Military Education Benefits

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://benefits.va.gov/benefits.

Students who are eligible for Military Education Benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may use those benefits for an approved degree program at Georgetown University. If you’d like more information on what benefits you may be eligible for, or if you need assistance applying for the benefits with the VA, please contact the Georgetown University Military Education Benefits Office at militarybenefits@georgetown.edu or call (202) 687-2713.

The McDonough School of Business participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, a component of the Post-9/11 GI Bill®. Students may be eligible for this program if they are 100% eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill ® and have enough months of eligibility remaining. McDonough’s Yellow Ribbon Program provides unlimited eligible graduate students up to $20,000 in funding per year with the VA matching up to that amount.

Here are the steps you can take to start using your VA Education Benefits at Georgetown: 

1. If you have not done so already, apply for VA benefits at https://www.vets.gov/education/apply/#modal. The VA will mail you a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) letter once you are approved. This usually takes 4-6 weeks.

2. Our MBA graduate programs have unlimited Yellow Ribbon slots. Upon receipt of your CoE from the VA, email a copy (.pdf format) of it to the Georgetown University School Certifying Official at militarybenefits@georgetown.edu. Eligible students need only to apply by providing their COE and indicating their request to participate on the Benefits Request Form (BRF). Your CoE must show that you have 100% eligibility for the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

3. Students can request the BRF by either emailing militarybenefits@georgetown.edu or by visiting our website. You must complete the online BRF for each semester you want to use your VA benefits. The BRF should be submitted as soon as you are registered for classes.

4. Once you submit the BRF, the School Certifying Official in the Office of the University Registrar will certify your enrollment to the VA so the VA can make the benefit payments. The initial certification will report zero tuition dollars, and you’ll receive a letter from the VA stating this. The School Certifying Official will certify your actual tuition and fees to the VA after the Add/Drop period ends approximately three weeks after the semester begins. This helps ensure the correct tuition is reported and helps avoid owing money back to the VA.

5. When you initially submit the BRF, the School Certifying Official, in coordination with the Office of Revenue and Receivables, will make an estimate of the amount that the VA will pay to the school, if any. That estimate will be placed on your student account to act as a placeholder until the actual VA payment arrives later in the semester. You do not need to pay in advance the amount that the VA will later pay to the school so long as your BRF was submitted by October 1st for the Fall Semester, March 1st for the Spring Semester, and July 15th for the Summer semester. However, you must pay any difference between your tuition and fee charges and the amount that the VA will pay to the school. Your out-of-pocket payment, if any, is due by the posted due date for semester bills. This process only applies to students receiving Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment benefits.

6. Since the tuition is reported to the VA several weeks into the semester, the delayed tuition benefit payment can impact your access to federal student loans that have been disbursed to your student account. If you have taken student loans and planned to use those for living expenses in the first month of the semester, make sure to contact the Military Education Benefits Office (militarybenefits@georgetown.edu) to see if it will cause a problem. If there is a credit balance on your student account after the tuition payment has been received from the VA, you may request a refund through GU Experience or by contacting the Office of Revenue and Receivables. Students should email their financial aid team and the School Certifying Official with questions about aid and benefits.

7. It is your responsibility to make sure you review all charges and payments posted to your student account in GU Experience and that you pay your bill on time. You must also notify the School Certifying Official if you add or drop classes after your certification has been submitted – more information on this process can be found on the Military Education Benefits website. This office is available to help you understand your bill and understand your benefits so you can remain in good financial standing with the University. Please contact the Military Education Benefits Office if you ever need help understanding any aspect of your VA benefits.

Additional resources:

Campus Resources Available to Veterans
Military and Veterans’ Resource Center (MAVRC)
MAVRC’s Campus Groups
Veterans at McDonough
McDonough Military Association (MMA)