Questions and Answers on Post-Vietnam Veterans' Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)

[ Home ] [ Claims Office ] [ Links ] [ Disclaimer ]

Post-Vietnam Veterans' Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)

What is VEAP?

The Post-Vietnam Veterans' Educational Assistance Program, or "VEAP" for short, is an education benefit for veterans who paid into VEAP while they were in the service. Eligible veterans may be entitled to as much as 36 months of training. Eligibility usually ends 10 years after getting out of the service, but the time limit can be longer in certain cases. Eligible veterans may pursue any of the following types of training:

College or University Programs
Correspondence Courses
Business, Technical or Vocational Training
Flight Training, in some cases
Apprentice/On-the-Job Training
High School Diploma or equivalent

Who is Eligible ?

You may be eligible if:

You were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable AND
You first entered active duty after December 31, 1976, and before July 1, 1985, AND
You contributed to VEAP before April 1, 1987 AND
You served long enough to qualify

Length of Service Requirement: If you enlisted for the first time after September 7, 1980, or entered as an officer after October 16, 1981, you generally had to complete 24 continuous months of active duty Please contact the Claims Office if you have less service, as there are some exceptions.

What Does VA Pay?

The total dollar amount of your benefits is the sum of:

Your total contributions, PLUS
Matching funds from VA equal to 2 times your contributions PLUS
Any DOD contributions or "kickers"

The monthly amount you'll receive is based on the total (above), the number of months you contributed, the type of training you're in, and your training time.

How Can I Apply?

You can apply for VEAP by filling out VA Form 22-1990, Application for Education Benefits

Related Benefits

Work-Study Program
Tutorial Assistance
Noncontributory VEAP (Sec. 903)
Refund of Contributions

REMINDER- If you're Still on active duty, call the Claims Office for details about your eligibility for VEAP or to find out if you may switch to the Montgomery GI Bill.

[ Return to Top of Page ] [ Home ] [ Claims Office ] [ Links ] [ Disclaimer ]