Education and Training
Yellow Ribbon Program
Yellow Ribbon Program – Domestic Institutions
March 15 to May 15, 2026, is open season for the Yellow Ribbon Program for the 2026-2027 academic year. During open season, schools may apply for initial participation, modify existing open-ended agreements, take no action, and continue to honor the terms of existing open-ended agreements, or withdraw from the Yellow Ribbon Program.
In support of VA’s modernization and paperless initiatives, the Yellow Ribbon Agreement (VA Form 22-0839) is now fully digital. VA no longer accepts email submissions to the Yellow Ribbon Mailbox; instead, institutions must submit agreements through the official online tool. Historically, School Certifying Officials completed the form, obtained an authorized electronic or wet signature, and submitted it to the Yellow Ribbon mailbox. The digital form no longer allows for joint processing by both the SCO and an authorizing official. Consequently, schools must establish internal concurrence procedures if an SCO acts as the Authorizing Official. Please note that the person completing this form will now sign and submit it digitally as the Authorizing Official. This agreement must be signed by an official with the legal authority to bind the institution to the VA. Authenticating with ID.me or LOGIN.GOV serves as your official electronic signature.
The Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program (Yellow Ribbon Program) is a provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. This program allows institutions of higher learning (degree granting institutions) in the United States to voluntarily enter into an agreement with VA to fund tuition expenses that exceed either the annual maximum cap for private institutions or the resident tuition and fees for a public institution.
View the links below for required information:
- Updated Frequently Asked Questions For Schools
- Digital Yellow Ribbon Program Agreement Form 22-0839
- Digital Yellow Ribbon Agreement Instructions
You can now find a list of domestic schools participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program for the 2025-2026 Academic Year on the Find a Yellow Ribbon School webpage or using VA’s Comparison Tool.
The institution can contribute up to 50% of those expenses and VA will match the same amount as the institution.
The Institution of Higher Learning (IHL) must agree to:
- Provide contributions to eligible individuals who apply for the Yellow Ribbon Program on a first-come first-served basis, regardless of the rate at which the individual is pursuing training in any given academic year;
- Provide contributions during the current academic year and all subsequent academic years in which the IHL is participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program and the student maintains satisfactory progress, conduct, and attendance;
- Make contributions toward the program on behalf of the individual in the form of a grant, scholarship, etc;
- State the dollar amount that will be contributed for each participant during the academic year;
- State the maximum number of individuals for whom contributions will be made in any given academic year.
Veterans and dependents receiving the maximum benefit rate, including those on the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship, may be eligible for this funding. Effective August 1, 2022, active-duty service members also can participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Yellow Ribbon Program – Foreign Schools
The passage of Public Law 116-315, Section 1008, “Technical Correction to Clarify Eligibility for Participation in Yellow Ribbon Program of Department of Veterans Affairs,” allows foreign schools to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program. This law amends Section 3317(a) of title 38 USC. In accordance with the law, VA has implemented an open season timeframe of June 1st through July 31st for foreign schools to apply for the Yellow Ribbon program. The announcement for foreign schools to apply for the Yellow Ribbon program will be provided prior to the commencement of the open season.
