Westminster College Offers Free Tuition for Qualified Veterans

Qualified veterans will be able to earn a degree tuition-free at Westminster College, a top tier private liberal arts college in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Yellow Ribbon Program is a benefit authorized under the Post-9/11 GI Bill that provides veterans and other qualified military personnel a subsidy for tuition equivalent to the highest tuition of any public institution in Pennsylvania. Westminster will cover half of the difference between the subsidy and Westminster's tuition, with the federal government covering the other half through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Post 9/11 veterans can enroll in Westminster's traditional undergraduate program, adult education Lifelong Learning Program, or Graduate Program as long as they meet admission criteria. The program begins Aug. 1, 2009.

"Westminster College has a long history of serving veterans and we want to help those brave men and women who sacrifice so much for our country," according to Westminster President Richard H. Dorman. "Our veterans should be able to reap the benefits of attending one of the nation's top private liberal arts colleges, and we look forward to helping them succeed."

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, eligibility requirements include: having served at least 36 months of active duty since Sept. 10, 2001; being honorably discharged from active duty for a service connected disability and serving 30 continuous days since Sept. 10, 2001; being a dependent eligible for Transfer of Entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill based on a veteran's service eligibility criteria.

Westminster began offering Patriots Scholarships in 2006 to recognize the sacrifices made by U.S. military service personnel in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Westminster Patriots' Scholarship Program provides full tuition for a four-year undergraduate degree at Westminster for the dependent children of U.S. military personnel who were killed in action in Afghanistan or Iraq.

Visit www.gibill.va.gov for more information, or contact Westminster College Financial Aid Director Cheryl Gerber (724-946-6173 or gerberca@westminter.edu).