Military Benefits
Veterans and/or their dependents may be entitled to benefits from a variety of programs to assist with educational expenses.
For more detailed information on the following programs, contact a Veterans Affairs counselor at (888) GIBILL-1 or (888) 442-4551 or visit www.va.gov. For more information on Veterans benefits or information regarding certification, please contact the Registrar.
Additionally, visit our Veteran Resources page for more information on opportunities and support we offer at St. Thomas.
Available Benefits
Post-9/11 Montgomery GI Bill
Description and Eligibility: Up to 36 months of educational benefits are available to individuals who have at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001 or if you were discharged with a service disability after 30 days.
Application and contact information: Visit www.va.gov/ or call (888) 442-4551.
Yellow Ribbon Program
Description: Provides additional tuition and fee assistance for veterans, or their dependents, eligible for 100% of Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.
Eligibility: Post 9/11 GI Bill recipients who are entitled to the maximum Chapter 33 benefit rate (100%) are eligible to participate in the Yellow Ribbon program at St. Thomas. Recipients of the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship and Purple Heart recipients may also participate in the Yellow Ribbon program. To be eligible for Yellow Ribbon, submit the St. Thomas Yellow Ribbon Application and your Certification of Eligibility (CoE) to the Financial Aid Office. Visit the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) website to determine if you are a qualifying veteran or a dependent eligible for Transfer of Entitlement based on a veteran's service.
St. Thomas Yellow Ribbon program is limited to the first five students who apply (first-come, first-served). St. Thomas will contribute $500, and the VA will match it.
Students not selected for the St. Thomas Yellow Ribbon program will be able to utilize their full merit scholarships alongside their VA tuition benefit. If a student's merit scholarships and VA tuition benefit do not fully cover tuition and required fees, they can apply for additional funding by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students must file a FAFSA, be eligible for VA CH 33 at the 100% level, and be certified for both fall and spring semesters. This funding is guaranteed but may not exceed the fall and spring Cost of Attendance.
The university's participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program is reevaluated annually. The university reserves the right to change its funding commitment for this program or discontinue participation.
Students also receive $1,000 in a book allowance for the year and a monthly housing allowance (MHA) of $2,154 per month.
Montgomery G.I. Bill
Description and Eligibility: Educational benefits are available to individuals who entered active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985.
Application and contact information: Visit Montgomery GI Bill at the US Department of Veterans Affairs or call (888) 442-4551.
Minnesota G.I. Bill
Description and Eligibility: The Minnesota G.I. Bill program provides postsecondary educational assistance to eligible MN veterans who served on or after September 11, 2001. Full-time undergraduate or graduate students may be eligible to receive up to $1,000 per semester and part-time students can receive up to $500 per semester.
Review the complete listing of eligibility requirements and complete the online Minnesota GI Bill Application.
National Guard Benefits
Description and Eligibility: Active members of the Minnesota Army or Air National Guard may be eligible for the Minnesota Tuition and Textbook Reimbursement Grant program and free examination programs such as the College Level Evaluation Program and the DANTES Subject Standardized Tests.
Award Amounts: Varies
Application and Contact Information: For more information, please write to education@mn.ngb.army.mil or call (651) 282-4589.
ROTC Scholarships
Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) scholarships are available for Air Force, Army and Navy/Marine ROTC students.
Amount: Varies
Application:
- High school seniors should apply through the respective websites for the Air Force, Army or Navy (including Marines) during the summer before or the fall of their senior year.
- Current college students should speak to the local ROTC detachment about scholarship opportunities.
Contacts:
Air Force ROTC Detachment 410 - (651) 962-6320 or afrotc@stthomas.edu
Post-9/11 Montgomery GI Bill
Post-9/11 Montgomery GI Bill
Description and Eligibility: Up to 36 months of educational benefits are available to individuals who have at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001 or if you were discharged with a service disability after 30 days.
Application and contact information: Visit www.va.gov/ or call (888) 442-4551.
Yellow Ribbon Program
Yellow Ribbon Program
Description: Provides additional tuition and fee assistance for veterans, or their dependents, eligible for 100% of Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.
