Yellow Ribbon Program — Covers Tuition ABOVE the Post-9/11 Cap
Post-9/11 GI Bill pays full in-state public tuition + fees. For private schools or out-of-state public tuition that exceeds the annual cap (~$28,937 in 2025-2026), the Yellow Ribbon Program lets participating schools voluntarily waive a portion of the excess tuition with VA matching the school's contribution dollar-for-dollar — effectively making private/Ivy schools free for 100%-eligible Post-9/11 recipients.
How to access
Restrictions
Many top private universities (Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Columbia) participate at unlimited levels for undergrad — meaning full tuition is covered if the school's match + VA match meets the bill. Check the VA Yellow Ribbon search at va.gov/education/yellow-ribbon-participants/. Each school sets its own annual contribution cap and number of slots. Apply early. Cross-link: [[state-local-perks]] for T
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