Military Aid and Programs

Overview

Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits are awarded to veterans of the armed services and dependents who qualify. Please contact your local Veterans Affairs office or visit benefits.va.gov/gibill for more information and to begin the application process. VA awards must be certified by the university. For further help processing your certifications, please contact the Student Financial Services office.

For ROTC participants, please contact your ROTC unit to determine your eligibility. Your unit will then notify PLNU of your eligibility, and we’ll bill them for the eligible amount.

VA benefits and ROTC may be treated as resources that count against the student’s eligibility for certain need-based state and institutional grants and scholarships.

If you’re interested in other scholarship opportunities for military students, visit todaysmilitary.com to learn about financial aid offered by the U.S. armed forces.

Tuition Discount

PLNU offers a flat rate of $250 per unit for all active-duty service members who enroll in one of the following PLNU Adult Undergraduate Degree Programs:

Here are a few resources that may assist military students and veteran beneficiaries:

Military Children Scholarships:

Additional Financial Support Available 

  • Post-9/11 GI Bill® — Chapter 33 
  • Montgomery GI Bill® — Chapter 30 
  • Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) — Chapter 31 
  • The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) — Chapter 35 
  • The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship 
  • Tuition Assistance Program 
  • Medical Enlisted Commissioning Program — Navy MECP 
  • Marine Enlisted Commissioning Program (MECEPs) 
  • Institutional-merit and involvement scholarships* 
  • Approved grants, work study, and loans via FAFSA®️ 
  • VA work study 

View full list of scholarships

Active Duty Transfer of Benefits

The Post-9/11 GI Bill® allows service members — officer or enlisted, active duty, or selected reserve — on or after August 1, 2009, to transfer unused education benefits to immediate family members (spouse and children). The service member must have at least six years of service and commit to an additional four years of service in order to transfer benefits to a spouse or child. 

Because of the potential impact of this benefit on recruiting and retention, transferability policy is determined by the Department of Defense (DoD) and the military services. See va.gov for more information.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official U.S. government website at benefits.va.gov/gibill.

ROTC

ROTC participants, please contact your ROTC unit to determine your eligibility. 

Air Force ROTC
Army ROTC  
Marines and Navy ROTC
Navy ROTC

Your unit will submit an authorization list every semester. PLNU will invoice your unit after the last day to drop a semester course. 

Please note: ROTC may be treated as a resource that counts against the student’s eligibility for certain need-based state and institutional grants and scholarships.

VA Benefits

Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits are awarded to veterans of the Armed Services and dependents who qualify. Please visit the Veteran's Affairs website or your local office for more information and to begin the application process. VA awards must be certified by the university. For further help and processing your certifications, please contact us.

Chapter 33

Students who are 100% eligible for Chapter 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill®

are authorized to receive up to $26,381.37 in VA monies for the 2023-2024 academic year.

If you’re 100% eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, the VA will cover all of your tuition and fees for the fall semester, and you'll receive the remaining of the $26,381.37 in the spring semester.

For those attending classes at the greater-than-half-time rate, a monthly housing allowance (MHA) based on the basic allowance for housing (BAH) for an E-5 with dependents at the location of the school. (Note: Active-duty students and their spouses cannot receive an MHA.) View BAH calculations.

An annual book and supplies stipend of $1,000 is paid proportionately based on enrollment.

VA benefits may be treated as a resource that counts against the student’s eligibility for certain need-based state and institutional grants and scholarships.

If you’re interested in other scholarship opportunities for military students, visit todaysmilitary.com to learn about financial aid offered by the U.S. armed forces.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official U.S. government website at benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Yellow Ribbon

There are unlimited Yellow Ribbon grants offered by Point Loma Nazarene University. The Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program (Yellow Ribbon Program) is a provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. The program allows institutions of higher learning (degree-granting institutions) in the United States to voluntarily enter into an agreement with VA to fund tuition and fee expenses that exceed the highest public in-state tuition rate. PLNU will match up to $10,000 of remaining tuition and fees charged after the primary Chapter 33 tuition benefit has been certified and verified by the VA for the school year.

After consulting with the VA and determining your maximum eligibility rate, only those with a 100% benefit rate may receive this funding.

A student may be eligible if:

  • They are 100% eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) and a veteran.

  • They are an eligible dependent for transfer of entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill® based on the active-duty service member’s or veteran’s service under the eligibility criteria listed above.

    • Child dependents are eligible for active or veteran service members.

    • Spouse dependents are only eligible for veteran service members.

  • Starting August 1, 2022, you may become eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program if you're currently an active-duty service member who qualifies at the 100% level (you already served on active duty for at least 36 months) or if you're a spouse using the transferred benefits of an active-duty services member who meets these qualifications.
  • They must be accepted for admission by PLNU for the upcoming academic year, an applied student, or in good academic standing as a returning student. Applied and returning students must be registered as full-time students at the time the award is disbursed.

PLNU Yellow Ribbon grants will be awarded to undergraduate and graduate students whose tuition and fees exceed the VA cap for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® for the applicable academic year.

  • A valid Certificate of Eligibility from the Veterans Affairs verifying 100% eligibility for the Yellow Ribbon Program is required.

If you believe you’re eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program, please contact the Veteran Services Department by emailing veteranservices@pointloma.edu.

Yellow Ribbon Program monies are only awarded in the spring term. At this time, if you’re 100% eligible, your Post-9/11 GI Bill® and Yellow Ribbon Program monies will cover 100% of your fall- and spring-semester eligible tuition and fee charges and may extend into the summer term if you choose to attend.

Example:

For the 2016-17 academic year, there will be a total of $21,970 (Post-9/11) and up to $20,000 (Yellow Ribbon) for eligible tuition and fees.*

*VA will only cover tuition and fees that are required for your degree completion.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official U.S. government website at benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Active Duty Assistance

As an active duty service member, you may be eligible to use your tuition assistance for your education program. For full details regarding how to use tuition assistance and how each service manages its respective tuition assistance program, please visit your command or unit education officer, or visit this link.

Prior to your course enrollment, you may be required to develop an education plan or complete TA orientation. Be sure to keep the following important information in mind when you apply:

  • Military tuition assistance may only be used to pursue degree programs at colleges and universities in the United States that are regionally or nationally accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S Department of Education. 
  • Your service’s Educational Service Officer or counselor must approve your military tuition assistance before you enroll in a course.

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