Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
You may be able to continue your education by using part of your military pay to help cover the cost of school. Find out if you can get benefits through the Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)—a $2-to-$1 government-match program for educational assistance.
Am I eligible for VEAP benefits?
You may be eligible for VEAP benefits if you meet all of these requirements.
All of these must be true:
- You entered service for the first time between January 1, 1977, and June 30, 1985 (for all branches other than Air Force), and
- You opened and put money into your VEAP account before April 1, 1987, and
- You put in $25–$2,700 on your own, and
- You finished your first period of service and didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge
If you served in or are serving in the Air Force, you must meet these additional requirements:
- You entered service for the first time between December 1, 1980, and September 30, 1981, and
- You enlisted in one of these Air Force specialties: 20723, 20731, 20830, 46130, 46230A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, or Z, 46430, or 81130, and
- You enlisted in one of these locations: Beckley, WV; Buffalo, NY; Dallas; Fargo, ND; Houston; Jackson, MS; Louisville, KY; Memphis, TN; Omaha, NB; Philadelphia; Seattle; Sioux Falls, SD; or Syracuse, NY
Note: If you’re currently on active duty, you must have at least 3 months of contributions available to use your VEAP benefits.
What benefits can I get?
Money for tuition
How do I get VEAP benefits?
Make sure we’ve approved your selected program
If you have questions, we can help you and your school understand the requirements.
- Call our Education Call Center at 888-442-4551 (TTY: 711).
- Or go to a VA regional office near you.
Find your nearest VA regional office
Apply for benefits
If you haven’t started training yet
Submit an Application for VA Education Benefits (VA Form 22-1990) online.
Apply for education benefits online now
You can also apply by mail, in person, or with the help of a trained professional.
Learn more about how to apply for education benefits
Note:
If you’re on active duty right now, you’ll need to have your Education Services Officer approve your enrollment and your Commanding Officer verify your service.
If you're not on active duty right now, you'll need to send copy 4 (member copy) of your DD214, Certificate of Release, or Discharge from Active Duty.
If you’ve already started training
Take your VA Form 22-1990 application and the member copy of your DD214 to your school or employer. Ask them to complete VA Form 22-1999, Enrollment Certification, and send all the forms to us.
Get VA Form 22-1990 to download
Verify your enrollment
Ask your school or training official to verify your enrollment with us. We’ll review your application and let you know if we need anything else.
More questions about VEAP benefits
What’s covered under VEAP education benefits?
We’ll help you pay for these types of training, programs, and fees:
- Undergraduate and graduate degree programs
- Co-op training
- Non-college degree programs (technical or vocational courses)
- Flight training
- On-the-job training and apprenticeships
- Licensing and certification tests and prep courses
- National tests and prep courses
- Entrepreneurship training
- Correspondence training
In some cases, we’ll help you pay for these types of courses:
- Remedial courses (classes some students must take to build up their basic skills in math, reading, or English before they can take regular college courses),
- Deficiency courses (classes some students must take in order to be admitted to a certain college)
- Refresher courses (brief courses that help people review and improve their knowledge in a certain subject area)
How many months of benefits can I get, and how long do I have to use them?
The amount of benefits you get (up to 36 months) will depend on how much money you put into your VEAP every month.
You have 10 years from your release from active duty to use your VEAP benefits. If you don’t use the money after 10 years, we’ll automatically refund it to you.
Note: If you’re on active duty now and want to use VEAP, you must have at least 3 months of contributions in the fund.
Can I get the money back that I put into my VEAP account?
Yes. You can withdraw the money in your VEAP account if you don’t meet basic qualifying requirements or if you formally ask for a refund.
To ask for a refund, complete an Application for Refund of Educational Contributions (VA Form 22-5281).
Get VA Form 22-5281 to download
Send the form to your nearest VA regional office.
Get the address of your nearest VA regional office