Yellow Ribbon Program

The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision of the Post-9/11 GI Bill of 2008. This program allows institutions to voluntarily enter into an agreement with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to fund tuition expenses that exceed the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition rate. Institutions can contribute up to 50% of expenses and the VA will match the same amount. All payments from the VA will be made directly to institutions. The VA will determine if a student is eligible to participate in the program when they apply for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.

The Yellow Ribbon Program takes effect August 1, 2009 and will allow eligible veterans to begin coursework as early as the Fall 2009 semester. Veterans and dependents must be certified through the Department of Veteran Affairs, and will be admitted into the program on a first-come, first-serve basis. Five Undergraduate and five Graduate Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) students will be funded through this program. VCU will provide up to $6000 for individual students each academic year to include Fall, Spring and Summer semesters.

Eligible students should provide a VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and a VCU Veterans Affairs Education Assistance form to the VCU Veterans Affairs Certifying Official for processing.

Students admitted into the program at VCU must meet the following criteria to continue to be eligible for benefits:

• The student remains in good academic standing
• The student has remaining entitlement
• The student remains in the initial academic program level upon acceptance
• The student does not violate the University’s continuous enrollment policy
• The student remains eligible to attend the University
• The student is enrolled in classes by the first day of the semester