The latest state to announce such a move was Ohio, where Governor Ted Strickland announced a plan that could lure veteran students to Ohio schools. The “Ohio GI Promise” program ensures veterans will receive the in-state tuition rate, no matter their home of record. This program was announced right on the heels of the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which was signed just over a week earlier.
This tuition reduction program can mean a savings of about $13,000 a year at Ohio State University. With that kind of savings, the Ohio program could entice veterans to relocate to Ohio to attend college and use their Post 9/11 GI Bill. [after Aug. 1, 2009]
In a similar program designed to help veterans get back to school, New York State announced the Veterans Tuition Awards (VTA). This program is for eligible veterans pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree program in New York State. The VTA can reduce tuition by 98 percent.
Earlier this year Penn State World Campus announced a pilot grant-in-aid program as part of a growing initiative by several colleges and universities that will help make obtaining a degree more affordable for servicemembers and veterans.
The timing of these programs fits well with the recent increase in Montgomery GI Bill benefits and the future Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits. Based on the current trends, I would say that this is just the beginning of what will turn out to be a great opportunity for veterans to go back to school.
