Cornell University Registrar

Many benefits are available to advance the education and skills of veterans and service members. Spouses and family members may also be eligible for education and training assistance. Some might find they are eligible for more than one benefit or that one program is more suited to certain education and training goals than another.  Use the GI Bill® Comparison Chart to determine benefits.

Veterans can apply for Federal Student Aid and Cornell institutional grant aid in conjunction with VA benefits. Seeing a complete picture of aid options helps students make an informed decision on how to best utilize VA benefits.

Cornell University does not require eligible students to use their Post-9/11 GI Bill® and/or Yellow Ribbon benefits to pay for college. Cornell offers aid based on financial need. Undergraduate students can first apply for need-based financial aid to determine eligibility for institutional funding prior to utilizing VA benefits.

VA education benefits are taken into consideration for institutional aid eligibility but they do not impact a student's eligibility for Federal Student Aid. Students who choose to utilize their Post-9/11 GI Bill® and/or Yellow Ribbon benefits should still complete the FAFSA application to be considered for federal aid sources such as Federal Direct Loans and Pell Grants.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill®

Please visit va.gov to determine eligibility for Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits, apply, and request a Certificate of Eligibility.

General Benefits

Students eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits will receive a percentage of the following benefits based on length of service and enrollment:

• Tuition and fees, payable directly to the school, up to the national cap on the benefit. ($29,920.95 for 2025-26).
• A monthly housing allowance, payable to the student, based on the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for an E-5 with dependents. Visit travel.dod.mil for details.
• A books and supplies stipend of up to $1,000 per academic year, paid proportionately based on enrollment and paid directly to the student.

Yellow Ribbon Benefits

The Yellow Ribbon Program supplements base benefits of the Post-9/11 GI Bill® by allowing educational institutions to enter into dollar-for-dollar matching agreements with the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. The undergraduate and graduate degree-granting colleges of Cornell University participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program. For undergraduate students, Cornell has no limit on the number of students who can participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program. For graduate students, numbers may be limited and participation is determined by Cornell on a first-come, first-served basis.

Students must qualify for 100% entitlement according to their VA-issued Certificate of Eligibility to be eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Under the program, Cornell and the VA will combine to provide the difference between the student's Cornell tuition and the national cap on the benefit. To learn more about eligibility for these benefits, please visit the Yellow Ribbon website.

Other Veteran Resources at Cornell

• Admissions for Veterans
• Cornell’s Military Community
• Office of the University Registrar’s Veteran Education Benefits Information
• Student Veterans Advisor & Program Manager
  Email Address: sva@cornell.edu
  Office Address: 222A Computing & Communications Center

Additional Information on Veterans Benefits

You may wish to verify your program of study has been approved for veterans benefits at Cornell. For a list of currently approved programs, please visit WEAMS Institution Search.

Find detailed information on the following federal veteran programs:

• Post-9/11 GI Bill® – Chapter 33
• Yellow Ribbon Program – Supplement to Post-9/11 GI Bill®
• Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship
• Fry Scholarship
• Montgomery GI Bill® – Chapter 30
• Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance – Chapter 35
• Montgomery GI Bill® – Selected Reserves – Chapter 1606
• Veteran Readiness and Employment – Chapter 31

Current VA education benefit rates and how they are determined can be found at va.gov.

New York State offers a variety of scholarships to veterans:

• Veterans Tuition Awards
• Military Service Recognition Scholarship
• NYS Regents Award for Children of Deceased & Disabled Veterans
• Recruitment Incentive & Retention Program

Degree-seeking students enrolling in the Graduate School or one of the eight undergraduate schools and colleges can contact the Financial Aid Office for information on the impact Veterans Benefits have on other financial aid resources. All other students should contact their specific program for information on Veteran Education benefit eligibility.

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 http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.