Beyond the GI Bill: Other Forms of Military Education Aid
Besides the
Post-9/11 GI Bill
and the
Montgomery GI Bill,
other education benefits are available to help veterans, current service members,
and dependents pay for college. Programs include the Reserve Educational Assistance
Program (REAP), the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program (SDEAP),
the Hazlewood Act, and the Army, Navy, and Air Force Loan Repayment Program.
Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)
REAP, established by the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2005, provides educational assistance to members of a reserve component
called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency.
Generally, a member of a reserve component who serves on active duty on or after
September 11, 2001, for at least 90 consecutive days under a contingency operation,
is eligible. National Guard members are eligible if their active service extends
for 90 consecutive days.
REAP pays benefits at a set monthly rate while you receive an education. If eligible,
your benefits will vary depending on the type of training you wish to receive, as
well as the length of your enlistment and enrollment status in college.
Learn more here.
If you meet REAP requirements and want to apply, complete
VA Form 22-1990.
Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program (SDEAP)
SDEAP provides educational benefits for the children and spouse of a service member
or veteran who died or is permanently and totally disabled as the result of military
service.
You must be the son, daughter, or spouse of:
- A veteran who died or is permanently and totally disabled as the result of a disability
connected to military service, or
- A service member missing in action or captured in the line of duty by a hostile
force, or
- A service member forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign
government or power.
If you meet these requirements and want to apply for these benefits, contact your
local VA office for eligibility guidelines.
Learn more
about SDEAP requirements.
The Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program pays benefits at a
set monthly rate while you are receiving an education. Check out the
benefits chart.
Hazlewood Act
Hazlewood benefits are only for service members who were residents of Texas when
they entered military service.
- Eligible veterans must provide official military documentation to prove residency
at the time they entered the service.
- Veterans must have served more than 180 days of active-duty service, excluding
training, and their discharge must be "honorable" or "general, under honorable conditions."
- Veterans or dependents must provide proof of eligibility or ineligibility for
other VA education benefits.
Specific tuition and fees for Texas public colleges are waived for eligible veterans.
Eligible veterans may also transfer unused credits to dependents. You can apply
for this program by filling out a
Hazlewood Application
and returning it to your college.
Learn more.
Army, Navy, and Air Force Loan Repayment Program
Have you already completed your college degree or some college and are now considering
enlisting? If so, ask your military recruiter about Loan Repayment Programs. Remember,
it's important to consider all of your options before enlisting because you may
not be able to take advantage of these programs after you have officially "signed
up." Be sure to discuss your options with your parents, your school counselor, or
another mentor.
Army Loan Repayment Program
Active-duty Army soldiers may qualify to have their student loans repaid by the
military. Federally guaranteed student
loans
(e.g., Perkins, Stafford, PLUS) may be repaid at the rate of one-third of the loan
for each year of full-time duty served. Soldiers who enlist full-time in the Army
for three or more years may receive as much as $65,000. Solders who enlist in the
Army Reserve for six years may receive as much as $20,000.
Navy Loan Repayment Program
A $65,000 Loan Repayment Program is available for active-duty service members in
the Navy. To qualify, the service member must have no prior military service, a
high school diploma, and federally guaranteed student loans (e.g., Perkins, Stafford,
PLUS). Additionally, service members must qualify for Navy Nuclear Field or other
designated critical rating as defined by the U.S. Navy.
Air Force Loan Repayment Program
The College Loan Repayment Program (CLRP) is for all non-prior-service persons considering
enlistment in the Air Force. If you have taken some college courses and have accumulated
debt, this program may be for you. Participants must sign up for this program when
signing their enlistment contract. The repayment maximum is $10,000 per recruit.
Learn more
about loan repayment programs.