The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision of the Post-9/11 GI Bill that can help students attend expensive private schools at little or no cost to themselves. Normally, Post-9/11 GI Bill payments at private schools are limited to a national maximum amount by law, although that amount changes every year, it seldom covers the full tuition and fees that private schools charge for enrollment. Currently the maximum amount is $22, 905.34.

Schools can enter into a voluntary agreement with the VA to waive a portion of, or all of their tuition costs that exceed the national maximum Post-9/11 GI Bill reimbursement. The VA will match the amount of the waiver and also contribute that to your tuition. For example, if you are attending a private university with a tuition of $50, 000/year but the school has agreed to waive $10, 000 tuition for Yellow Ribbon Participants. The VA will match that $10, 000 making the total tuition waived $20, 000. Your Post-9/11 GI Bill will pay $22, 805.34 and the Yellow Ribbon Program will waive $20, 000. You will be responsible for $7, 194.66 tuition that you must pay with financial aid or out-of-pocket.

To qualify to receive the Yellow Ribbon benefits you must meet the following criteria:

• Served an aggregate period of active duty after September 10, 2001, of at least 36 months;
• Were honorably discharged from active duty for a service connected disability and they served 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001;
• Are a dependent eligible for Transfer of Entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill based on a veteran's service under the eligibility criteria listed above.

Source: www.military.com