Veteran's Benefits

The Post-9/11 GI Bill® offers up to 36 months of education benefits for higher education and training benefits to Veterans, Service members, and their families who served a minimum of 90 days after September 10, 2001. Benefits include tuition and fees paid to the institution and a monthly housing allowance and book stipend paid to the student. The benefit eligibility percentage is based on length of service.

The Montgomery GI Bill® assists active duty and Reservists with the pursuit of higher education degrees, certificates, and other education and training. This benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits to Veterans and Service members who have at least two years of active duty, was honorably discharged, and has a high school diploma (or equivalent) or 12 hours of college credit. Other requirements apply based on when the Service member entered active duty. Benefits are paid to the student as a monthly basic housing allowance.

The Montgomery GI Bill® assists Reservists with the pursuit of higher education degrees, certificates, and other education and training. This benefit provides up to 36 months of education and training benefits to members of the Selected Reserve that have a six-year obligation or, for officers, have agreed to serve six years in addition to the initial obligation. The Service member must also have completed the initial active duty for training, have a high school diploma or equivalent before completing IADT, and remain in good standing while serving in an active Selected Reserve unit. Benefits are paid to the student as a monthly basic housing allowance.

Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) is available if an individual entered the service for the first time between January 1, 1977, and June 30, 1985, and opened a contribution from his or her military pay prior to April 1, 1987, to participate in this program. There is no active application for this program, but benefits can be certified if a Veteran has previously been notified of eligibility.

The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA) offers up to 45 months of education and training opportunities to eligible children and spouses of Veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition or Veterans who died while on active duty or as a result of a service-related condition. Benefits are paid monthly to the student.

The Fry Scholarship is available for children and spouses of Service members who died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001, is missing in action or was captured in the line of duty by a hostile force, was detained by force while in the line of duty by a foreign government or power, or is in the hospital (or receiving outpatient treatment) for a service-connected permanent and total disability. Benefits offered by this program are equivalent to the Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits.

IVG - Policy and Procedure for Awarding

The Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) is an entitlement program that waives tuition and mandatory fees for eligible applicants at Illinois public colleges or community colleges regardless of the state funding level. Qualified applicants may use this grant at the undergraduate or graduate level for the equivalent of four full-time academic years measured by eligibility units.

Eligibility
To be considered eligible for IVG, a student must apply for this program online and:

• Meet one of the two following criteria:

  1. Have served at least one year of federal active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, which may include the Illinois National Guard and the Reserve component of the Armed Forces;

  2. Regardless of length of service, have served in a foreign country in a time of hostilities in that country; was medically discharged for service related reasons; or was discharged prior to August 11, 1967.

• Have received an honorable discharge (general discharge under honorable conditions is not eligible) for the most recent period of federal active duty service, and/or be honorably serving.* Contact information is available for Illinois military personnel who need to request a Department of Defense (DOD) Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214 Member-4 or equivalent copy).

• Not a current member of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). Applicants are not eligible if their only service has been attendance at a service academy.  Time served attending military schools or for Initial Active Duty for Training, in the Delayed Entry Program, National Guard, Reserve or any other time that was not federal active duty is not considered equal to federal active duty service. Drill time (weekend and summer drills) by Guard members and Reservists is not equivalent to federal active duty service.

• Satisfy Illinois residency requirements by meeting one of the following qualifications:

  1. currently reside in Illinois unless you are serving federal active-duty service at the time of enrollment in college or residing with a spouse in continued military service who is currently stationed outside of Illinois.

  2. were a resident of Illinois at the time of entering federal active-duty service or within six months prior to entering the service or were a student at an Illinois public 2- or 4-year college at the time of entering federal active-duty service.

  3. established, or if on federal active duty service, plan to establish Illinois residency within six months after leaving federal active duty service or if married to a person in continued military service, a) apply for this grant within six months after and including the date the spouse was stationed within Illinois or b) if the spouse was stationed outside Illinois, established, or plan to establish, Illinois residency within six months after and including the date the spouse was separated.
     (Note:  You may be considered eligible for the IVG program by fulfilling “1” and “2” above; however, if you do not currently reside in Illinois (“1”), you will not receive IVG benefits.)

  4. reside in Illinois at the time of application and at the time of receiving benefits for enrollment and, at some point after leaving federal active duty service, have been a resident of Illinois for at least 15 consecutive years.

• Be enrolled at an Illinois 2- or 4- year college and maintain the minimum grade point average (GPA) required by the college.

• Not be in default on any student loan, nor owe a refund on any state or federal grant.

* If you receive benefits from the IVG Program while serving federal active-duty service, upon discharge you will be required to verify that your most recent service has been characterized as honorable.

