Military & Veterans Education Benefits

Belmont is committed to extend Yellow Ribbon Program funds to qualified undergraduate/ graduate students and Belmont University will match it with their Yellow Ribbon contribution. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs is expected to pay up to 50% of unmet tuition and mandatory fees for eligible recipients as deemed by the Post-9/11 GI-Bill®

Veteran and Dependent of Veteran Eligibility for Benefits

• Your eligibility for the Yellow Ribbon Program is determined by the VA.
• You must be eligible for 100% of the Post-9/11 GI-Bill® and provide documentation of this to Belmont’s School Certifying Official. You must maintain good academic standing to use the benefit.
• Active duty veterans and their spouse became eligible for Yellow Ribbon after August 1, 2022.

Contribution Amounts by Academic Program

Policies

• Undergraduate and graduate students who have been declared by the Department of Veteran Affairs as 100% eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill^® (Chapter 33) benefit may be eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program at Belmont University. 
• Under the effective Yellow Ribbon agreement, Belmont University will offer the fifty percent (50%) waiver to an unlimited number of eligible undergraduate and graduate students. 
• The following terms and conditions apply to receive the benefit: 
  • Any financial aid designated for tuition and fees are applied first to the student's account, which may reduce the amount of the Yellow Ribbon benefit.
  • After applying the Post 9/11 GI Bill^® benefit, a fifty percent (50%) waiver of unmet tuition and fees will be applied to the account not to exceed the Yellow Ribbon maximum annual contribution published by academic program. The amount of the benefit varies according to the cost of the academic program.
  • In order to accept benefits, new undergraduate and graduate students must submit the Yellow Ribbon Election form before the following deadlines (submission after the deadline will be reviewed by the VA School Certifying Official on a case-by-case basis):

• Continuous eligibility for the Yellow Ribbon Program is contingent upon maintaining good academic standing (see academic policy section in the academic catalog); continuous enrollment at Belmont University; and entitlement remaining under the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefit.
• Students are liable for any outstanding balance each term not covered by the Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33), Yellow Ribbon program or other financial aid and loans.
• Yellow Ribbon waivers and benefit amounts are non-refundable to the student.
• Yellow ribbon funds are non-refundable when a student does not maximize their annual benefit.
• Non-degree seeking, transient or visiting students eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefit at 100% level are not eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program at Belmont University.
• Students should finalize their class schedule each term prior to the published drop/add period to avoid financial implications with their Yellow Ribbon contributions and the possibility of creating a debt with the university and Department of Veteran Affairs.
• The University reserves the right to evaluate the Yellow Ribbon waiver on a case-by-case basis as determined by the student’s University withdrawal during a tuition refund period.
• The University reserves the right to evaluate the Yellow Ribbon waiver on a case-by-case basis as determined by the student’s change in enrollment status during a term.
• Belmont will apply the Yellow Ribbon waiver and VA matching portion directly to the students’ tuition and fees. If a student receives additional institutional scholarship aid in addition to the VA funds, the institutional scholarships may be reduced in order to comply with the University refund policy and VA policy.
• The receipt of funds such as ROTC scholarships, My CAA, Federal Tuition Assistance, or other federal/state funds as outlined in the VA policies may also reduce the amount of funds the VA School Certifying Official is able to certify for tuition and fee payment.

Procedures

• Yellow Ribbon funds are applied to the student’s account once the Post 9/11 GI Bill annual national cap has been exhausted.
• If a student drops a course during the drop/add period, the Yellow Ribbon benefits from Belmont University and Department of Veteran Affairs are reduced according to the adjusted tuition and fee charges for the term.
• If a student withdraws from a course resulting as a non-punitive grade assigned, the Yellow Ribbon benefit may be reduced for the term.
• Yellow Ribbon funds are removed from the student’s account and may result as a debt owed by the student to Belmont University and Department of Veteran Affairs for non-attendance in classes.
• Students may submit a formal written appeal to the School Certifying Official if they believe their benefit amount is incorrect or petition to reinstate their Yellow Ribbon benefit.  If requesting reinstatement of the Yellow Ribbon benefit, the student must demonstrate involuntary circumstances in the formal appeal and provide relevant documentation in support of their petition.  The written appeal will be reviewed by committee members knowledgeable of the university’s academic policy and Veteran Affairs education benefit policy.  The committee will send a written response to the student within thirty days of receiving the petition and documentation.
• Academic progress will be monitored by the VA School Certifying Official. Benefits will be terminated for failure to maintain academic satisfactory progress in accordance with VA policy.

