How To Use Military Benefits for College in Wisconsin

It's no secret that college can be pricey, and many students join the military to help them pay for college. State and federal benefits are available for Wisconsin state veterans and service members. However, there are a few hoops to jump through to use military educational benefits for college.

Keep reading to discover how to use military benefits for college in Wisconsin.

Steps for Using Military Educational Benefits for Wisconsin College Students

While several veteran education benefits are available to Wisconsin military students, they aren't applied automatically. Below, we've gone through the basic steps for using your federal and state benefits as a Wisconsin college student.

Understand Your Benefits

Multiple benefit programs are available to help Wisconsin residents who are service members pay for their tuition costs. Here are a few federal and state education programs for service members.

Wisconsin GI Bill

The Wisconsin GI Bill is a reimbursement grant. This means the grant forgives full tuition and segregated fees for qualifying veterans and their dependents. This bill offers waivers for up to eight semesters or 128 credits at any University of Wisconsin System or Wisconsin Technical College System school.

To determine eligibility, the Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affairs will certify you're a qualified veteran. Next, the college or university you choose must decide if you meet their eligibility requirements for tuition remission.

Wisconsin National Guard Tuition Grant

The Wisconsin National Guard Tuition Grant is a grant program for enlisted members of the Wisconsin National Guard. It covers up to 100% of in-state tuition at University of Wisconsin System or Wisconsin Technical College system schools.

This program is specifically for those earning their first bachelor's degree. It can be used with other military service educational assistance types, like GI Bill benefits.

Post-9/11 GI Bill

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) to provide financial aid to active duty and veteran students. This bill is for students who enlisted on or after 9/11.

The amount you receive from this bill will depend on how long you served. Those who get the full benefit will have the cost of tuition and fees at an in-state public school covered and receive a stipend for books and materials and a stipend for housing. For additional information, visit VA.gov.

Montgomery GI Bill

The Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30) is another benefit the federal VA offers. This bill is available to active duty service members and selected reserve members. This federal benefit only provides funding for tuition purposes. Unlike the Post-9/11 GI Bill, it does not cover other expenses.

Check Eligibility

The eligibility requirements for veteran education benefits vary greatly from program to program. You can't just assume that you will qualify; you must be sure you're considered an eligible Wisconsin veteran.

Typically, the websites for these different programs will list the eligibility requirements. For example, the eligibility requirements for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, as stated on the VA website, are that you:

• served at least 90 days on active duty (either all at once or with breaks in service) on or after September 11, 2001, or
• received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged after any amount of service, or
• served for at least 30 continuous days (all at once, without a break in service) on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged with a service-connected disability, or
• are a dependent family member using benefits transferred by a qualifying veteran or service member

You must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to qualify for any financial aid type.

Apply for Benefits

Like the eligibility requirements, the application requirements for each type of educational assistance program vary. You can find application information online. You can apply for GI Bill benefits through the VA website. Application information for state benefits can be found at MyWisVets.com.

Application Deadline

Many financial aid programs have an application deadline that you'll need to meet to use your financial aid for the next semester. Those that don't often still have a processing timeline you'll need to consider.

For example, while the GI Bill benefits don't have an application deadline, they take about 30 days to process applications. Specific colleges and universities usually have deadlines as well.

Choose a VA-Approved School

The VA approves most accredited colleges and universities. You'll want to look at an in-state, public university to get the most out of your benefits. We've featured a few of these options below.

University of Wisconsin Institutions

The University of Wisconsin System is the public university system in Wisconsin. This system has two major doctoral universities, 11 other four-year universities, and 12 branch campuses. The flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin system is UW Madison, but the largest by enrollment is UW Milwaukee. The WI GI Bill and the federal GI Bill can be used at any UW college or university.

Milwaukee Area Technical College

Milwaukee Area Technical College is a two-year college in Milwaukee. It's part of the Wisconsin Technical College System. As a Wisconsin Technical College System member, the university accepts multiple types of financial aid for military students. Students here can earn certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees, and even complete apprenticeship programs.

Western Technical College

Western Technical College is a public technical college in La Crosse, WI. It's another member of the Wisconsin Technical College System. Like Milwaukee Area Technical College, Western Technical College offers certificates, diplomas, associate degrees, and apprenticeships. The college also accepts multiple types of military financial aid.

Speak With Your School's Veterans Office

Many colleges and universities have veterans offices to help students shift from active duty to full-time study. Advisors in these departments are happy to answer frequently asked questions and help you navigate your programs.

They can also help you secure financial aid opportunities and obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the VA. Contact information for these offices can usually be found on the school's website.

Explore Additional Funding

There are a few other funding options you can pursue if you don't qualify for the GI Bill, or if the funding from the GI Bill isn't enough to cover your tuition. We've listed some below.

Military Scholarships

Scholarships are financial aid you don't have to repay. They're usually merit-based, meaning they're given for things like a high GPA, a specific major, or military service. Many military scholarships are available to military service members.

Check out the scholarship finder at CareerOneStop.org to search for military scholarships.

Military Grants

Grants are another type of financial aid that you don't have to pay back. These are usually need-based and offered by the government or your school. One example of a military grant is the Wisconsin Veterans Grant for Private Nonprofit Schools. This helps qualified veterans cover the additional costs of attending private colleges and universities in Wisconsin.

Tuition Assistance Programs

Tuition assistance programs help students pay for college but don't fall into the category of grants or scholarships. Some states, like neighboring Minnesota, offer these for students with financial needs.

One tuition assistance program available for military members is the Yellow Ribbon Program. Colleges and universities opt into this program to help students who need additional funding beyond what the Post-9/11 GI Bill gives them. Most University of Wisconsin System schools offer the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Can I Use My Parent's Military Benefits for College?

Many military benefit programs are set up to allow dependents to use their parents' military benefits. However, this only works if your parents have benefits available to give you.

For example, if your parent used up all their benefits for their education, you won't be able to use their benefits for your education. However, if they have benefits left over, even if it doesn't cover the full cost of your tuition, you can use those.