Eligibility: Post 9/11 GI Bill recipients who are entitled to the maximum Chapter 33 benefit rate (100%) are eligible to participate in the Yellow Ribbon program at St. Thomas. Recipients of the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship and Purple Heart recipients may also participate in the Yellow Ribbon program. To be eligible for Yellow Ribbon, submit the St. Thomas Yellow Ribbon Application and your Certification of Eligibility (CoE) to the Financial Aid Office. Visit the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) website to determine if you are a qualifying veteran or a dependent eligible for Transfer of Entitlement based on a veteran's service.
St. Thomas Yellow Ribbon program is limited to the first five students who apply (first-come, first-served). St. Thomas will contribute $500, and the VA will match it.
Students not selected for the St. Thomas Yellow Ribbon program will be able to utilize their full merit scholarships alongside their VA tuition benefit. If a student's merit scholarships and VA tuition benefit do not fully cover tuition and required fees, they can apply for additional funding by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students must file a FAFSA, be eligible for VA CH 33 at the 100% level, and be certified for both fall and spring semesters. This funding is guaranteed but may not exceed the fall and spring Cost of Attendance.
The university's participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program is reevaluated annually. The university reserves the right to change its funding commitment for this program or discontinue participation.
Students also receive $1,000 in a book allowance for the year and a monthly housing allowance (MHA) of $2,154 per month.
Montgomery G.I. Bill
Montgomery G.I. Bill
Description and Eligibility: Educational benefits are available to individuals who entered active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985.
Application and contact information: Visit Montgomery GI Bill at the US Department of Veterans Affairs or call (888) 442-4551.
Minnesota G.I. Bill
Minnesota G.I. Bill
Description and Eligibility: The Minnesota G.I. Bill program provides postsecondary educational assistance to eligible MN veterans who served on or after September 11, 2001. Full-time undergraduate or graduate students may be eligible to receive up to $1,000 per semester and part-time students can receive up to $500 per semester.
Review the complete listing of eligibility requirements and complete the online Minnesota GI Bill Application.
National Guard Benefits
National Guard Benefits
Description and Eligibility: Active members of the Minnesota Army or Air National Guard may be eligible for the Minnesota Tuition and Textbook Reimbursement Grant program and free examination programs such as the College Level Evaluation Program and the DANTES Subject Standardized Tests.
Award Amounts: Varies
Application and Contact Information: For more information, please write to education@mn.ngb.army.mil or call (651) 282-4589.
ROTC Scholarships
ROTC Scholarships
Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) scholarships are available for Air Force, Army and Navy/Marine ROTC students.
Amount: Varies
Application:
- High school seniors should apply through the respective websites for the Air Force, Army or Navy (including Marines) during the summer before or the fall of their senior year.
- Current college students should speak to the local ROTC detachment about scholarship opportunities.
Contacts:
Air Force ROTC Detachment 410 - (651) 962-6320 or afrotc@stthomas.edu
Financial Aid Adjustments Resulting from Military Benefits
When finalizing your financial aid package, St. Thomas must make sure your total amount of financial aid does not exceed your cost of attendance due to the institutional and private aid you receive. Excess aid is called an overaward. Overawards are most likely to occur when students receive outside aid that was unknown or unconfirmed to St. Thomas when St. Thomas first developed the financial aid package.
When determining whether there is an overaward of institutional or private aid, St. Thomas must consider all the aid you will receive, including military benefits. When the amount of institutional or private aid results in an overaward, St. Thomas must reduce the financial aid package to eliminate the overaward.
Normally, St. Thomas eliminates overawards by first reducing student self-help aid (loans and work-study) dollar for dollar against the excess institutional or outside aid, until the overaward is eliminated. If additional reductions are required after reducing self-help aid, St. Thomas next reduces institutional aid, starting with need-based aid.
However, for students receiving federal military benefits, St. Thomas is limited in the reductions it can make to certain federal aid in your financial aid package. This means you may be allowed to keep federal loans and federal work study in your financial aid package, but St. Thomas may need to reduce its institutional aid or other private aid to eliminate the overaward. If you have any questions about award adjustments, please contact Financial Aid.