Military Education Benefit Programs

Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty (Chapter 30)

Applicable for active duty personnel in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy or Space Force. If you're currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, your Education Office is an excellent resource to learn more about education benefits you qualify for.

APPLY FOR MONTGOMERY GI BILL Active Duty ONLINE THROUGH THE VA

Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E Chapter 31)

Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) benefits—also called Chapter 31—provide employment support and training services to help you find and keep a job, and live as independently as possible.

APPLY For VR&E ONLINE THROUGH THE VA

Post 9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33)

Veterans and service members who have served on active duty for 90 days or more since September 10, 2001.

APPLY For Post 9/11 GI BIll ONLINE THROUGH THE VA

STEM Scholarship

The STEM Scholarship allows eligible Veterans to get additional benefits after they’ve used all their entitlement for Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits. If we approve your application, you’ll get up to 9 months of additional benefits (or $30,000, whichever comes first).

APPLY FOR STEM SCHOLARSHIP ONLINE THROUGH THE VA

Post 9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) – transferred education benefit

You’re the dependent of a veteran or service member that has received transferred Post 9/11 benefits.

APPLY FOR POST 9/11 GI BILL ONLINE THROUGH THE VA

Fry Scholarship

If you’re the child or surviving spouse of a service member or member of the Selected Reserve who died on or after September 11, 2001, you may be eligible for the Fry Scholarship.

APPLY FOR FRY SCHOLARSHIP ONLINE THROUGH THE VA

Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA Chapter 35)

If you’re the child or spouse of a Veteran or service member who has died, is captured or missing, or is permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability, you may be eligible for DEA.

APPLY FOR DEA ONLINE THROUGH THE VA

Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR Chapter 1606)

The Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) program offers up to 36 months of education and training benefits. If you’re a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, or Air National Guard, you may be eligible for this benefit.

APPLY FOR MONTGOMERY GI BILL SELECT RESERVE ONLINE THROUGH THE VA

Tuition assistance

• Prospective current military students planning on using Tuition Assistance (TA) benefits must first receive approval from their Education Service Officer (ESO), military counselor, or service branch prior to enrollment.
• Follow the application process identified by the service member's military branch.
• Once the application is approved, send approval documentation to DSU’s Veteran Affairs Office at veteran.assistant@dsu.edu
• Students must apply each term to receive funding
• Per credit cap is up to $250 per credit. Annual cap is up to $4,500 or 18 credits in a fiscal year (Oct 1 – Sept 30)
• Lifetime limits
  • 130 undergraduate credit hours
  • 39 graduate credit hours
  • 21 certificate credit hours
• If a prior degree is already earned TA will only be approved for the next level higher degree, or a certificate level.

South Dakota National Guard State Tuition Assistance (SD NG STA)

Members of the South Dakota Army and Air National Guard are eligible for a 100% reduced tuition of undergraduate (up to 128 credit hours) and graduate (up to 32 credit hours) courses.

Applications need to be submit each term through the STA application portal.

South Dakota Department of Veteran Affairs Education Benefits

Free Tuition for Veterans

Provides for certain veterans are eligible to take undergraduate courses at state supported universities or technical colleges without the payment of tuition provided they are not eligible for educational payments under the GI® Bill or any other federal educational program.

Apply through the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs

Free Tuition for Dependents

Provides for free tuition to child or spouse of National Guard member disabled or deceased in line of duty. Any resident of this state who is less than twenty-five years of age and whose parent has died or has sustained a total disability, permanent in nature, resulting from duty as a member of the South Dakota National Guard, while on state or federal active duty or any authorized training duty, is entitled to free tuition at any state university.

Apply through the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs