Education Opportunities for Veterans

Further your education and career in Ohio.

In an effort to help veterans, servicemembers and their families achieve college degrees, the University System of Ohio has taken proactive steps to better serve those who have served our country.

• Education Opportunities for Veterans (PDF)
• Veteran Services on Ohio Campuses
• Financial Aid for Veterans
• More Information

Ohio's Committment

College credit for military training and experience
The University System of Ohio is committed to the acceptance and awarding of college credit for College-Level Examination Programs (CLEP), and for training or experience in the United States Armed Forces or National Guard, as long as it has been approved by the American Council on Education or a regional accrediting body, such as the Higher Learning Commission.

In-state tuition for qualified veterans from across the country
Upon moving to Ohio, veterans with one year of honorable service (and their dependents) are immediately considered in-state residents for the purposes of tuition, state educational subsidies and financial aid. Active duty, guard, reserve servicemembers, and their families are also eligible for this educational benefit.

The Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium
Every public institution of higher education in Ohio is a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium and has agreed to the following principles:

• Reasonable Transfer of Credit: To help veteran students avoid excessive loss of previously earned credit and to avoid coursework duplication.
• Reduced Academic Residency: To help veteran students with their school's academic residency requirements.
• Credit for Military Training and Experience: All Ohio institutions recognize and use the American Council on Education (ACE) Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services to evaluate and award academic credit for military training and experience.
• Credit for Nationally-Recognized Testing Programs: All Ohio institutions award credit for at least one nationally-recognized testing program, such as College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), DANTES Standardized Subject Examinations (DSST), and Excelsior College Credit-by Examinations (ECE). 

Scholarship opportunities for veterans and their families
The Ohio GI Promise finds and promotes scholarship opportunities such as the Ohio War Orphans Scholarship, Ohio Safety Officers Memorial Fund and Ohio National Guard Scholarship. It also helps connect students with financial aid resources through the Federal GI Bill or state-based initiatives like the Ohio College Opportunity Grant.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about the Ohio GI Promise, call us at 1-877-VETS-OH-1 or contact Eli Faes (efaes@regents.state.oh.us).