The new GI Bill (Chapter 33) or “Post-9/11 GI Bill,” boasts the most comprehensive education benefits package since the original GI Bill was signed into law in 1944. This new benefit went into effect August 1, 2009. If you are eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and other GI Bill benefits such as the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) you will at some point be required to make an irrevocable choice of which benefit you wish to receive.

There are many things to consider before choosing which benefit you wish to receive and whether or not to participate in the Active Duty or Reserve GI Bill programs. Consider these important factors when making your choice: your preferred type of training and the amount of benefits you will get under each benefit.

Please note that even if you are one of our 7,000 military students using tuition assistance benefits, this new legislation will negatively impact you upon separation or retirement, as it does not take into account the 64% of the active duty force who currently prefer to study online. Ashford University encourages everyone currently under Chapter 30 benefits to carefully compare and choose before switching to Chapter 33.

Ashford University is a proud participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program. The Yellow Ribbon program is a voluntary agreement between Veterans Affairs and the University that allows eligible students (current and newly admitted) to have 100% tuition covered. The Yellow Ribbon benefits for 2010-11 include:

• A 50/50 grant between Veterans Affairs and the University to cover any tuition and required fee charges. The grant will be applied after Post-9/11 GI Bill funds, equaling 100% tuition coverage for you. The grant is applicable only during the University’s participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program; and
• Grant terms and coverage amounts are subject to change every academic year.

Please note:

• There are unlimited Yellow Ribbon grants available for the July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011 year.
• Tuition grants will be applied for courses with future start dates following full authorization status from the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Continuing Yellow Ribbon students will have books covered.
• Any applicable fees not covered by this grant must be paid in accordance with the terms of the selected finance option(s) as stated in the student’s enrollment agreement.

Who is Eligible? Only individuals entitled to the maximum Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit rate (based on service requirements) are eligible for Yellow Ribbon funding. Therefore, you may be eligible if:

• You served an aggregate period of active duty after September 10, 2001 of at least 36 months;
• You were honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability and you served 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001; and
• You are a dependent eligible for Transfer of Entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill based on a veteran’s service under the eligibility criteria listed above.

How to Qualify
To qualify for the Yellow Ribbon program, you must:

• Have served 36 months on active duty in the United States military after September 10, 2001 thus making you 100% eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
• Submit an application for the Post-9/11 GI Bill to the Department of Veterans Affairs online at www.va.gov and provide a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to your Admissions Recruiter.
• Obtain admission to Ashford University.
• Remain enrolled or return as scheduled from an approved Leave of Absence. Should you lose eligibility for not maintaining continuous enrollment, any future grant benefit(s) will be forfeited. Online students must remain enrolled without breaks in attendance greater than 29 days.

You can trust Ashford University, founded in 1918, to provide military-friendly service at all levels and aid you with military tuition assistance. To start, you work with a specialized division of Ashford University that focuses on the educational needs of the military community. This division is composed primarily of prior military members, so you can trust their expertise.

All course materials required for your program of study and purchased through Ashford University’s textbook partner will be covered, including shipping costs, by Ashford University.

To determine your benefit status, contact a benefits counselor at the Department of Veterans Affairs at 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) or visit www.gibill.va.gov. Once your benefit status has been determined, speak to a Military Admissions Counselor to learn how your benefits can best be applied to your education at Ashford University. You have earned these benefits, so be sure you use them. You’ll find the process quick, easy and informative.

Ashford recognizes the sacrifices of military spouses, dependents, and survivors. These special students are eligible to receive the same low tuition rate, course materials benefit, and technology fee waiver as all other military students.