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Yellow Ribbon Program

Yellow Ribbon Program – Domestic Institutions

March 15 to May 15, 2025, is the open season for the Yellow Ribbon Program for the 2025-26 academic year. Schools may apply for initial participation, modify existing open-ended agreements, take no action, and continue to honor the terms of existing open-ended agreements, or withdraw from the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Please see the cover letter and FAQs to determine the appropriate course of action. The cover letter and FAQs for the 2025 open season are available below.

VA’s website reflected participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program for the 2025-26 academic year in June. Please consider posting on the institution’s website that its participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program for the 2025-26 academic year will not be reflected on VA’s website until mid-June.

Schools participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program for the 2024-25 academic year are currently available.
List of current schools participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program

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.

Available Benefits and Eligibility Veterans and dependents entitled to the maximum benefit rate, (including recipients of the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship) may receive this funding. Effective August 1, 2022, active duty service members may participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Yellow Ribbon Program – Foreign Schools

The passage of Public Law 116-315, Section 1008, “Technical Correction to Clarify Eligibility for Participation in Yellow Ribbon Program of Department of Veterans Affairs,” allows foreign schools to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program. This law amends Section 3317(a) of title 38 USC. In accordance with the law, VA has implemented an open season timeframe of June 1st through July 31st for foreign schools to apply for the Yellow Ribbon program. The announcement for foreign schools to apply for the Yellow Ribbon program will be provided prior to the commencement of the open season.

Please allow VA until September to update the 2025-26 participation list with Foreign School participants.

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