What Is the Yellow Ribbon Program?
Many Veterans only find this out after they start using their Post-9/11 GI Bill: “My in-state tuition at a public school is fully covered. But I want to attend an out-of-state, private, or graduate program. The GI Bill pays only up to a yearly cap. The rest is still very expensive.”
The Yellow Ribbon Program exists to fill that gap. You can think of it this way:
- The school contributes an amount X in Yellow Ribbon funding
- VA matches that same amount X
- → Together you get 2X, which is applied to the part of your tuition and mandatory fees that the GI Bill doesn’t cover.
In many cases, this combined amount is enough to bring your tuition close to fully covered. However, this is not guaranteed, it depends on the specific agreement between the school and VA:
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How much the school chooses to contribute
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How many Yellow Ribbon students they accept
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Which campuses, colleges, or degree programs are included
Why Do We Need the Yellow Ribbon Program?
The basic rules of the Post-9/11 GI Bill look like this:
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Public schools: Covers full in-state tuition and mandatory fees
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Private or foreign schools: Covers up to a federal annual cap
➤ For example, for the 2025–2026 academic year, the cap is about $29,920.95
If your school or program falls into one of these categories:
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You’re attending a public university as an out-of-state student (out-of-state tuition is higher)
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You’re attending a private university, law school, business school, dental or medical program, where tuition is significantly higher
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You’re attending a school outside the U.S.
…then the amount the GI Bill pays is usually less than the school’s actual tuition and fees.
The difference becomes your out-of-pocket cost — unless your school participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program and you qualify to use it. In that case, the Yellow Ribbon Program can help you cover that remaining gap.
How Does the Yellow Ribbon Program Work?
Let’s use some examples and walk through the math.
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Your total tuition and mandatory fees for the year: $46,000
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That year’s Post-9/11 GI Bill cap for private schools: $26,000
If your school participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program and their agreement for your program says:
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The school will contribute $10,000 in Yellow Ribbon funds
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VA will match 1:1, adding another $10,000
Then, the breakdown looks like this:
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GI Bill pays: $26,000
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School Yellow Ribbon contribution: $10,000
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VA Yellow Ribbon matching: $10,00
✅ Total: $46,000 → your full annual tuition is covered.
In many cases, schools set their Yellow Ribbon contribution so that, together with VA’s match, your tuition difference is covered and you pay little or nothing out of pocket for tuition.
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Each school can decide:
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The maximum amount they will contribute per student per year
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The maximum number of Yellow Ribbon students they will accept each year
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Different amounts for different campuses, colleges, or degree levels (undergrad, master’s, doctoral, professional programs)
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Yellow Ribbon only covers tuition and mandatory fees, not:
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Housing and living expenses
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Books and supplies
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Transportation or other cost-of-living expenses
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If you have other scholarships or grants, the school will usually apply those first, then use Yellow Ribbon to cover what remains.
What Exactly Does the Yellow Ribbon Program “Top Up”?
Think of your funding in two layers:
Layer 1 – Post-9/11 GI Bill
First, the VA applies your GI Bill benefits:
- At public schools: generally full in-state tuition and fees
- At private or foreign schools: up to the annual federal cap for that year
Layer 2 – Yellow Ribbon “Top-Up”
Next, we look at what’s left over:
- If your tuition is higher than the GI Bill cap, the extra amount is not covered by GI Bill alone.
- This uncovered amount is the gap that Yellow Ribbon is designed to help with.
Here’s how that second layer works:
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The school decides to contribute a certain portion of the gap (for example, $5,000, $10,000, or a set percentage)
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VA matches that amount 1:1
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The combined amount is your Yellow Ribbon benefit for the year
In practice:
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Many schools choose to cover enough so that you don’t have to pay additional tuition out of pocket.
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Some schools set strict annual caps, so you might still owe a small amount, depending on:
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The school’s Yellow Ribbon contribution level
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Your campus, college, or degree program
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Other aid you receive (grants, scholarships, employer tuition, etc.)
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Who Is Eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program? (Student Side)
First and most importantly, you must qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill at the 100% benefit level. In other words, the Yellow Ribbon Program is only available to students who are at the 100% GI Bill tier. Common ways to qualify (you need to meet one of these):
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You have 36 months or more of aggregate active-duty service after 9/11 and were honorably discharged
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You received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged
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You served at least 30 continuous days on or after September 11, 2001, and were discharged due to a service-connected disability
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You’re currently on active duty and have 36 months or more of service, or your spouse is using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits
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You are a dependent child using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits
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You are a Fry Scholar (certain dependents of service members who died in the line of duty)
If you are not at the 100% Post-9/11 GI Bill level, you cannot use the Yellow Ribbon Program, even if the school offers it.
