Download any flyer below for more information and dates for veteran-specific events occurring throughout the State of Idaho.

Do you want your organization’s activity or event highlighted on the Idaho SAA webpage? Submit a request along with a downloadable PDF (or PNG) flyer for approval to education@veterans.idaho.gov.

IDAHO VETERANS GUIDE

The Idaho Veterans Guide is an online resource for veterans and their families in need of assistance. The Veterans Resource Guide is a free and open network where veterans and their families have access to a variety of resources from anywhere in the United States.

All programs listed are provided at low or no cost. This guide is also a good resource for scholarship opportunities within Idaho and throughout the United States. Enter a zip code and select the Education tab to search with the following keywords: Scholarship and/or Education Assistance.

NEXT STEPS IDAHO

Next Step’s Idaho is a State of Idaho initiative in partnership with Idaho’s employers and is designed to help Idaho residents understand and pursue educational and career opportunities within the State of Idaho.

Click links for newly added resources on the Next Steps Idaho website:

1. Next Steps Idaho’s Scholarship Directory
2. Next Steps Idaho’s Resume & Cover Letter Builder

HIGHER-ED: SCHOLARSHIPS

• Idaho Scholarships
  • Idaho’s Armed Forces Dependent Scholarship is available for qualifying undergraduate dependents of fallen or permanently disabled members of the armed forces. Applications are open year-round.

• Dependent Scholarships – See the document list’s Quick Reference Flyer at the bottom of this section for full details and links to over 30 scholarship opportunities for Veteran dependents.
• Spousal Scholarships

OTHER HIGHER-ED RESOURCES

• VA Scholarships for Students in Medical and Healthcare Concentrations
  • VA offers scholarships to students looking to work in a VA healthcare facility, serving the nation’s Veterans. The scholarships the VA offers cover many degree and certification pursuits and can help to extend VA education benefits. For more information, check out VA.GOV’s education support webpage.
• Veterans Upward Bound
  • The main focus of Veterans Upward Bound is to assist veterans in the development of academic and other requisite skills necessary for acceptance and success in a program of postsecondary education. The program provides assessment and enhancement of basic skills through counseling, mentoring, tutoring and academic instruction in the core subject areas. The primary goal of the program is to increase the rate at which participants enroll in and complete postsecondary education programs.
    • Veterans Upward Bound at Boise State University
    • Veterans Upward Bound at Idaho State University
• STEM FUNDING
  • National Science Foundation STEM Scholarships for Idaho Students
    • With 5 million to support engineering and computer science students across Idaho, this grant establishes the Center for Advanced Energy Studies Scholars Consortium between Boise State University, the College of Western Idaho, and the College of Southern Idaho. Over 150 low-income students will receive scholarships to begin their academic journeys at CWI or CSI before transferring to BSU, where the scholarship will continue to support their degrees. See this link at BSU’s Center for Advanced Energy Studies for more information.
  • VA STEM Opportunities
    • It may be possible to extend VA education benefits for beneficiaries whose field of study is STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) with the Edith Norse Rogers STEM Scholarship; click the scholarship link to be taken to VA.GOV’s webpage for specifics and criteria for this scholarship opportunity.

• Tutorial Assistance
  • Students may be reimbursed by GI BILL^® for tutoring fees. See VA.GOV’s Tutorial Assistance webpage for qualifying criteria for this education benefit.
• Federal Aid
  • Non-VA resources for educational aid

For questions on payments or the GI Bill® call the Help Line at 1-888-442-4551 or submit a question through the Ask VA portal.