Applications should not be submitted later than the last day of the term the student is enrolled to be considered for benefits in that term. Qualified applicants will receive an IVG Notice of Eligibility Letter and Addendum that should be taken to the Financial Aid Office where a copy of this letter will be retained in the student’s Veteran file. A notice of eligibility from ISAC must be used by the institution to establish a qualified applicant’s initial eligibility. There is approximately a four- to six-week turnaround from the date ISAC receives an application to when the qualified applicant receives a response. This same four- to six-week timeframe also applies for any additional documentation submitted in order to make a previously submitted application complete. Fully completed applications (including all required documentation) must be received at ISAC allowing sufficient time to complete processing prior to the last scheduled day of classes in the term for which a grant is requested. If you must obtain required documentation, please check the turnaround time with that source - for example, the website for the National Personnel Records Center indicates 10 working days as their turnaround time.

Benefit Usage and Processing
Upon receipt of the Notice of Eligibility letter, the Financial Aid Office will notify the Business Office of the student’s eligibility for IVG benefits. The Business Office will submit a payment request to ISAC to report the total number of hours for which payment is being requested and will then apply payment to the Veteran’s account.

ING Grant - Policy and Procedure for Awarding

The Illinois National Guard (ING) grant is an entitlement program that waives tuition and eligible fees for qualified applicants at Illinois public colleges or community colleges regardless of the state funding level. Qualified applicants may use this grant at the undergraduate or graduate level for the equivalent of four or six full-time academic years measured by eligibility units.

Eligibility
To be eligible for the ING grant, students must apply for the program annually online and:

• Be an Illinois National Guard member, defined as meeting one of the two following criteria:

  • Be active in the Illinois National Guard;

  • Have been active in the Illinois National Guard for at least five consecutive years and have been called to federal active duty for at least six months and be within 12 months after the discharge date from the Illinois National Guard.

• Have completed one full year of service in the Illinois National Guard.

• Be an enlisted member or an officer (Public Act 94-583).

• Be enrolled at an Illinois public 2- or 4- year college and maintain an acceptable grade point average (GPA) determined by the institution.

• Not owe a refund on any state or federal grant.

• Not be in default on any educational loan or, if in default, have reinstated eligibility in accordance with ISAC Rules.

• File a complete application each academic year, indicating the college to be attended.

** Those individuals who have been active in the Illinois National Guard for at least five consecutive years, had their studies interrupted by being called to federal active duty for at least six months, and meet eligibility requirements in addition to those listed above may be eligible to receive an additional year of Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant Program eligibility. Eligibility under these criteria is determined by the Education/Incentives Branch of the Department of Military Affairs Illinois (DMAIL) in Springfield, Illinois. Questions regarding individual eligibility status under this legislation should be directed to the applicant’s chain of command, or to the Education/Incentives Branch of DMAIL at 217.761.3782.

Campus Requirements/Steps

1. Complete ING application. 

2. After application completion, allow six to eight weeks for delivery of the eligibility letter. 

3. If you do not have your eligibility letter by the first payment due date, please provide your confirmation of application to the Office of Military and Veteran Resources.

4. Complete the process each academic year. ISAC will not approve late applications, and you will be required to pay an outstanding balance.

Applications must be submitted by October 1 of the aid year for full-year benefit consideration, March 1 for second and/or third semester/quarter consideration, and June 15 for only summer term consideration.

Benefit Usage and Processing
Upon receipt of the Notice of Eligibility letter, the Financial Aid Office will notify the Business Office of the student’s eligibility for ING grant benefits. The Business Office will submit a payment request to ISAC in order to report the total number of hours for which payment is being requested following the tuition refund/withdrawal period and prior to the priority claim date for the term.

This scholarship is administered by the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs and provides tuition and certain fees for dependents of persons who were Illinois residents at the time they entered active duty and have been declared to be prisoners of war, missing in action, died as the result of a service-connected disability, or disabled with 100% disability as a result of a service-connected cause as recognized by the U.S Department of Veterans’ Affairs or U.S. Department of Defense.

Eligibility
Any spouse, natural child, legally adopted child, or step-child of an eligible veteran or serviceperson who possesses all necessary entrance requirements shall, upon application and proper proof, be awarded the MIA/POW Scholarship. The child must begin using the scholarship prior to his or her twenty-sixth birthday. Students must apply for this program online. Qualified applicants will receive an I.D. card for the scholarship.

Benefit Usage and Processing
Students receiving the MIA/POW Scholarship should submit a copy of the I.D. card and/or letter of eligibility to the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office will notify the Business Office of a student’s eligibility. .