Veterans Education Benefits
Tufts University Information for Veterans: https://provost.tufts.edu/institutionalresearch/veterans/
Please visit the Tufts University Information for Veterans webpage for all Tufts University students and prospective students. Cummings Veterinary School contact information and additional resources are provided below.
If you are an active duty service member, veteran, military reserve, or in some cases, the child or spouse of a veteran, you may be eligible for education benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help pay tuition, fees, books, housing expenses, licensing and testing fees as well as other forms of support. The VA determines eligibility for all veterans education benefits, including the amount per eligible category and the length of time you are eligible to receive benefits.
Contact the VA if you have questions about your benefits. You may contact the VA online through AskVA, or call the GI Bill® Hotline at 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) TTY 711. Outside of the US, please call +1-918-781-5678. Additional information is provided through the links below and through va.gov/education.
- Chapter 33: Post-9/11 GI Bill®: Active duty service members and veterans can qualify for up to 36 months of benefit. The benefit may also be transferred to qualifying dependents. Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) Payment Rates can be found here.
- Chapter 31: Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E): Veterans who have at least a 10% disability rating are eligible to apply through the VA.
- Chapter 35: Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance: Children or spouses of a service member or Veteran who died, is captured, missing, or is permanently disabled as a result of their service may be eligible.
- Chapter 30: Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD): Benefit for active duty service members and veterans who served at least two years. This benefit is not transferable to dependents.
- Chapter 1606: Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR): Benefit for members of the National Guard or Reserves.
- Yellow Ribbon Program: Cummings Veterinary School does not participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Use the interactive VA GI Bill® Comparison Tool to view an estimate of tuition, fees and VA benefits based on your plan study and compare the information for all schools you are considering.
- Review the full cost of education based on the total length of the program
- Apply for non-loan financial aid including:
- Cummings Veterinary School financial aid
- State student aid
- Federal student aid
- Outside/private scholarships
- Consider your expected student loan debt/repayment obligations/anticipated income
For a determination of VA benefit eligibility, complete the online Application for VA Education Benefits (VA Form 22-1990).
After a determination of eligibility, the VA will provide you with a Certificate of Eligibility. There are additional actions you must take to notify the school of your plans to utilize your VA education benefits.
- Send a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility to Cummings School VA Certifying official sarah.hurd@tufts.edu.
- The school certifying official will certify your tuition and fees through the VA ONCE database.
- If you are receiving tuition assistance, notify the Cummings Financial Aid Office (vet-finaid@tufts.edu) of the amount you expect to receive. The amount of your expected VA benefit payment will be reflected as a Pending Credit on your university tuition account until the actual payment is receive by the school from the VA.
- Following the school’s certification of costs and enrollment, the VA will submit payment to the school for any benefits directly paying tuition.
- Students receiving VA benefits will not incur late fees associated with delayed VA benefit payments.
- Students receiving VA benefits may be eligible for an advance of funds through the school if a delay in a VA benefit payment impacts the release of a living expense refund. Contact vet-finaid@tufts.edu for an Advance of Funds.
Cummings Veterinary School Registrar – VA Certifying Official
Contact Sarah Hurd, https://vet.tufts.edu/registrars-office – sarah.hurd@tufts.edu for school enrollment certification
Cummings Veterinary School Financial Aid Office
The Financial Aid Office provides information about costs, financial aid resources, and provides loan counseling. Financial planning includes considering the cost of your program for the full length of the program, planning for living expenses and estimating student loan debt. You may be eligible for Cummings Veterinary School institutional financial aid, state financial aid as well as federal student aid, which consists of federal student loans and Federal Work Study. Contact vet-finaid@tufts.edu or reach out the Veterinary Student Affairs Office at 508-839-8733 if you have any questions about financial aid.
Addition Resources
- Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Regional Processing Offices
- U.S. Department of Education: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Federal Student Aid
- Cummings Veterinary Admissions Office (admissions & curriculum information)
- DVM Licensure
- Tufts Office of Equal Opportunity (for information about disability accommodations)
- Tufts Student Administration & Health Office (health insurance information, mental health resources)
- Tufts University Health Sciences Bursar’s Office (student billing, living expense refunds)
(GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.)