JOB TRAINING RESOURCES

• As an Idaho resident, you may qualify for tuition assistance for training; connect with an Idaho Workforce Development career planner here: Idaho Launch
• At the national level, the U.S. Department of Labor has a comprehensive apprenticeship information page just for Service Members and Veterans | Apprenticeship.gov. Take the time to discover how a registered apprenticeship can be a rewarding pathway to developing in demand workplace and technical skills while earning a paycheck.
• Mission43 is an Idaho-based employment team focused on helping transitioning miliary, veterans, and miliary spouses transition to a new career.
• Hire Heroes USA provides free job search assistance to military members, veterans, and their spouses while helping companies connect with opportunities to hire them. 
• MyCAA – Spousal career advancement certification program. See the My CAA flyer below for more information and links.
• Idaho Department of Labor (IDOL) is a valuable resource for job seekers looking for services, job training or retraining opportunities, and to learn about and applying for unemployment benefits. As resource for Idaho’s employers, there are links that highlight the benefits of and strategies for hiring veterans. Also found on the IDOL website is an event calendar listing job fairs throughout Idaho as well as classes to prepare for and practice interviewing skills, help with resume writing, strategies for maximizing job searches, and more.
• The Idaho Veterans Chamber of Commerce, IDVCC, provides a navigation network for veterans, serving military, and their families providing community resources that focuses primarily on entrepreneurship and workforce management but may also assist with need-based housing and family wellness.

IMPORTANT GI BILL® LINKS & FORMS

• VA’s SOLID START website – VA is committed to supporting every service member transitioning from service. Check out the website for more information and useful quick links.

VA.GOV to access and manage your VA benefits.

To provide feedback to the VA on the GI Bill® use the VA GI Bill® Feedback System.

To appeal a VA Education decision, follow the instructions on your VA correspondence. You may also go to this website, VA Decision Reviews And Appeals | Veterans Affairs, for more information on how to appeal a VA education decision.

Review of prior credit and granting credit as appropriate is found in Title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, Sections 21.4253(d)(3) and 21.4254(c)(4) and requires every approved school and employer to have and enforce a policy with regard to transfer of courses, credits, and previous experience.

• The certifying official at an approved school or place of employment is responsible for obtaining and maintaining prior credit records (from the military, post-secondary schools, On-the-Job training or Apprenticeship training and vocational career schools in the form of a transcript issued by the organization) showing that prior credit review was conducted, and when appropriate, awarded.

To request military transcripts, use the links below:

• JOINT SERVICES TRANSCRIPTS
  • The beneficiary may request copies of their military transcripts for Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy: Active Duty, Reserve and Veterans
  • Schools or Employer may also register to request copies of military transcripts for Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy: Active Duty, Reserve and Veterans

• AIR FORCE
  • The beneficiary may request copies of their military transcripts from Air Force
• THE ACE MILITARY GUIDE
  • American Council on Education (ACE) Military Guide
  • Guide to Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Forces
• FOR MORE INFORMATON ABOUT MILITARY TRANSCRIPTS, CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE VETS.GOV WEBSITE.

PROTECT EDUCATION BENEFITS

The Idaho SAA and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are committed to protecting Veterans and their beneficiaries from various forms of fraud aimed at stealing earned benefits. Education benefits, such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, help Veterans pay for college, graduate school, and training programs. While there are many educational institutions that provide great opportunities as the next step for Veterans after their military service, there are also institutions that use misleading practices to target Veterans and their dependents.

What you can do to help VA protect your benefits:

• Choose GI Bill® Approved Schools. Use the WEAMS Institution Search Tool to find GI Bill approved schools.
• Using the GI Bill® Comparison Tool. Compare the benefits they’ll receive at different schools. If you have a concern or complaint regarding any school or training center, you may also use the GI Bill® Feedback Tool to make VA aware of an issue.
• Learn about the Principles of Excellence Program. This program requires schools that receive federal funding through programs such as the GI Bill® to follow certain guidelines.  
• Find schools that take part in the Yellow Ribbon Program. This program can help Veterans pay for school costs not covered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill®.    

What Can You Do If You Suspect Fraud?

