Beginning this fall, eligible veterans of the U.S. armed forces receiving full Chapter 33 benefits can earn a graduate or undergraduate degree tuition-free from at least five of the Synod’s 10 Concordia University System (CUS) schools nationwide. Housing and other fees still apply, however.
Under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, veterans and other qualified military personnel are eligible to receive a subsidy for tuition that is equivalent to the highest tuition of any public institution in the state. Under the national program, half of the difference between a CUS school’s tuition and the veteran’s subsidy is covered by the university, and the other half will come from the federal government through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The benefit applies only to those qualified veterans who are accepted to and enroll as full-time graduate or undergraduate students.
“Concordia University is proud to partner with the federal government to provide the maximum benefit to our veterans so that they may fulfill their dream of obtaining a bachelor’s or a master’s degree,” said Dr. Mark Wahlers, provost of Concordia University, Portland, Ore. “Through our numerous faculty members who have served our forces, we have a history of supporting the ambitions of the individuals who serve our country.
“Helping veterans achieve a degree, particularly in these challenging economic times, is the least that Concordia can do to thank our veterans for their service.”
The CUS schools that are participating in the program are:
Three other CUS schools are considering taking part in the program:
“I’m very pleased that many of our CUS schools are participating in the ‘Yellow Ribbon’ program and I commend our institutions for their generous support of our country’s veterans,” said Dr. Kurt Krueger, executive director of the LCMS Board for University Education and president of the Concordia University System.
For more information about the Synod’s 10 Concordia colleges and universities nationwide, visit www.lcms.org/universities or call (800) 248-1930, Ext. 1252.
Posted March 18, 2009
