Virginia punches well above its weight when it comes to military service. Although it’s the 12th-most populous state, it’s home to the third-highest number of active-duty troops (115,280) after the nation’s two most populous states.
When it comes to the percentage of its adult population who are active-duty military, a statistic weighted towards low-population states, Virginia still ranks fourth nationally at nearly 12%, behind three of the nation’s least-populous states.
Virginia is the HQ for the Department of Defense at the Pentagon, is home to the world’s largest navy base at Naval Station Norfolk, and Marine Corps Base Quantico is tasked with protecting the president in addition to being the place of employ for more than 28,000 members of the military, civilians, and contractors combined.
With such a large military footprint it’s no surprise that Virginia is one of the leading states in the nation for offering generous military education benefits. You’ve earned these, and they’re your ticket to a prosperous and secure future for you and your family.
Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) Military Education Benefits
The Virginia DVS has offices located across the state to robustly match you with the education benefits you’ve earned.
DVS is responsible for approving the eligibility of any school in the state that wants to enroll you on your GI Bill® benefits. It ensures these schools meet minimum standards of quality and organization to enroll veterans.
DVS has links to over 100 active-duty and veteran scholarships. It can help you navigate all the federal and especially state military education benefits you’re qualified for, including the following:
Military Education and Workforce Initiative (MEWI)
MEWI includes military educational enhancement programs designed to give you the skills you need to maximize your attractiveness to employers. One program, the Veteran Technology Initiative, involves free laptop computers being distributed to veterans and their spouses. There’s also a Richmond-based non-profit organization, Tech for Troops, that provides free laptops for veterans.
Another MEWI initiative, known as Pathways to Employment, allows participants to enroll in Community College Workforce Alliance (CCWA) credentialing programs to earn an academic certificate at no cost. Eligibility for this program extends to active-duty, discharged veterans, and their family members.
Vets on Campus is a MEWI program aimed at helping veterans transition from the military to academia. It provides resources to help improve academic performance and to connect veterans with local on and off-campus community and social organizations.
Credits2Careers is a MEWI program the helps schools in the Virginia Community College System squeeze out every possible academic credit equivalency from your military service record. This can help you graduate faster, a time and money saver.
Virginia Values Vets (V3) Transition Program
This is an peer-to-peer support program designed to maximize resources for veterans and their spouses as they transition to civilian life and school.
V3 staff are connected with every resource in the state and can set you up with personalized referrals that will help you succeed academically. This could include information about upcoming college fairs, scholarship opportunities, and organizations that can help you write an outstanding college admission essay.
Military Medics and Corpsmen (MMAC) Program
MMAC staff are connected to healthcare employers across the state, and they’re also tuned in to the unique position veterans with prior medical experience are in.
They can determine if you’re MMAC-qualified. This means you worked as a combat medic or medical technician in the military, and you were discharged less than a year ago. Virginia has a unique program that allows MMAC-qualified veterans to work in a clinical setting while you catch up on the civilian education that would normally be required for these positions.
This program can also provide you with advising and resources for the education you need to reach your career goals in the healthcare field.
Virginia National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program (VNGSTAP)
Are you in the VNG and want to go from an associate’s degree all the way up through a bachelor’s, master’s, and finally a doctoral degree? You can under this program, while receiving funding at a rate of $7,000 per year. The savings from this program multiply every year you use it.
You can apply for this benefit three times per year, and it’s applicable towards earning one degree or certificate at each level up to a doctorate. What’s more, this benefit is not confined just to schools in Virginia: you can use it at accredited public or private schools, plus at participating online schools outside of the state.
To be eligible you must have already completed active duty training and be in good standing with the VNG. Your contract with the VNG must extend at least two years beyond the last date that you take advantage of this benefit, which is not applicable to theological or religious studies.
In-State Tuition for Service Members and Their Families
Whereas you would normally have to live in Virginia consistently for one year before you could claim in-state tuition at a public school, if you meet any of the following conditions you’re eligible for in-state tuition right now:
- If you establish residency in Virginia and you’re active duty – this also applies to your dependents even if they don’t live in Virginia.
- If you live in Virginia and you’re on active duty for at least 180 days – this includes active duty for mobilized reserves and temporary active duty.
- If you’re assigned to permanent duty in Virginia – this applies to your family as well, and they are not required to live in Virginia.
