The Center for Veterans and Veteran Family Services

Covered Programs

Here is a thumbnail list of various tuition assistance and beneficial educational programs offered to veterans, with a brief description of each.

Daemen is a proud participant in the YELLOW RIBBON Program.

This program allows institutions of higher learning in the United States to enter into an agreement with the VA to fund tuition expenses that exceed the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition rate.
The institution can contribute up to 50% of those expenses and the VA will match the same amount as the institution.
This program essentially covers FULL TUITION COSTS for those veterans accepted to Daemen, meeting the stated criteria for eligibility.

The Montgomery GI Bill program provides up to 36 months of education benefits.
This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses but must be pre-approved by the Veterans Administration.
Generally, benefits are payable for 10 years following release from active duty.

A veteran of World War II or thereafter who has a service-connected disability (80% - 100%) which entitles him or her to VA disability compensation and who is in need of vocational rehabilitation because his or her disability creates an employment handicap, may be eligible for Chapter 31 benefits.
Vocational rehabilitation may be provided for up to 48 months, and an eligible veteran now generally has 12 years from discharge or release from active duty in which to use these benefits.
Disabled veterans are encouraged to contact the regional VA office in their area to obtain detailed information and to request VA form #28-1900, Disabled Veteran's Application for Vocational Rehabilitation.

VEAP is available for veterans who first entered active duty between January 1, 1977 and June 30, 1985, and elected to make contributions from their military pay to participate in this education benefit program.
The contributions were matched on a $2 for $1 basis by the government.
This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses.
Remedial, deficiency and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.

The Post 9/11 GI Bill is a new education benefit programfor individuals who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001. You may receive benefits for any approved program offered by a school in the United States that is authorized to grant an associate (or higher) degree.
You may be eligible if you served at least 90 aggregate days on active duty after September 10, 2001, and -you are still on active duty or were honorably-discharged from the active duty; or - released from active duty and placed on the retired list or the tempoary disability retired list; or -released from active duty and transferred to the Fleet Reserve or Fleet Marine Corps Reserve; or -released from active duty for further service in a reserve component of the Armed Services.
You may also be eligible if you were honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability and you served 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001.

The sons, daughters, spouse or surviving spouse of a veteran may be eligible for educational assistance if the veteran died while on active duty, died after release or discharge from active duty or a service-connected disability (80%-100%), became permanently and totally disabled as a result of a service-connected disability, died while a service-connected disability was rated permanent and total, or has been listed as missing in action, captured, detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign government or power for more than 90 days.
Eligible persons are entitled to 45 months of educational assistance and are paid benefits on the same basis as a veteran with no dependents.

Basic eligibility exists for a person who (after June 30, 1985) enlists, reenlists or extends an enlistment in the Selected Reserve.
The Selected Reserve includes the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve and the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard.
An eligible reservist is entitled to a maximum of educational assistance based upon full-time training (or the equivalent based upon three-quarter or half-time training.)

REAP was established as part of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005.
It is a new Department of Defense education benefit program designed to provide educational assistance to members of the Reserve components called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency (contingency operation) as declared by the President or Congress.
This new program makes certain reservists who were activated for at least 90 days after September 11, 2001 either eligible for education benefits or eligible for increased benefits.

Veterans Tuition Awards (VTA) are awards for full-time study and part-time study for eligible veterans matriculated at an undergraduate or graduate degree-granting institution or in an approved vocational training program in New York State.
Funding for this program depends on the enacted New York State budget each year.

NOTE: Students previously approved for this award must apply for payment each year. Those students who are attending an approved undergraduate or graduate program may apply for payment for the current academic year by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and then linking to the TAP on the Web application.
Students attending a vocational school only do not have to file the FAFSA or TAP on the Web application.
For Details and How to Apply for Payment see: HESC New York State benefits