Middlebury participates in the Yellow Ribbon and other education benefit programs offered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is your main source of information for these benefits. Middlebury will process the benefit once you provide your Certificate of Eligibility from the VA.    

Eligibility

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) determines a person’s eligibility for VA Education Benefits based on the military records they have on file for a service member, veteran, or a transferee. Questions about VA benefits eligibility contact the VA directly by either calling the VA Benefits Hotline at (800)-827-1000, the GI Bill ® Hotline at (888)-GI-BILL-1 or use the Ask VA feature on their website. 

Overview

The education benefits veterans offered by the VA include the following: 

Yellow Ribbon Program

The Yellow Ribbon Program supplements Post-9/11 GI Bill ® benefits at participating private colleges, like Middlebury. Yellow Ribbon provides additional funding for tuition costs above the 9/11 GI Bill ® maximum. Students must qualify for 100% of the 9/11 GI Bill ® benefit to receive the Yellow Ribbon supplement. For more information including Middlebury’s maximum contributions through the program, visit the VA’s Yellow Ribbon website.

Requirements to Receive the Benefits

  • Choose the VA benefit program you plan to apply for. You may qualify for more than one type of VA education benefit. Because applying for a certain education benefit could affect your eligibility for others, you should consider your options before selecting a benefit program. The VA provides a comparison of education-benefit programs to help you choose the best benefits for your situation.
  • Apply for the benefit directly with the VA. Once you apply and receive your Certificate of Eligibility, submit a copy to the Middlebury College Registrar’s Office.   
  • For the Yellow Ribbon Program, students must complete the Yellow Ribbon Request Form and return it to the Office of Student Financial Services.
  • To use the benefit at Middlebury, students must either be accepted for the upcoming academic year or be a currently enrolled student.

Additional Information

  • Students receiving need-based financial assistance from Middlebury must keep in mind that VA educational benefits, including the Middlebury Yellow Ribbon Scholarship, will be coordinated with other institutional and federal financial aid funds as part of their financial aid offer.
  • Certification of enrollment at Middlebury is through the Registrar’s Office, who serves as Middlebury’s School Certifying Officer.
  • Students receiving benefits though a program that requires specialized invoicing by Student Financial Services should complete the Middlebury Third Party Payer Notification Form
  • Payment for the VA’s contribution toward tuition and fees will be sent directly to Middlebury and applied to their student account.
  • The student is responsible for paying any overpayment of VA benefits, whether the change in benefit results in money owed to the VA or to Middlebury as a result of funds returned to the VA.

Veterans Benefits and Transitions Act of 2018

As part of the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018, section 3679 of title 38 any covered individual who is entitled to educational assistance under Ch. 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, or Ch. 33 Post-9/11 Benefits is permitted to attend or participate in the course of education during the period beginning on the date on which the individual provides to a certificate of eligibility (or Statement of Benefits or VAF 28-1905) for entitlement to educational assistance under CH. 31 or 33 and ending on the earlier of the following dates:

  1. The date on which payment from the VA is made to the institution
  2. 90 days after the date of the institution certified tuition and fees following receipt of the certificate of eligibility.

Middlebury will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other facilities, or the requirement that the covered individual borrow additional funds on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement funding from the VA under Ch. 31 or 33.

However, Middlebury reserves the right to require additional payment or impose a late fee for the amount of tuition or fees due that is the difference between the amount of the covered individual’s financial obligation and the amount of the VA education benefit disbursement.