- If you’re assigned to permanent duty in a neighboring state and you live in Virginia – this also applies to your dependents, and qualifying neighboring states are Maryland, DC, North Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Tennessee.
- If you’re a veteran using VA education assistance.
- If you’re an honorably discharged veteran or their surviving spouse who lives in Virginia.
Paying in-state versus out-of-state tuition quickly adds up. Our research on military friendly colleges in Virginia found the average difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition at a public school for an undergraduate degree was over \$5,600 per year.
Virginia Purple Star Military-Friendly Schools
The Virginia Department of Education (DOE) has chosen to distinguish military friendly colleges and schools in Virginia by awarding them with a Purple Star Award.
The DOE has established a range of criteria that schools must meet in order to win this award. These include being aware of the unique challenges faced by military families, fostering an environment that’s friendly for military family members, and providing academic planning resources designed to help military families succeed.
Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program (VMSDEP)
This benefit offered by the DVS is for the family members of Virginians who are MIA, KIA, POW or at least 90% disabled due to their military service. Service is defined to include that in any branch of the Armed Forces, the Reserves, and the Virginia National Guard (VNG).
You can use this benefit at any public college or university in Virginia, and at the Eastern Virginia Medical School. It covers full tuition for eight semesters. That means it will cover the four years of full-time study it takes to earn a bachelor’s degree. You can also choose to apply it to graduate study as long as you don’t exceed eight semesters.
Having the option to max out the credits you take each semester means the potential for a double major, a change of major, or to explore electives.
Possible Station Assignments and Military Bases in Virginia
Home to a disproportionately large number of military bases that have key status among each of their four different branches, there’s a good chance you’ll be at least passing through Virginia for training if not being outright stationed here.
Regardless of how long you’re in Virginia, military education benefits start to open up the moment you set foot in the state as a member of the Armed Forces. Virginia extends the welcome mat to its active-duty service persons, veterans, and their families, including at all of its facilities listed below.
The Pentagon
The home base of the Department of Defense and all branches of the Armed Forces, it’s no surprise that the Pentagon hosts the largest office space of any low-rise building in the world at 6.5 million square feet. It employs approximately 26,000 employees, both military and civilian combined.
It’s here that the military’s nearing-$800-billion budget is put to work, covering three million employees including 1.3 million active-duty and around one million combined Guard and Reserve forces.
Overseas operations, homeland defense, the latest advances in military technology, and contingency planning are all bread and butter for the Pentagon.
Army
- Fort Belvoir – Fairfax
- Fort Lee – Prince George
- Fort AP Hill – Bowling Green
- Fort Pickett | Fort Barfoot – Blackstone
- Radford Army Ammunition Plant – Radford
- Warrenton Training Center – Alexandria
Navy
- Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story – Norfolk
- Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Dahlgren – Dahlgren
- Naval Station (NS) Norfolk – Norfolk
- Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) – Portsmouth
- Naval Air Station Oceana – Virginia Beach
- Naval Weapons Station (NWS) Yorktown – Yorktown
- Naval Medical Center Portsmouth – Portsmouth
- Naval Support Activity (NSA) Hampton Roads – Hampton Roads
- Naval Support Activity (NSA) Northwest Annex – Chesapeake
Coast Guard
- US Coast Guard Finance Center (FINCEN) – Chesapeake
- Navigation Center Coast Guard Base – Alexandria
- USCG Base Portsmouth | USCG Sector Virginia – Portsmouth
- Telecommunication and Information Systems Command (TISCOM) – Alexandria
- Coast Guard Training Center Yorktown – Yorktown
- Coast Guard Station Little Creek – Little Creek
Marines
- Marine Corps Base (MCB) Quantico – Quantico
Joint Bases
- Joint Base Langley-Eustis – Newport News
- Joint Expeditionary Base-Fort Story
- Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall – Arlington
Military Friendly Colleges in Virginia that Accept GI Bill® and Yellow Ribbon Program Benefits
Of the more-than 2,000 colleges and universities that participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, only around 500 provide full funding and place no limits on the number of eligible students who can take advantage of it. These schools ensure that every eligible veteran who enrolls can count on full coverage of all tuition costs that exceed GI Bill® limits.