This program provides benefits for veterans who enlisted or entered active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985 and meet eligibility requirements.

Learn more about or apply for this benefit

This program provides benefits for members of the Selected Reserve and National Guard who enlisted, re-enlisted, or extended their enlistment for a period of six years after July 1, 1985.

Learn more about or apply for this benefit.

W.A.V.E. – Web Automated Verification of Enrollment

Beneficiaries of the Montgomery GI BIll-Active Duty – Ch. 30 and Montgomery GI Bill- Selected Reserve – Ch. 1606 must verify their school enrollment monthly with the Department of Veterans Affairs in order to receive their payment.

This program provides benefits for dependents or spouses of veterans.

Learn more about or apply for this benefit. 

The VetSucess program offers services (including education and training, vocational and personal counseling, financial aid, and job assistance) to veterans with service-connected disabilities as rated by the Department of Veteran Affairs.

Learn more about or apply for benefits

1. Prior to completing the TN Strong Application, you must apply for Military Tuition Assistance (TA). See steps for applying for TA below.
2. Complete the S.T.R.O.N.G. application packet 
   • Request completion of SECTION IV - Enrollment Certification with the Belmont University VA School Certifying Official, Registrar’s Office, Gabhart Student Center, 1st Floor) at vabenefits@belmont.edu
   • Complete the Belmont University Student Third Party Contract Application for Student Financial Services through your MyBelmont student portal.
3. Once the application packet is complete, including the FTA documentation, save as one document and then email to your branch of service’s mailbox: 
   • Army: tn.tnarng.mbx.ngtn-state-tuition-assistance-army@mail.mil
   • Air: tn.tnarng.mbx.ngtn-state-tuition-assistance-air@mail.mil
4. Once the semester is completed, submit your account summary for the semester and final grades to your branch of service.

Eligible Service members are directed to speak with their Educational Services Officer (ESO) or counselor within their Military Service prior to being enrolled at Belmont University.

Per DoD MOU paragraph 4.d. Approved Courses. If an eligible Service member decides to use TA, educational institutions will enroll him or her only after the TA is approved by the individual’s Service. Service members will be solely responsible for all tuition costs without this prior approval. This requirement does not prohibit an educational institution from pre-registering a Service member in a course in order to secure a slot in the course. If the Service member enrolls before the appropriate Service approves Military TA, then the Service member could be responsible for the tuition. All Military TA must be requested and approved prior to the start date of the course. The Military TA is approved on a course-by-course basis and only for the specific course(s) and class dates that a Service member requests. If a military student “self-identifies” their eligibility and the Service has not approved the funding, then the Service member will be solely responsible for all tuition costs, not the Service.

Once enrolled, see Third Party Billing steps, here.

Belmont University's Net Price Calculator does not require prospective students to input contact information as you may select to run the calculation as a "Guest" with the option of establishing a prospective login after receiving your net price estimate. The Net Price Calculator allows you to enter financial information relevant to the estimation of tuition/fee/books/materials/room/board costs along with estimation of potential federal/state/institutional aid.

Belmont University Net Price Calculator

Belmont University maintains the highest integrity to ensure we refrain from providing commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based directly or indirectly on securing enrollments or federal financial aid (including Tuition Assistance funds) to any persons or entities engaged in any student recruiting, admission activities, or making decisions regarding the award of student financial assistance.  Additionally, Belmont University will not use high-pressure recruitment tactics to enroll students. Belmont University follows the regulations set forth by the Department of Education (34 C.F.R 668.71-668.75 and 668.14).

In compliance with Federal Requirements and the Department of Defense, if Belmont University’s Cohort Default Rate (CDR) exceeds the national average CDR, Belmont University will disclose this information and provide its students with the loan repayment data.  The Cohort Default Rate is updated on a yearly basis. 

Step 1: Seek approval from your Educational Services Officer (ESO) or counselor within the Military Service prior to enrolling.

Step 2: Access the portal for your branch linked above to request Tuition Assistance. 

Step 3: Notify Belmont University's Student Financial Services and VA Certification Specialist that you plan to utilize FTA via email to thirdpartybilling@belmont.edu  

Step 4: Seek approval of your Educational Path through your Service specific portal. 

Step 6: Once your Educational Path is approved, request TA for each course you register at Belmont University in advance of each semester through your Service specific portal 

Important Note: To act in accordance with procedures, we suggest requesting FTA as soon as you have registered for courses. If you wait to request FTA on the first day of the term or later, it will be declined.   

Step 8: Upload documents to your Service specific portal (if needed). Check your Service email and University emails frequently to ensure no requirements remain after submission.