Education

WI GI Bill

The Wisconsin G.I. Bill provides a full waiver (“remission”) of tuition and fees for eligible veterans and their dependents for up to 8 full-time semesters or 128 credits at any University of Wisconsin System (UWS) or Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) institution for continuing education, or for study at the undergraduate or graduate level.

For veterans to qualify, they must have been a Wisconsin resident at the time of entry onto active duty and must be currently a resident of Wisconsin. Character of service and active duty service requirements also apply. There is no post-service time limitation (such as the federal Montgomery G.I. Bill 10-year delimiting date) on the use of the benefit. The veteran may attend full-time or part-time.

For dependents (spouse, surviving spouse, or children between 17 and 25) to qualify, the veteran must meet the requirements listed above. The veteran also would have to qualify under one of the following condition:

• currently receiving a combined service connected rating of 30% or higher or
• died in line of duty while on active, Reserve, or Guard duty
• died due to a service connected disability

For qualifying spouses and unremarried surviving spouses, the benefit must be used within 10 years of the date of death or the initial disability rating of 30% or greater. The spouse or unremarried surviving spouse may attend full-time or part-time. The children can also attend full-time or part-time.

Retraining Grant

Recently unemployed or underemployed veterans may receive up to $3,000 per year, for a maximum of two years, if they have a financial need while being retrained for employment. The amount of the grant is determined by the applicant's financial need as calculated by the WDVA. Other education or retraining grants will be included when determining the veteran's financial need for this program and should be included on the application.

To qualify, the applicant must have been involuntarily laid off or discharged (not due to willful misconduct) within a period beginning one year before the date that the WDVA receives the application. The applicant must have been employed for at least six consecutive months with the same employer or in the same or similar occupations. At least one day of that employment must have been within the period beginning one year before the date that the WDVA receives the application.

An underemployed applicant must have current annual income from employment that does not exceed federal poverty guidelines. To qualify, an underemployed applicant must have experienced an involuntary reduction of income during the year prior to the date that WDVA receives the application.

The applicant must be currently enrolled in a technical education program or engaged in a structured on-the-job training program that will be completed within two years of the date that the application is received by the WDVA. The program must reasonably be expected to lead to employment. Course work for a four year college or university degree does not qualify. The WDVA may require written verification from the school or employer that the veteran is making satisfactory progress toward completion of the program.

An applicant may receive a second retraining grant no sooner than one year after the first grant was issued. No applicant may receive more than two retraining grants. The applicant may not receive a retraining grant and another WDVA education grant for the same period.

Veterans Education Grant (VetEd)

Wisconsin veterans who have not yet been awarded a bachelor’s degree may use VetEd to pursue educational or vocational objectives up to a bachelor’s degree at an eligible UW, technical college, or approved private institution of higher education. Reimbursement is currently up to 100% of the tuition and fees not covered by other grants, scholarships, or remissions. The maximum reimbursement is the equivalent of the UW-Madison rate for the same number of credits, up to the full-time rate. The reimbursement percentage may be adjusted periodically to reflect demand and available funding.

The course must contribute to a degree, certificate of graduation or course completion. Courses offered under clock-hour standards are not eligible.

Veterans must achieve at least a 2.0 grade point average or an average grade of "C" in the semester for which reimbursement is requested to be eligible for reimbursement.

Amount of Reimbursement Available
The maximum amount of credits for which a veteran may receive reimbursement is based on the amount of time the veteran served on active duty. Active Duty For Training does not count toward general or VetEd eligibility.

Active Duty Time    |     Maximum Amount of Credits or Semesters

90 to 180 day                 30 credits or 2 semesters

181 to 730 days              60 credits or 4 semesters

730 days or more            120 credits or 8 semester

Past usage of obsolete WDVA education grants, e.g., Part Time Study Grant (PTSG) or Tuition & Fees Reimbursement Grant (TFRG), has no bearing on the number of credits or semesters the veteran is eligible to be reimbursed under VetEd. TFRG or PTSG applications will be returned by the department to the veteran.

If the veteran is eligible for the National Guard Tuition Grant (NGTG) or Reserve Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) they are not eligible for VetEd.

Academic Credit For Military Experience

Service members, reservists, and veterans pursuing a college education may be able to obtain academic credit for military courses they have completed through the military. Prior to enrollment individuals should discuss possible credit with the Veterans’ Coordinator at the college or university they plan to attend; credit received may reduce attendance time and cost. They may obtain information regarding transcripts and potential credit for military experience from the links below.

American Council on Education (ACE)

Department of Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES)

Transcript Services
Each branch of service provides transcripts for current and former service members that include individual military education, training, and experience, which are evaluated according to ACE standards for recommended college credit:

• U.S. Army: Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript System (AARTS)
• U.S. Navy: Sailor/Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript (SMART)
• U.S. Air Force: Community College of the Air Force (CCAF)
• U.S. Marine Corps: Sailor/Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript (SMART)
• U.S. Coast Guard: U.S. Coast Guard Institute (CGI)
• GED: Obtain your GED transcript based on the original testing center.