Military-Supportive GI Bill® Approved and Yellow Ribbon Program Colleges Online and in Ohio

Ohio has long been a state committed to military service and flag-waiving patriotism. It’s military history, in fact, begins even before it achieved statehood, when settlers of the Northwest Territory established a militia to protect against rogue Indian attacks backed by the British monarchy. Years later, a newly formed Ohio legislature would enact as its first law a most important one – the militia law.

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Southern New Hampshire University

Featured Program: SNHU has been helping military service members reach their goals for nearly 80 years—from those coming home from WWII, to those still serving around the globe. See all the ways we can help you maximize your benefits, save time, and save money on the path to your next transition.

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UMass Global

Featured Program: Educating members of the military is at the root of who we are. It’s how we got started more than 65 years ago — providing outreach education to Marines stationed at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro — and our dedication to supporting U.S. service members, veterans, and their families has grown ever since. Military Times ranked us 14th nationwide for primarily online institutions and 19th in the western region in 2023.

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Nearly a decade later, in 1812, war would again reach Ohio territory, as the British and their allies attempted to lay siege to Fort Meigs. The Ohio militia would not be deterred, though, and eventually led Americans to a victory in rural Perrysburg. It was a crucial moment which changed the course of the war from a guaranteed British victory to an American shutdown of the British war machine.

Today, we’re many generations removed from Ohio’s historic military battles, and the likelihood of being sent off on an overseas deployment seems less likely than even a decade ago. This gives new service members and recently discharged veterans a shot at the American dream, by taking advantage of the military benefits earned – mainly access to a college education.

Ohio Department of Veterans Services (ODVS) Military Education Benefits

There’s more to military education benefits than just federal programs, like the GI Bill® and the Yellow Ribbon program, to help Ohio service members, veterans, and dependents get access to a college education. Ohio is known as one of the most military-friendly states in the entire country, with the sixth largest veteran population nationwide and a slew of military-friendly colleges. It goes without saying that Ohio stands in strong support of its veterans and military families.

You’ll find that the Ohio Department of Veteran Services (ODVS) is a first-line resource for accessing military education benefits. The ODVS serves a community of approximately 850,000 veteran residents across 88 counties. Each county has a County Veterans Services Office (CVSO) with ODVS-trained and certified Veterans Services Officers. These officers will help you file for and obtain the benefits and compensation earned through military service and can also help you find military scholarship programs offered through the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE).

The ODVS also collaborates with Ohio employers to cultivate a military-friendly culture supportive of recruiting and retaining former service members in Ohio’s workforce. Let’s look at the state-level education benefits available to Ohio’s service members, veterans, and eligible dependents.