fees payment (paid directly to the school) not to exceed the tuition and fees at the most expensive state Institution of Higher Learning (IHL) 
• Monthly housing allowance based on the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for an E-5 with dependents. Access the VA Educational Benefits Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) Toolkit for easy to understand messaging on new MHA change.
• An annual book stipend of $1000 paid proportionately based on enrollment

The Post-9/11 VA educational benefits provide up to 36 months of education benefits generally payable for 15 years following your release from active duty.

The VA Educational Benefits – Selected Reserve education program provides educational benefits to actively drilling members of the Selected Reserve. This includes the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Reserves as well as the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. Eligibility for this program is determined by the Selected Reserve components and VA makes the payments.

You may be considered an eligible reservist or National Guard Member if:

• After June 30, 1985, you signed a six-year obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve
• You completed your Initial Active Duty for Training
• You received your high school diploma or GED before you complete your Initial Active Duty for Training
• You are in good standing in a drilling Selected Reserve unit

You will remain eligible for benefits for 14 years from the date of eligibility (usually the day you graduate AIT or Tech Training). You may use any one VA educational benefit for up to 36 months of full time use and may be able to combine multiple VA educational benefits for up to 48 months of use.

The Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) program offers education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition or dependents of veterans who died while on active duty or as a result of a service-related condition.

To be eligible, you must be the son, daughter or spouse of:

• A veteran who died, or is permanently and totally disabled, as the result of a service-connected disability. The disability must arise out of active service in the Armed Forces.
• A veteran who died from any cause while such service-connected disability was in existence
• A service member missing in action or captured in the line of duty by a hostile force
• A service member forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign government or power

You may receive up to 45 months of education benefits. Effective Oct. 1, 2013, some DEA beneficiaries may be eligible for up to 81 months of VA educational benefits if they use the Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance program in conjunction with an entitlement from other VA education programs.

Students will need to receive prior approval from an Educational Service Officer (ESO) or counselor within the Military Service prior to enrolling in classes. Once an authorization has been issued to the student, from their branch of service, a copy will need to be provided to the School Certifying Official. Please use the links below for more information on your services' tuition assistance benefits.

• Army
• Marines
• Navy
• Airforce
• Coast Guard