G.I. bill and veterans benefits

Yellow Ribbon Program

The Kellogg School participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which provides financial assistance to students of the armed forces.

The following information applies to the 2021-2022 academic year.

Eligibility

In order to qualify for Yellow Ribbon, you must first be 100% eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Please contact the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to inquire about your eligibility for benefits and request your Certificate of Eligibility.

In addition, you must meet the following criteria:

• Receive admission to the Executive MBA Program
• Prior to matriculation, confirm your intent to enroll by submitting your tuition deposit to the Executive MBA Program.
• Submit your Certificate of Eligibility and copy of your DD 214 (a form indicating your release or discharge from active duty) to the Northwestern University Registrar’s Office. You must request these forms through the VA.
• Provide copies of the Certificate of Eligibility and DD 214 to the Kellogg School’s Financial Aid Office.

Rules and regulations

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA):

• Students must exhaust their full Post 9-11 GI Bill benefit for the academic year before Yellow Ribbon funding is paid.
• The maximum grant that a student can receive from Kellogg through the Yellow Ribbon Program is $20,000 per academic year.
• The amount a student receives from Kellogg is matched by the VA. The amount cannot exceed tuition and mandatory fees as listed by the VA.

VA Pending Payments

In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679 subsection (e), Northwestern University / Kellogg School of Management adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from the VA. Northwestern University / Kellogg School of Management will not:

• Prevent the student’s enrollment.
• Assess a late penalty fee to the student.
• Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding.
• Deny the student 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 Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by the first day of class.
• Provide a written request to be certified.
• Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies.

Benefits distribution

Receiving payment for VA educational benefits

Payment for the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty (Ch. 30), Montgomery GI Bill-Reserves (Ch. 1606), and REAP (Ch. 1607) will be made directly to you. Contact the VA at 888.442.4551 for information on how payments will be issued.

Receiving payment for the Post 9-11 GI Bill (Ch. 33)

Payment will be issued after the VA receives and processes your enrollment certification from Northwestern University.

The VA will not provide a payment timeline to Northwestern University. You must contact the GI Bill hotline at 888-GIBILL1 (1.888.442.4551) for information on when payments will be issued.

Please note:

• Living stipends (BAH, MHA) will be issued directly to you by the VA monthly.
• Payment for tuition and fees will be issued directly to Northwestern University by the VA and will be credited to your account. The amount paid is determined by the VA and may not cover the full cost of tuition and fees.
• Northwestern will place an "anticipated credit" on your account for the portion of the tuition and fees that you will be receiving from the VA until tuition and fee payments are received. This means that you will not be required to front the money expected from the VA and will not be issued late fees on your account for the amount expected by VA.
• The anticipated credit is Northwestern's best guess at what you will receive in payment based on your Certificate of Eligibility and enrollment for the academic term. If the actual payment received by the VA is less than what was estimated, you will be responsible for paying the difference out-of-pocket or through financial aid if eligible.
• Yellow Ribbon payments from the VA will be issued directly to Northwestern University and will be credited to your account.
• The Yellow Ribbon match provided by Northwestern will be credited to your account at the same time the VA Yellow Ribbon payment is credited.

Your responsibility

You are responsible for completing any necessary steps as directed by the VA to ensure that Northwestern University receives the Post-9/11 GI Bill tuition payment and the VA’s portion of the Yellow Ribbon payment.

Please refer to your Certificate of Eligibility or call 888.442.4551 to verify that you have completed all necessary steps with the VA.

Contact information

If you are eligible for VA benefits, please contact:

Office of the Registrar
Northwestern University
Attn: Charmaine Nicholson
633 Clark St.
Evanston, IL 60208-1280
847.491.5234

Financial Aid Office
Kellogg School of Management
Northwestern University
Attn: Paul Dodds
James L. Allen Center
2169 Campus Drive
Evanston, IL 60208
847.491.3308

For more information about veterans benefits, please visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ website:

• Education and Training
• Post-9/11 GI Bill
• Yellow Ribbon Program
• Benefits Calculator