You’ll be glad to know that a number of those military friendly colleges and universities are located right here in Virgnia:
Advanced Technology Institute
Virginia Beach, VA
Accreditation: ACCSC
- Automotive technology
- Heavy vehicle technology
- HVAC/R
- Welding
- Commercial driving
Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA
Accreditation: SACSCOC
- Caudill School of Business
- College of Arts and Letters
- College of Sciences
- School of Criminal Justice
- School of Education and Social Sciences
- School of Nursing
Bridgewater College
Bridgewater, VA
Accreditation: SACSCOC
Rhodes School of Arts and Humanities
- Department of Art
- Department of Communication Studies and Theatre
- Department of English
- Department of History and Political Science
- Department of Music
- Department of Philosophy and Religion
- Department of Sociology
- Department of World Languages and Cultures
School of Natural Sciences
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science
- Department of Chemistry
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
- Department of Physics
- Department of Psychology
School of Professional Studies
- Department of Economics and Business Administration
- Department of Health and Human Sciences
- Teacher Education Program
Bryant and Stratton College
Hampton / Richmond / Virginia Beach, VA
Accreditation: MSCHE
- Legal services
- Design
- Healthcare
- Business
- Technology
- Education
Centura College
Chesapeake / Newport News / Norfolk / Richmond / Virginia Beach, VA
Accreditation: ACCSC
- Business
- Health science
- Skilled trades
Chamberlain University
Arlington, VA
Accreditation: HLC
- College of Nursing
- College of Health Professions
Devry University
Arlington / Chesapeake, VA
Accreditation: HLC
Associate Degrees
- Technology
- Engineering
- IT and Networking
- Network Systems Administration
- Business
- Healthcare
Bachelor's Degrees
- Business
- Computer Information Systems
- Healthcare Administration
- Accounting
- Liberal Arts
- Media Arts
Undergrad Certificates
- Medical Billing and Coding
- Business Essentials
- Cloud Computing
- IoT
- Technology
- Media Arts
Master's Degrees
- MBA
- Accounting
- Project Management
- Technology
- Business
- Healthcare
- Public Administration
- Human Resource Management
Graduate Certificates
- Human Resources Management
- Project Management
- Healthcare
- CPA Preparation
- Big Data and Analytics
- Entrepreneurship
- Global Supply Chain Management
Divine Mercy University
Sterling, VA
Accreditation: SACSCOC
- Psychology
- Counseling
- Spiritual direction
ECPI University
Virginia Beach / Norfolk / Virginia Beach / Innsbrook / Newport News / Manassas / Richmond / Roanoke, VA
Accreditation: SACSCOC
Associate
- Cyber and Information Security Technology
- Software Development
- Computer-Aided Drafting and Design
- Electronics Engineering Technology
- Mechanical Engineering Technology
- Mechatronics
Bachelor’s
- Accelerated Cyber and Information Security Technology
- Cloud Computing
- Cyber and Information Security Technology
- Cybersecurity
- Data Analytics
- Digital Forensics Technology
- Mobile Development
- Software Development
- Web Design and Development
- Electronic Systems Engineering Technology
- Electronics Engineering Technology
- Mechanical Engineering Technology
- Mechatronics (ESET)
- Mechatronics
Master’s
- Systems Engineering Master’s – Mechatronics
- Master of Science in Cybersecurity
- Master of Science in Information Systems
Iglobal University
Vienna, VA
Accreditation: ACCSC
- School of Information Technology
- School of Business Administration
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA
Accreditation: SACSCOC
- Aeronautics
- Applied studies and academic success
- Arts and sciences
- Behavioral sciences
- Business
- Communication and the arts
- Divinity
- Education
- Engineering
- Health sciences
- Government
- Law
- Music
- Nursing
- Osteopathic medicine
Regent University
Virginia Beach, VA
Accreditation: SACSCOC
- Arts and communication
- Business and leadership
- Divinity and theology
- Education
- Law government and history
- Nursing and healthcare
- Psychology and counseling
- STEM
South University
Glen Allen / Virginia Beach, VA
Accreditation: SACSCOC
Glen Allen
- Business & Technology
- Counseling and Psychology
- Criminal Justice and Legal Studies
- Healthcare
- Nursing
- Pharmacy
- Public Administration
- Public Health
- Theology
Virginia Beach
- Business & Technology
- Counseling and Psychology
- Criminal Justice and Legal Studies
- Healthcare
- Nursing
- Pharmacy
- Public Administration
- Public Health
- Theology
Stratford University
Falls Church / Glen Allen / Newport News / Virginia Beach, VA