• To report suspected fraud, please contact the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) at VAOIG Hotline.
• You may also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission by visiting reportfraud.ftc.gov.
• If you miss a VA benefits payment, identify a discrepancy in payments, or find suspicious activity with your direct deposit account, contact the VA immediately at 1-800-827-1000.

FOR VETERANS AND QUALIFIED BENEFICIARIES

Submitting your application online is the preferred method to apply for VA education benefits.

• Submit your online application here https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/.

• You will be asked to provide the applicant’s basic information along with your, or your sponsor’s, military service information and direct deposit banking/routing information.
• It takes approximately 30 days for the VA to review your application and issue a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) letter.
  • COE letters are physically mailed to the address you listed on your application.  
• If you have trouble with the online application, contact the GI Bill® Help Line:1-888-GIBill1 (1-888-442-4551).

Process to submit a paper application:

• You may elect to submit a paper application by calling 1-888-442-4551 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET) and request an application be sent to you.
• Once filled it out, you will be required mail it to the VA regional claims processing office that’s in the same location as your school.
  • Get a list of regional claims processing offices.

Only the VA can determine eligibility; for more information about each specific GI Bill® chapter go to VA’s Education Programs webpage. NOTE: There is more than one VA education program under the GI Bill® (called chapters). Beneficiaries may qualify for just one chapter or for more than one chapter, so it is best to take the time to research how to utilize qualifying education benefits in a way that supports your personal education and career goals.

If seeking reimbursement for or planning to register for an approved licensing and certification test and/or preparatory (prep) course, search WEAMS for the name of the of program by selecting ‘both’ for the LAC Category Type from the dropdown. If searching a licensing or certification test and/or prep course offered in a specific state, narrow the search by clicking the state on the map. If the licensing or certification test and/or prep course is approved by the SAA (State Approving Agency), then the licensing or certification test and/or prep course will be found on this table; a licensing or certification test and/or prep course must be listed on this table before proceeding to one of the steps below:

AT AN IHL (INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING):

The SAA approves licensing and certification tests as well as prep courses at participating two- and four-year institutions of higher learning (IHL).

• Click here for guidance on licensing or certifications testing fees at an IHL.
• Click here for guidance on prep course fees at an IHL.

The links above will open another tab on your browser to VA’s website which has additional information required to move forward.

WHEN APPROVED PREPARATORY COURSE, LICENSE, OR CERTIFICATION IS OFFERED BY OTHER TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS:

Once confirmed that the prep course or licensing/certification test completed is listed on WEAMS, and if the prep course or licensing/certification test is offered by an organization that is not an IHL, you may request a reimbursement: To submit a request for reimbursement of an approved licensing or certification test and/or prep-course fee, download and save (to your personal device) before completing the appropriate fillable PDF VA form below.

Instructions on how to complete and submit (completed) reimbursement forms to VA are on the forms themselves.

If a prep-course, license, or certification is not listed on WEAMS, please email education@veterans.idaho.gov to request more information.

The GI Bill® can be used in support of OJT (On-the-Job Training) and Apprenticeships, provided the training program is approved by the State Approving Agency.  This is industry-based training in which a Veteran or eligible beneficiary earns a regular wage while training for a designated skill or trade and also receives tax-free GI Bill® benefits. OJT’s and Apprenticeships offer a variety of training experiences, and a majority of trades are approvable providing that the establishment can satisfy the approval criteria.

• An OJT program is acceptable in length when it is at least six months, but not more than two years of full-time training per 38 CFR 21.4262(c)(3). 
• An APP is a program that ranges from two years to five years, or 2,000 to 10,000 hours in length and requires related training from an institution.

Use the GI Bill® Comparison Tool to compare facilities and which GI Bill® chapter works best for you.

EMPLOYERS
Organizations that hire veterans have higher retention rates because veterans:

• possess proven leadership skills
• have a strong work ethic
• possess an ability to work well under pressure

If you are an Idaho employer and would like more information on the OJT or Apprenticeship program approval process, email your request for information on the application process in Idaho to education@veterans.idaho.gov.

