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Yellow Ribbon Program

Yellow Ribbon Program – Foreign Schools

June 1 to July 31, 2025, is the open season for the Foreign School Yellow Ribbon Program for the 2025-2026 academic year. Open season is an opportunity for foreign schools to apply for initial participation and modify existing agreements for subsequent school years during the established foreign institution open season timeframe due to the fluctuation in currency exchange rates.

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

Please allow VA until September to update the 2025-26 participation list with Foreign School participants. Schools participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program for the 2024-25 academic year are currently available.

Yellow Ribbon Program – Domestic Institutions

March 15 to May 15, 2025, was open season for the Yellow Ribbon Program for the 2025-2026 academic year. During open season, 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.

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.

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