Veterans, members of armed forces have student aid options

April 02, 2019

Financial Aid Tip of the Month, April 2019

Veterans and members of the U.S. armed forces may be able to take advantage of numerous student financial aid programs, according to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA).

The federal government also offers programs for the dependents of veterans and service members. Federal programs include:

GI Bill benefits, first passed in 1944 for veterans of World War Two. The federal government offers several versions, with benefits that vary according to when you entered service, when you left the service and other criteria. More changes are coming as the result of the Forever GI Bill, passed in 2017. Visit https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/ for more information about your options.

Federal Tuition Assistance, for active duty members of all branches of the armed forces, including the Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserves. For more information, contact the college financial aid office or the unit education officer.

Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants, for students who had a parent or guardian die as a result of military service in Iraq or Afghanistan after September 10, 2001. For more information, look under Types of Aid at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/.

KHEAA is the state agency that administers Kentucky’s student financial aid programs, including the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES). Its sister agency, the Kentucky Higher Education Student Loan Corporation (KHESLC), offers low-cost Advantage Loans to help students and parents pay for college or to refinance student loans. For more information about Advantage Loans, visit www.advantageeducationloan.com.

For more information about Kentucky scholarships and grants, visit www.kheaa.com; write KHEAA, P.O. Box 798, Frankfort, KY 40602; or call 800-928-8926, ext. 6-7214.