Schools Also Have to Qualify: Not Every School Offers Yellow Ribbon
- Be an institution of higher learning (degree-granting college, university, law school, etc.)
- Voluntarily sign a Yellow Ribbon agreement with VA
- Specify in that agreement:
- The maximum amount they will contribute per student, per year
- The maximum number of Yellow Ribbon students they will support each year
- Certify your enrollment with VA each term and provide the required Yellow Ribbon information
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Some schools: Unlimited students and unlimited contribution
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Others: Strict caps, such as “20 students in the business school, 60 in the law school,” etc., on a first-come, first-served basis
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Some restrict Yellow Ribbon to graduate or professional programs only (not undergraduates)
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Others only offer Yellow Ribbon for certain high-cost programs like medicine, law, or dentistry
Because of this, it’s critical to check both:
- Whether you personally qualify (100% GI Bill tier), and
- Whether your target school and program participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
How Do I Apply for the Yellow Ribbon Program? (Step-by-Step)
You can think about the process in four main steps:
Step 1: Apply for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Get Your COE
- Apply for education benefits through the official VA website.
- Once VA approves your claim, you’ll receive a Certificate of Eligibility (COE).
- Your COE will show:
- Your GI Bill percentage (e.g., 100%)
- Your remaining months of entitlement
- Whether you are potentially eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program
Step 2: Submit Your COE to the School (Very Important)
Next, contact the appropriate office at your school:
- VA Certifying Official
- Financial Aid Office
- Military/Veteran Services Office
Provide them with a copy of your COE, and clearly state that: “I’d like to apply for the Yellow Ribbon Program.” This step is crucial, simply having GI Bill benefits is not enough. The school needs your COE to determine your Yellow Ribbon eligibility and funding.
Step 3: The School Reviews Yellow Ribbon Seats and Funding
Behind the scenes, the school will:
- Check whether there are Yellow Ribbon slots remaining for the current academic year
- Confirm whether your specific program (campus, college, degree) is included in the Yellow Ribbon agreement
- Calculate your funding:
2. Subtract what the Post-9/11 GI Bill will pay
3. Subtract any other grants and scholarships
4. Whatever is left is the gap; the school decides how much Yellow Ribbon they will contribute toward that gap
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Once that school contribution is set, VA will match the same amount under the Yellow Ribbon agreement.
Step 4: Wait for the Decision and School Notification
The school will then inform you whether you’ve been accepted into the Yellow Ribbon Program and approximately how much Yellow Ribbon funding you’ll receive per academic year
Just like GI Bill tuition payments, Yellow Ribbon funds go directly to the school and are applied to your student account to reduce your tuition and mandatory fees. As long as: 1. You stay enrolled and in good academic and conduct standing. 2. You still have remaining GI Bill entitlement. 3. The school continues participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program. Your Yellow Ribbon funding is usually renewed automatically each year. In most cases, you don’t need to re-apply every semester, unless the school changes its internal policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the Yellow Ribbon Program conflict with my other scholarships?
Yellow Ribbon is coordinated with your other aid. Typically, the school will:
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Apply your scholarships and grants
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Apply your GI Bill tuition benefit
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Use Yellow Ribbon + VA match to cover the remaining tuition gap, up to the limits in the school’s Yellow Ribbon agreement.
Do I have to be a full-time student to use Yellow Ribbon?
Many schools require at least more than half-time enrollment to use GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon, but exact rules can differ. Always check with your school’s VA or financial aid office.
Can I use the Yellow Ribbon Program in summer terms?
Some schools apply Yellow Ribbon benefits year-round, including summer. Others restrict it to standard fall/spring terms. It depends on the school’s agreement with VA.
What happens if I transfer schools or change my major?
- If you transfer to a new school:
- You’ll need to check if the new school participates in Yellow Ribbon, and
- Apply for Yellow Ribbon there. Approval isn’t automatic.
- If you change majors within the same school:
- If your new program is still covered under that school’s Yellow Ribbon agreement, you can usually keep your benefits, but the school must re-confirm.
Can I “transfer” Yellow Ribbon benefits to my dependents?
The Yellow Ribbon benefit itself isn’t something you transfer separately. It is tied to Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement. If you transfer your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to your spouse or children and they are using the 100% GI Bill tier at a participating Yellow Ribbon school, they may receive Yellow Ribbon support as well.