Being a veteran-ready organization requires employers to meet standards of excellence in recruitment, hiring, and retention of America’s military veterans. To learn more about the U.S. Department of Labor’s HIRE Vets Medallion Award, see the Hire Veterans | Apprenticeship.gov webpage.

IHL (Institute of Higher Learning): Universities, colleges, community colleges, technical and/or business schools, offering instruction at the post-secondary level, which leads to an associate (or higher) degree. To be eligible for approval, the institution must be empowered by the appropriate state education authority (under state law) or accredited by a recognized accrediting agency to grant such degrees. This designation also includes hospitals that offer educational programs at the post-secondary level.

NCD (Non-College Degree programs): This category includes certificate programs, which do not lead to a standard college degree (program or course completion that is acknowledged by certificate or diploma). NCD programs are normally offered at community colleges, cosmetology institutions, business institutions, hospitals, trade, vocational, or career schools.

• High Schools are also able to apply with the Idaho SAA to have their program approved under Title 38 USC §3675 as an NCD. If your dependent is eligible for Survivors & Dependent Education Assistance (aka – DEA or Chapter 35), those students may qualify to receive up to five extra months of benefits in addition to the 36 months while enrolled an approved high school.

Use the GI Bill® Comparison Tool to compare facilities and which GI Bill® chapter works best for you.

To apply to become an approved IHL or NCD, please email education@veterans.idaho.gov to request an application.

Courses in bartending, yoga instruction, and personality development are avocational as well as recreational in character and are specifically prohibited from approval by law; 38 CFR 21.4252(a).

The primary function of the VA Certifying Official (aka SCO) is to inform the VA of all enrollments as well as changes to enrollments or changes at the approved facility within 30 days of the change [see Public Law 118-210 section 206 (a)(b) and (c)].

• Report all changes be to a beneficiary’s enrollment to include but not limited to:
  • New enrollments
  • Leave of Absences, withdrawals, or terminations
  • Change in tuition and fees
  • Change in reported hours as well as enrollment start or end date

• Report facility specific changes, such as but not limited to:
  • Change of certifying officials
  • Change in policies or procedures
  • Change of owner or address
  • Changes in accreditation or licensing status
  • Substantial changes to the facility’s policies or procedures

VA Certifying Officials are required to report beneficiary-specific updates or changes to enrollments electronically on VA’s Enrollment Manager. Effective July 1st, 2023, VA will no longer accept hardcopy paper or PDF enrollment certifications on behalf of beneficiaries.

OTHER RESPONSIBLITIES OF VA CERTIFYING OFFICIALS

Additionally, VA Certifying Officials are required to appropriately review prior credit of all enrolled beneficiaries: The certifying official is responsible for obtaining and maintaining prior credit records (from the military, post-secondary schools, OJT and Apprenticeship training, and vocational career schools in the form of a transcript issued by the organization) showing that prior credit review was conducted, and when appropriate, awarded. See the “Requesting Military Transcripts” tab above for details on requesting military transcripts.

SCO RESOURCES AND FORMS

IHL-NCD Certifying Official’s Handbook

OJT-APP Certifying Official’s Handbook

Veterans Readiness & Employment (VR&E) Certifying Official’s Handbook

VA’s Resources for Certifying Officials

VA’s revised and updated SCO Resource Matrix

VA’s frequently updated GovDelivery Archives

22-8794 Designation of Certifying Officials

• Submitted by an approved facility within 30 days of changes to its certifying official’s and/or read-only official’s information. You may contact this office (education@veterans.idaho.gov) or the ELR of jurisdiction for the most current 22-8794 form.

• APPRENTICESHIP’s and ON-THE-JOB TRAINING FACILITITES:
  • APP and OJT Sample Tracker – Used by the Veteran or beneficiary to track the hours listed on the training outline.

IDAHO STATE APPROVING AGENCY TEAM