Military Student Benefits
The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
Request More Information
Complete this form to receive information about coursework, admissions, tuition and more.
Our Mission: To Empower Your Success
Benedictine University is grateful to the men and women who have served in the U.S. military. We were ranked among the Best Colleges for Veterans in 20251 and named a Military Friendly® school for 2025 to 2026,2 affirming our dedication to you.
Military Friendly School
Yellow Ribbon Program
Benedictine participates in the Yellow Ribbon program. As a result, we have committed to making additional funds available for your education program without drawing on your GI Bill® entitlement.
By entering into a Yellow Ribbon Agreement with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), institutions choose the amount of tuition and fees that will be contributed. VA matches that amount and issues payments directly to the institution.
Benedictine University offers the Military Scholarship* for students who are currently serving in or are veterans of a branch of the U.S. military. If you are a current service member or a veteran, this offer could help you receive 10% off your total tuition. To qualify, you’ll need to provide a copy of your DD214 or official confirmation of your military status. Learn more and find out if you’re eligible for the Military Scholarship by requesting information.
Veterans Educational Benefits Checklist
In addition to offering active-duty and veteran student scholarships, we can help you explore a variety of financial assistance. When you apply for benefits through VA, be sure to follow these steps:
- Complete the VA Electronic Application.
The application is available on VA’s eBenefits portal. Once you are approved for benefits, VA will issue you a Certificate of Eligibility within 90 days. Submit a copy of this certificate to Benedictine’s Office of Financial Aid.
Note that you can also submit a copy of your online application to the Office of Financial Aid, and it will serve as initial certification documentation to start processing your aid request. - Submit a copy of your DD214.
Students who are no longer on active duty must submit a copy of their DD214 to the Office of Financial Aid. - Complete and submit Benedictine’s VA Certification Request and Student Responsibility Certification form.
- Complete the Change of Program or Place in Training (Form 22-1995), if applicable.
If you have previously used VA benefits for attendance at another school, you must complete Form 22-1995 through the VA website and submit a copy to the Office of Financial Aid.
Make the Most of Your Military Benefits
We’re proud to support your success through special benefits and our participation in government programs available to active-duty and veteran service members. Explore the following options to learn how you can employ your military benefits to make your online program fit your budget.
- Covers tuition and fees.
- Veterans who entered military service on or after July 1, 1985, are eligible.
- The minimum length of service for eligibility is two years of continuous enlistment (minimum duty varies by service date, branch, etc.)
- Benefits are generally available 10 years from your last day of active duty.
- Provides a monthly stipend, tuition, fees, books and supplies.
- Veterans must be determined eligible by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Covers tuition and fees.
- Post-Vietnam-era veterans who entered active duty on or after January 1, 1977, and before July 1, 1985, and who contributed to the VEAP program while in the military are eligible.
- You must have completed at least 181 continuous days of active service between the dates listed above to be eligible.
- Covers tuition, books and supplies.
- Veterans who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, are eligible and may transfer unused educational benefits to their spouses or children.
- Applicants must have served 90 days of active aggregate service (after September 10, 2001) or 30 days continuously if discharged for disability.
- The Yellow Ribbon program is a supplement to the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which allows institutions to voluntarily enter into an agreement with VA to fund tuition expenses that exceed the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition rate. The institution contributes up to 50% of those expenses, and VA will match the same amount as the institution.
- Provides a monthly allowance based on enrollment (limited to tuition and fees if the student is less than half-time).
- Children and spouses of veterans who died or have a permanent and total service-connected disability are eligible, as well as the children and spouses of veterans who have been listed as a POW or MIA for a period of 90 days.
- Provides a monthly allowance based on whether the student is full-time, part-time, etc.
- Open to members of the National Guard or Selected Reserve.
- Minimum length of service: six-year commitment.
- Provides a monthly allowance based on enrollment status (full-time, part-time, etc.). Limited to tuition and fees if the student is less than part-time.
- Open to members of the National Guard or Selected Reserve who were called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency as declared by the President or Congress.
- Minimum length of service: 90 days of continuous service after September 11, 2001.
Frequently Asked Questions
Explore our FAQ page to find answers to questions you may have about the online programs.
Yes. Military students are encouraged to apply for student financial aid to help offset the cost of education because veterans benefits sometimes do not cover the entire cost of your education. Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application is your first step toward determining your financial aid eligibility. You can find the application here: https://studentaid.gov/. Benedictine University’s federal school code is 001767.
No, Benedictine is a private school and is not eligible to participate in the IVG or ING program.
To obtain or amend a copy of your military service record and/or your Official Military Personnel File (DD-214, OMPFs), please visit the website for the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) at: https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records.
If you change your major or program of study, you must complete and submit the Request for Change of Program or Place of Training form.
Log on to www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/vba-22-1995-are.pdf for the actual form and mailing instructions.
Veterans need to be aware of some special circumstances:
- Federal veteran education benefits do not affect financial aid eligibility and are not considered income for federal student aid purposes.
- Non-educational veteran benefits such as disability, death pension, dependency and indemnity compensation or VA education work-study allowances must be included on your financial aid application as untaxed income, excluding the value of on-base military housing or the value of a basic military allowance for housing.
- There are different parameters to qualify for veteran status for student aid purposes that are not necessarily the same as for VA purposes. National Guard and reservists may not qualify automatically as independent students. Please refer to the FAFSA instructions to determine if you qualify as a veteran for financial aid purposes.
The Veterans Affairs provides a tool that lets you compare your monetary benefits. Go to https://www.va.gov/education/eligibility/.
The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs’ website is at https://veterans.illinois.gov/.
The Veterans Affairs website is at www.va.gov.
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers a GI Bill comparison tool that allows you to select the school you plan to attend and see how your benefits will help you pay for your education.
Sources and Disclaimer
- U.S. News & World Report. “Benedictine University Rankings.” Retrieved February 10, 2025, from https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/benedictine-university-1767/overall-rankings.
- Military Friendly®. “2025-2026 Military Friendly Schools.” Retrieved May 12, 2025, from https://www.militaryfriendly.com/2025-2026-mfs/.
*Terms and Conditions Apply:
All scholarships are mutually exclusive. An individual who meets multiple criteria for scholarships is not able to combine, stack or receive more than one scholarship offer for their chosen program. Benedictine University reserves the right to approve or deny scholarships for any reason. To confirm scholarship discounts and program details, please consult an admissions counselor at onlinedegrees@ben.edu. Information presented may be revised without notice.
Scholarships are non-transferable and can only be applied toward the billed tuition cost of eligible Benedictine University students. Scholarships cannot be redeemed for cash, goods, or other services, nor can they be applied to another student or degree program.
Benedictine University awards Institutional Scholarships to all incoming freshman and transfer students each year in merit scholarships and need-based grants on an annual basis. These merit scholarships and need-based grants are automatically awarded upon completion of an application through the Admissions and Financial Aid offices.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/.