Military-connected students often have a number of state and federal resources available to them that depend on their length and type of service, discharge status, or the service of their close family. Below you'll find basic info on the GI Bill®, Federal Tuition Assistance, Michigan National Guard State Tuition Assistance, and general scholarship information.
It's important to note that MSU extends in-state tuition to most of our military-connected students, including dependents. To learn more about that policy, visit our In-State Tuition page linked below.
Click here to learn more about MSU's in-state tuition policy
GI Bill®
If you’re new to using benefits at Michigan State University, the resources below will help you learn about the process and your benefits. It’s important to note that you will need to request benefits from the VA and request certification at MSU. These are two separate processes that you can learn more about on the MSU School Certifying Officials' website linked below.
Click here to visit the MSU School Certifying Official website
Click here to visit the GI Bill® Comparison Tool
Federal Tuition Assistance
The Department of Defense (DoD) offers Tuition Assistance to qualified service members. Military students should contact their commanding officer (CO) or Education Services Officer (ESO) in their branch of service for details on the specific application process for Tuition Assistance and to seek approval to use FTA. The DOD requires that students seek approval from their CO and/or ESO prior to registering for courses. The links below can be used as a guide.
Steps to use FTA
- Confirm with your unit CO and/or ESO that you are authorized to take courses at MSU.
- Apply for Federal Tuition Assistance utilizing your branch-specific process (see links below).
- Once approved, provide MSU with your FTA approval paperwork by emailing it to deptrec@ctlr.msu.edu.
- Be sure to coordinate with the school certifying officials if you are combining FTA with VA benefits, because some require coordination.
Tuition Assistance Links
Michigan National Guard State Tuition Assistance
Michigan Army and Air National Guard members may have access to funding through the Michigan National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program (MINGSTAP). Guard members must be attending a public or private college, university, vocational school, technical school or trade school located in Michigan to use the funds, provided they are otherwise eligible. Coverage is currently limited $600 per credit hour and applicants must be using Federal Tuition Assistance or have a waiver if they are not. These benefits can be combined with FTA and the GI Bill®. Total degree funding limits are listed below.
- Certificate Programs - up to $6000
- Master's Degree - up to $6000
- Associate Degree - up to $14,400
- Baccalaureate Degree - up to $14,400
Click here to learn more about MINGSTAP and apply for benefits
Scholarships
Military-connected students should apply for any available financial aid when possible. We recommend that every student complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) so that they are eligible for aid through the university. You can find the link to complete that below. Many types of aid at MSU require you to have a FAFSA on file, even if the aid is not need based.
Click here to complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid
The SVRC offers several scholarships for veteran students. You can learn more about those on our scholarship page linked below. Military-connected students are not limited to our scholarships and we recommend that students reach out to their academic advisors to learn more about financial aid opportunities within their college. Additionally, we recommend visiting Career One Stop's scholarship finder database, which is also linked below.
Click here to visit the SVRC scholarship page
Click here to visit Career One Stop's scholarship database
Finally, specific to Chapter 35 benefit users, there are three aid opportunities available. If the student is a Michigan resident and using Chapter 35 benefits, they should apply for the Children of Veterans Tuition Grant linked below. All Chapter 35 users, regardless of residency status, should apply for the higher education scholarship through Folds of Honor linked below and through the American Legion's Legacy Scholarship.
Click here for the Children of Veterans Tuition Grant
Click here for the Folds of Honor Scholarship
Click here for the Legacy Scholarship
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 https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill