Financial & Academic Support

Tuition Assistance (TA) funds are a source of financial aid for active duty, reserve and guard members. 

Steps to Using Military TA

• Please speak with your Educational Services Officer (ESO) or counselor within your military service prior to enrolling into the institution. 
• We recommend you start this process at least one quarter weeks prior to your course start date.
• Apply for admission to our university and print your degree plan (degree plan can also be acquired from your academic advisor).
• Register for courses; all branches require registration prior to approval.
• Choose Military TA as your payment method.
• Meet with your Education Services Officer (ESO) for a briefing on TA.
• Request required TA forms through your branch education portal for each course with a unique start date.
• Army and Air Force students will utilize an online system for requesting Air Force tuition assistance through the Air Force Virtual Education Center. You will apply for tuition assistance through the portal and it will be sent electronically to the bursar for processing.
• Navy, Marine Corps., and Coast Guard Students will submit an application through the Navy College Office's Virtual WebTA portal.
  • Please review these helpful steps to assist with the Navy College Office's Tuition Assistance approvals.
  • You may send a copy of your Tuition Assistance Authorization to the bursar and OMAC by clicking here.
  • Disclose all sources of aid: Contact the financial aid office if you plan to use multiple sources of aid, such as FSA or other scholarships.
• Please note, your approved Military TA request must be received and processed at least five days prior to the start of your course.

A full list of TA approved programs and tuition costs per credit hour can be found here. 

Tuition Assistance can only be used to cover tuition costs. TA covers tuition cost up to $250 per semester hour/$166 per quarter hour. All other costs must be covered by other sources of funding. 

Please note that TA may only cover a portion of your cost and you are responsible for any costs not covered under TA. Please consult with your ESO and the Office for Military-Affiliated Communities if you have any questions.

Return of TA Funds

The Institution will return any unearned tuition assistance (TA) funds on a proportional basis through at least the 60 percent portion of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending.In instances when a Service member stops attending due to a military service obligation, the educational institution will work with the affected Service member to identify solutions that will not result in student debt for the returned portion.

10-week Course Withdraw submitted, the 60% of course completed at 6 weeks

100% end of the first week of the quarter.

65% end of the second week of the quarter.

65% end of the third week of the quarter.

50% end of the fourth week of the quarter.

30% end of the fifth week of the quarter.

1% end of the sixth week of the quarter.  

0% after the sixth week.

Veterans Affairs Pending Payment Compliance

Beginning August 1, 2019, and despite any policy to the contrary, the University of Chicago will not take any of the four following actions toward any student using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33)1 or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while their payment from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs is pending to the educational institution:

Prevent their enrollment; 

Assess a late penalty fee to; 

Require they secure alternative or additional funding; 

Deny their access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.

However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:

Produce the VA’s Certificate of Eligibility by the first day of class; 

Provide written request to be certified; 

Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies (see our VA School Certifying Official for all requirements). 

1GI 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 website.

For general questions about the program or documents, please contact Kasey Welch at kwelch1@uchicago.edu of Tim Kerr at t-9tkerr@uchicago.edu

IMPORTANT: Reimbursement is available for the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefit (Chapter 33) and Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (Chapter 35) programs. Complete this application to apply for reimbursement of a Prep Course designed to prepare you for a Licensing or Certification Test (one course per form). In order for a Prep Course to be reimbursed, you must apply and establish eligibility separately for either Chapter 33 or Chapter 35 by completing either VA Form 22-1990, Application for VA Education Benefits or VA Form 22-5490, Dependents' Application for VA Education Benefits, if not done so already. If you need to apply first, please visit the VA website at www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply.

*No monthly housing allowance will be provided for those using chapter 33* 

Preparatory courses for LAC Tests are only payable to a student entitled to reimbursement under chapter 33 or chapter 35.

There is no limit to the number of Preparatory courses a beneficiary can take. However, beneficiaries must have remaining entitlement and their delimiting date must not have passed.

These courses are paid as a reimbursement to the beneficiary in the same manner that LAC tests are paid. For information on pay rates (full-time, part-time, etc.), the student should call the VA at 888-442-4551 to determine their specific rates.

You can also view the VA's Prepatory Course Fact Sheet for any questions regarding what is covered under the reimbursement. 

Non-Credit Programs and Prep Courses Approved for VA Benefits at University of Chicago:

• Cybersecurity Bootcamp offered by University of Chicago Professional Education
  • Apply to the Cybersecurity Bootcamp program by clicking here
    • You can schedule an appointment with a Cybersecurity Professional Bootcamp Advisor by clickiing here. 
  •  You can also register for one of our bi-weekly benefit sessions to learn more about your benefits by clicking here.
    • If not sure about your benefit selection or you have other questions, you can speak with an OMAC  representative by clicking here.
  • Complete the Veteran Benefit Information and Application form and upload to this website. 
    • Please include a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility or print screen from ebenefits showing your eligibility for VA benefits
      • To access the printscreen from ebenefits please follow the steps below:
        • Click on manage across the top screen
        • Then click education
        • Then click Post-9/11 enrollment status
      • Please note that you must upgrade your ebenfits account to "premium" status to be able to conduct the above steps

VA Chapters 33 and 35:

If you have never used VA benefits before, please complete the 22-1990 form online at: https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/

Under “how do I apply”

Click “find your education benefits form”

Click “apply for a new benefit”

• A certificate of eligibility (COE) will be mailed to you by the VA – please send the COE along with the Veteran Benefit Information form to us.
• Please download the Veteran Benefit Information and Application form at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1481b5fY_J1wm7KsD_97EZybPYm_MtxHq/view
• Submit the COE and Veteran Benefit Information and Application form here https://uceop.wufoo.com/forms/zzppy700fsxgw5/

If you have used VA education benefits in the past, please complete the 22-1995 form at https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/

Under “how do I apply”

Click “find your education benefits form”

Click “updating my program of study or place of training”

• A certificate of eligibility (COE) will be mailed to you by the VA – please send the COE along with the Veteran Benefit Information form to us,
• Please download the Veteran Benefit Information and Application form at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1481b5fY_J1wm7KsD_97EZybPYm_MtxHq/view
• Submit the COE and Veteran Benefit Information and Application form here https://uceop.wufoo.com/forms/zzppy700fsxgw5/

To view VA approval of this program:

- Click on this link https://inquiry.vba.va.gov/weamspub/buildSearchLCCriteria.do

- Where it says "L&C Name," type in "cyber." 

- Where it says "LAC Category Type" click down and choose "Certificate." 

- Click on the state of Illinois in the map. 

- The UChi entry is called "CYBERSECURITY PROF CERT BOOTCAMP". 

- Click on that, and it will show the same name and costs for the program

- Above the price, you can click on "Institution Profile" and it will show the

- University of Chicago and Terrell Odom as the University's Certifying Official. 

*None of the documentation provided by your VR&E counselor to you should be submitted to UChicago or ThriveDx unless the counselor specifically requests that you do so.