Accreditation: ACICS
Falls Church:
- School of Health Science
- School of Computer Information System
- School of Arts and Science
- School of Business Administration
- School of Health Science
Glen Allen:
- School of Culinary Art and Hospitality Management
- School of Computer Info Science
- School of Art Science
- School of Health Science
- School of Business Administration
Newport News:
- School of Computer Information Systems
- Graduate School
- School of Arts and Sciences
- School of Health Science
- School of Business Administration
- School of Culinary and Hospitality
Virginia Beach:
- School of Health Science
- School of Health Science
- School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality
- School of Computer Information Systems
- School of Business Administration
Strayer University
Alexandria / Arlington / Ashburn / Chesapeake / Midlothian / Fredericksburg / Glen Allen / Manassas / Newport News / Virginia Beach / Woodbridge, VA
Accreditation: MSCHE
- Associate in Arts in Accounting
- Associate in Arts in Acquisition and Contract Management
- Associate in Arts in Business Administration
- Associate in Arts in Information Technology
- Associate in Arts in Marketing
- Bachelor of Applied Science in Management
- Bachelor of Business Administration
- Bachelor of Science in Accounting
- Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
- Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
- Certificate of Education in Corporate Learning
- Certificate of Education in Educational Administration
- Diploma in Acquisition Contract Management
- Graduate Certificate in Digital Entrepreneurship
- Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurial Leadership
- Graduate Certificate in Finance and Accounting for Entrepreneurs
- Graduate Certificate in Marketing and Branding for Entrepreneurs
- Jack Welch MBA
- Jack Welch Management Institute Executive Certificates
- Jack Welch Management Institute Graduate Certificates
- Joe Gibbs Performance Management Certificate
- Master of Business Administration
- Master of Business Administration
- Master of Education
- Master of Health Services Administration
- Master of Human Resource Management
- Master of Public Administration
- Master of Science in Accounting
- Master of Science in Information Security and Assurance
- Master of Science in Information Systems
- Master of Science in Management
Sweet Briar College
Sweet Briar, VA
Accreditation: SACSCOC
- Human and Environmental Sustainability
- Creativity Design and the Arts
- Engineering Science and Technology in Society
- School of Education
The Art Institute
Virginia Beach, VA
Accreditation: SACSCOC
- Visual design
- Interior design
- Marketing
- Animation and effects
- Film and production
- Gaming and technology
- Fashion
- Culinary
University of Lynchburg
Lynchburg, VA
Accreditation: SACSCOC
- Lynchburg college of arts and sciences
- College of business
- College of education leadership studies and counseling
- College of health sciences
- Westover honors college
University of Maryland Global Campus
Arlington / Fort Belvoir / Fort Myer / Langley AFB / Virginia Beach / Norfolk / Quantico, VA
Accreditation: MSCHE
- Business & Management
- Cybersecurity
- Data Analytics
- Education & Teaching
- Healthcare & Science
- IT & Computer Science
- Liberal Arts & Communication
- Public Safety
University of Phoenix
Reston / Virginia Beach, VA
Accreditation: HLC
- Business
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- Healthcare
- Nursing
- Psychology
- Behavioral Sciences
- Liberal Arts
- Technology
- RN to BSN
- MBA
- Health Administration
Information Systems - Criminal Justice and Security
- Business Fundamentals
University of the Potomac
Herndon, VA
Accreditation: MSCHE
- Business
- Accounting
- International business
- Information Technology
- Cyber Security
- Hospitality and Tourism
- Contract Management
Washington and Lee University
Lexington, VA
Accreditation: SACSCOC
- The College
- The Williams School
- The Law School
- School of Law
Webster University
Fort Belvoir, VA
Accreditation: HLC
Undergraduate:
- Biology
- Business
- Computer Science
- Education
- International Relations
- Mathematics
- Management
- Media Communications
- Nursing
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Psychology
Graduate:
- Advertising and Marketing Communications
- Counseling
- Criminal Justice
- Cybersecurity
- Data Analytics
- Education
- Educational Leadership
- Health Administration
- Human Resources Development
- National Security Studies
- Management & Leadership
- Marketing
- MBA
- Media Communications
- Nurse Anesthesia Practice
- Procurement and Acquisitions Management
