Hamline Supports Veterans Through Yellow Ribbon Program

Hamline University will participate in the Yellow Ribbon Education Enhancement Program, a program created to cover costs of in-state education for military veterans. Beginning Aug. 1, Hamline will offer an increased tuition benefit to undergraduate and graduate military veterans, which will then be matched by the Veterans Administration.

“We are pleased to assist our nation's military veterans, and in particular, the Minnesotans returning home from active duty abroad, as they strive to achieve their educational goals,” Hamline University President Linda Hanson said. “Hamline has a long history of supporting veterans, poignantly marked by the number of alumni who attended Hamline under the GI Bill, and we will continue to do so under this new federal program. We believe that the Yellow Ribbon Program is a vital component to enable veterans to transition as they return from military service to their families and careers. By extending financial support, we extend opportunity and access which are very important in these challenging times.”

The Yellow Ribbon Program, a provision of the Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, benefits those individuals who qualify, based on their active duty service since Sept. 11, 2001. The program provides tuition assistance, housing allowance, and a stipend for books and supplies. Benefits may also be transferred to family members under certain circumstances.

Hamline will provide 20 Yellow Ribbon Program awards for undergraduate students, 20 awards for graduate students in the School of Business, and 20 awards for graduate students in the School of Education.

Hamline will contribute up to $10,000 per year for undergraduate student veterans.  Matching Yellow Ribbon funds from the VA, along with other support offered through the new GI bill, generally will cover full-tuition costs for these students. Hamline will contribute up to $2,875 per year for graduate students in the School of Business and $1,376 for graduate students in the School of Education.

Awards to qualified Hamline applicants will be made on a first-come basis and can be renewed each year until they graduate. In order to qualify, students must submit their certificate of eligibility from the VA to the Hamline University Office of Financial Aid.

To speak with someone at Hamline about the Yellow Ribbon Program, contact Jeremy Cole at jcole01@hamline.edu or call (651) 523-2840. You may also learn more about the GI Bill at: http://www.gibill.va.gov/