VA Resources and Military Scholarships
The role of the New England College of Optometry Financial Aid Office is to coordinate all veteran benefits with federal and institutional aid to ensure NECO students receive the maximum eligible aid.
Post-9/11 GI Bill®- Chapter 33
The Post-911 GI Bill® benefits help you pay for college, graduate school, and training programs. Since 1944, the GI Bill has helped qualifying Veterans and their family members get money to cover all or some of the costs for school or training. Learn more about GI Bill benefits on this page—and how to apply for them.
*GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.
You may be eligible as a covered individual* for education benefits through the Post- 9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33), if you’ve served on active duty for at least 90 days, on a continuous basis or for shorter periods over time, after September 10, 2001.
This benefit provides up to 36 months of educational benefits to service members (Active Duty, Guard, and Reserve) or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days.
Generally, VA benefits are payable for 15 years following your release from active duty. Benefits are determined based on number of days on active duty. The percentage of the program’s maximum amounts to be received is determined by the length of the aggregate service and/or disability. Benefits can be transferred to a spouse or family member.
Only the VA can make the determination of a student’s eligibility to receive education benefits. All inquiries about eligibility and applications should be directed to the VA.
Students can apply by calling 1-888-GI-BILL-1 (1-888-442-4551), or online at https://www.va.gov/education/eligibility/
*A covered individual is any individual who is entitled to educational assistance under chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, or chapter 33, Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits.
** For the 2023–2024 academic year, the base benefit for tuition and fees is capped at $27,120.05
The Dependents Educational Assistance Program is for the dependent(s) of a member of the Armed Forces who has died while on active duty or as the result of a service-connected disability, or is 100% permanently and totally disabled for a service-related reason. Dependents receive up to 45 months of full-time benefits. Children generally are eligible for Children generally are eligible for benefits between the ages of 18 and 26, but in certain instances benefits may begin before age 18 and continue beyond age 26. To learn more about Chapter 35 benefits, please visit https://www.va.gov/education/benefit-rates/chapter-35-rates/.
Your first step is to apply for benefits online through the VA at: https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/.
You can Sign in with your existing Login.gov or ID.me to check the status of your GI Bill Benefits. If you don’t have any of these accounts, you can create a free Login.gov or ID.me account now.
For incoming students who are using benefits, please follow these steps:
- Apply for benefits through the VA. Once you are approved for educational benefits, you will receive a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). Please email a copy of your COE to the Financial Office at [email protected]
- Complete NECO’s VA Benefit Request Form
- The Financial Aid Office will verify with the Registrar’s Office that you have registered for courses for the term.
The VA Benefits Request form is the only official indicator to our office that you’d like us to process your term enrollment to the VA. You must submit this form prior to each academic year in which you plan to use your benefits. If your circumstances change during the year or you are no longer eligible for benefits, please let us know.
The Financial Aid Office uses the confirmation of benefits you receive from the VA (your COE), NECO’s VA Benefits Request Form, and your course registration to evaluate which credits we can submit to the VA for payment(s).
For the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, VA pays:
- Tuition and fees directly to NECO and credited to your student account.
- Money for books and supplies to you at the beginning of the term
- A Monthly Housing Allotment (MHA), in varying amounts, which is paid directly to you.
Note: If you use Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits, you’ll need to verify your enrollment every month to keep getting a monthly housing allowance.
Military Scholarship Programs
The Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program offers scholarships through the U.S. Army,
Navy and Air Force at the accredited medical school of your choice located within the continental US.,
Hawaii, Alaska or Puerto Rico. These scholarships cover all direct educational costs, including tuition,
fees, books and health insurance and provide a monthly stipend for ten and one-half months per year.
ELIGIBILITY
To qualify for the HPSP scholarship, you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen with a baccalaureate degree from an accredited school.
- Be Enrolled in or have a letter of acceptance or intent from an accredited graduate program located in the United States or Puerto Rico.
- Maintain full-time student status during the entire length of the program.
- Qualify as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army Reserve
In return, there is a service commitment of one year of active-duty service for each year of participation in the program, with a minimum commitment of three years. To learn more about these scholarships, please visit the following websites: