The Yellow Ribbon Program

VA is now accepting modifications to terms of existing Yellow Ribbon Program agreements and soliciting for initial participation for Institutions of Higher Learning. If your school participated in the program last year, your agreement will be automatically renewed with the same terms unless you submit a request for changes or a request for withdrawal. No further action or communication is required if your institution does not need to modify terms of its agreement.

Modifications to existing agreements and any new agreements must be submitted no later than May 15, 2013.

Schools participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program for the 2013-2014 academic year will be posted to the website on June 15, 2013.

Click here for the 2012 - 2013 Yellow Ribbon Program Participant List.

The Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program (Yellow Ribbon Program) is a provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. This program allows institutions of higher learning (degree granting institutions) in the United States to voluntarily enter into an agreement with VA to fund tuition expenses that exceed either the annual maximum cap for private institutions or the resident tuition and fees for a public institution. The institution can contribute up to 50% of those expenses and VA will match the same amount as the institution.

The Institution of Higher Learning (IHL) must agree to:

  • Provide contributions to eligible individuals who apply for the Yellow Ribbon Program on a first-come first-served basis, regardless of the rate at which the individual is pursuing training in any given academic year;
  • Provide contributions during the current academic year and all subsequent academic years in which the IHL is participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program and the student maintains satisfactory progress, conduct, and attendance;
  • Make contributions toward the program on behalf of the individual in the form of a grant, scholarship, etc;
  • State the dollar amount that will be contributed for each participant during the academic year;
  • State the maximum number of individuals for whom contributions will be made in any given academic year.