For many Post-9/11 veterans, the GI Bill® covers the entire cost of in-state tuition at public colleges and up to that amount at private institutions.

But sometimes, even if you’re eligible for the full amount, those benefits won’t quite cut it.

That’s where the Yellow Ribbon Program comes in. And at GGU, it comes in big.

“Our goal is to have students pay zero money out of pocket if they’re 100% eligible for [the Post-9/11 GI Bill®️],” said Gabriela De la Vega, director of student financial services at GGU.

Here’s how it works:

Students who are eligible for the full Post-9/11 GI Bill®️ – those who have served in the military for at least 36 months, received a Purple Heart or served at least 30 consecutive days and were discharged due to a service-connected disability on or after Sept. 11 – are also eligible for Yellow Ribbon. (More on GI Bill®️ eligibility tiers here.)

The Yellow Ribbon program is basically an agreement that colleges and universities can enter into with the Department of Veterans Affairs to help make up the cost of tuition and mandatory fees between what’s been covered by the GI Bill®️ and what’s still owed. This helps defray students’ out-of-pocket expenses.

The VA matches what the school puts into the program. And while some schools cap it at a certain number of students, GGU doesn’t, De la Vega said.

The school prides itself on being in the top 15% of colleges and universities in the country that has committed to a large dollar grant to the Yellow Ribbon Program.

GGU will pay up to $14,000 per eligible student per term, meaning the VA will also pay up to $14,000 as well.

The good news is that at GGU, only a few programs exceed the cost of what’s covered by the full GI Bill®️, De la Vega said, naming the law program as an example.

Say it costs $50,000 to attend the law school annually (actual tuition info here), and the Post-9/11 GI Bill®️ – even at the 100% rate – covers only $26,042.81 per academic year. Students would have about $24,000 left to pay on their own, so GGU and the VA would each pay $12,000 to cover the remaining balance.

The Yellow Ribbon benefits continue throughout your degree program, provided you make acceptable progress toward completing your program, stay enrolled in the school and have money left in your Post-9/11 GI Bill®️ benefits, according to the VA.

Also note: Dependent children using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill®️ benefits from a veteran or service member who qualifies at the 100% rate can also participate in Yellow Ribbon, as can students on the Fry Scholarship for spouses and children of those who have died in the line of duty since Sept. 11.

Starting Aug. 1, 2022, Yellow Ribbon eligibility will open up to active-duty service members who qualify for the full Post-9/11 GI Bill®️ or their spouses using transferred benefits.

To get started, make sure you already have your Certificate of Eligibility, or COE, from the VA in hand. You’ll need to submit that to De la Vega and her team and fill out a school-level VA Educational Benefits Certification Request form.

Questions about the process or what to do next? Contact GGU’s Veterans Affairs Certifying Officer at va@ggu.edu or (415) 442-6632.