How To Use Military Benefits for College in New York

One benefit the military offers recruits is the ability to pay for college tuition and other related education costs. College tuition can be expensive, and having these costs covered can help you start your career debt-free.

In addition to military education benefits, New York offers some benefits programs to military members. Keep reading to learn how to use military benefits for college in New York.

Steps for Using Military Educational Benefits for New York College Students

Although there are various educational benefits offered to service members, these benefits aren't automatically applied and can't be used everywhere. Below, we've offered some tips to help military personnel use their educational benefits in New York.

Understand Your Benefits

Whether you're on active duty or a veteran, you can receive assistance through many programs to help you pay for your education. Some programs are for all qualifying service members, while others are specific to New York state residents. We've broken down a few of these options below.

New York State Veterans Tuition Award

New York's Higher Education Services Corporation offers Veterans Tuition Awards for eligible combat veterans. This award covers the cost of tuition for an undergraduate or graduate degree or a vocational training program at any State University of New York (SUNY) institution.

To qualify, you'll need to be an eligible veteran and a legal resident of NYS who has resided in NYS for 12 continuous months before the beginning of the term. This scholarship is available to both full-time and part-time students. You can learn more at the Higher Education Services Corporation website.

New York State Tuition Assistance Program

The New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) is for all New York state residents, civilian and service members alike. It offers need-based funding to students with an annual income below a certain amount.

For dependent students, that is a family income of $125,000, for married students with no dependents, it's $60,000, and for single students with no dependents, it's $30,000. This funding can be used for full-time and part-time study at New York colleges and universities.

New York State National Guard Tuition Assistance Program

The New York State National Guard Federal Tuition Assistance Program is available to National Guard active-duty service members and veterans. This educational assistance provides up to $4,000 per year.

Military members can use this program at any accredited college or university in New York. You may also be eligible to use this program alongside your GI Bill benefits.

Post-9/11 GI Bill

The Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) is offered through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It's for students who served on active duty on or after 9/11, including those who served and were honorably discharged with a service-connected disability.

The amount you receive depends on how long you served for, but students who receive the full benefit will have the full cost of public, in-state tuition and fees covered. In addition to tuition costs, students also receive a stipend for books and supplies and money for housing.

Students who qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill may also qualify for the Yellow Ribbon Program, which helps cover costs not covered by the GI Bill. While schools need to opt into this program, over 100 schools in New York State participate.

Montgomery GI Bill

The Montgomery GI Bill is another type of VA education benefit. It's available to active-duty and selected service members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and National Guard.

The eligibility requirements depend on whether you're a selected reserve member or an active-duty service member. The Montgomery GI Bill only covers tuition costs and does not cover materials or housing. You can learn more about GI Bills at the VA's official U.S. government website, VA.gov.

Check Eligibility

To determine your eligibility for these types of financial aid, you'll need to take a few steps. First, you must fill out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is an application that determines your eligibility for all types of student aid, including grants, scholarships, student loans, and work-study programs.

You'll also need to check the requirements for each type of military benefits program you're pursuing. For example, veteran education benefits, like the GI Bill, can vary wildly depending on how long you served and whether you're still on active duty or are a disabled veteran.

Apply for Benefits

When you fill out the FAFSA, the system will automatically determine what types of state and federal financial aid you're available for, including the federal Pell Grant and New York State's TAP.

Applying for GI Bill benefits can be done through VA.gov. Other types of benefits, like the New York State Veterans Tuition Award, have their distinct application systems.

Application Deadline

Note that many applications have deadlines that you'll need to meet in order to use your benefits in the semester you want. Others take some time, so you'll want to apply well in advance.

For example:

• the FAFSA deadline in New York State for the 2024-2025 school year is June 30, 2025
• the New York State Veterans Tuition Award has no deadline, and applications are open year-round
• applications for GI Bill benefits usually take about 30 days to process

Colleges and universities also have application deadlines, so keep those in mind as well.

Choose a VA-Approved School

In order to use your VA benefits, you'll need to select a school that the VA has approved. Hundreds of New York colleges and universities are VA-approved, and we've listed a few top options below.

City University of New York (CUNY) Institutions

The City University of New York, or CUNY, is a system of public colleges and universities in New York City. There are 25 CUNY campuses in New York City, including:

• CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
• CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College
• CUNY Hunter College
• CUNY Queens College

You can learn more about which CUNY institutions accept GI Bill benefits through the VA's GI Bill Comparison Tool.

State University of New York (SUNY) Institutions

The State University of New York (SUNY) is the public college and university system across New York. It includes institutions like:

• Binghamton University
• Stony Brook University
• University at Albany
• University at Buffalo

All the above universities, and other colleges and universities in the SUNY system, accept funding for student veterans and active-duty service members through the GI Bill.

New York University (NYU)

New York University, or NYU, is a private research university in New York City. It's known for a variety of programs, especially arts-focused programs.

Because NYU is a private institution, the GI Bill won't cover your total tuition costs. However, students may be eligible for additional tuition assistance through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Speak With Your School's Veteran's Office

Many colleges and universities offer veterans services or veterans offices. These offices are specifically designed to help students coming in from the U.S. armed forces.

The advisors and counselors in your school's veterans services office can help you with many things, including finding financial aid and assisting with enrollment and career advice.

Explore Additional Funding

Many active-duty students and student veterans qualify for additional funding opportunities. Scholarships, grants, and tuition assistance programs are available to help you pay for your education.

Military Scholarships

Scholarships are a type of financial aid that doesn't need to be repaid. They're usually merit-based, meaning they're offered for something you do or have done, like military service.

A wide variety of scholarships are available to active-duty service members and veterans. Check out the scholarship finder at the government's careeronestop.org to find military scholarships.

Military Grants

Grants are another type of financial aid that you don't need to pay back. They're usually offered by the government and are typically need-based.

Like scholarships, several grants are available for current and former military members. CareerOneStop can help you find these as well.

Tuition Assistance Programs

Most branches of the military offer tuition assistance programs for active-duty service members. These programs can pay up to 100% of tuition costs.

Requirements vary between branches. To learn more, reach out to your local installation education center or visit the website for your branch.

Who Is Eligible for the New York State Cold War Certificate?

The New York State Cold War Certificate is for any current New York State citizen or a person who was a New York State citizen while serving in the Armed Forces of the U.S. during the Cold War period.

This is only for those honorably discharged or discharged under honorable conditions. It can also be awarded posthumously.