Tuition Assistance

Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard members may be eligible for Tuition Assistance. Each branch of the military establishes its respective criteria. Military members must initiate the Tuition Assistance application process. Contact your Education Service Officer for specific details.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using DoD Tuition Assistance at WIU

We strongly recommend starting this process at least 4 weeks before the semester starts.

  1. Apply for admission to WIU.
  2. Meet with your Education Services Officer (ESO) for a briefing on TA.
  3. Meet with your academic advisor and register for courses.
  4. Upload your degree plan to your service component’s TA portal.
  5. Log into your branch education portal and follow their process for enrolling and requesting TA (see below for portal links). You will need to make a separate request for each course with a unique start date.
  6. If your branch does not automatically forward your TA authorization to WIU, send your ESO-approved forms to veteransresources@wiu.edu.
Service Branch TA Portals

Each branch of the service has a specific TA process. Please select your branch portal below for the most up-to-date information.

Unearned Tuition Assistance Policy

Unearned TA funds will be returned to the government according to the following:

  • 16-week courses:
    • Before or during week 1&2=100%
    • During week 3=80%
    • During week 4=70%
    • During week 5 & 6=60%
    • During week 7 & 8=50%
    • During week 9=40%, (60% completion point)
    • After week 10= no return.
  • 8-week courses:
    • Before or during week 1=100%
    • During week 2=70%
    • During week 3=60%
    • During week 4=50%, (60% completion point)
    • After week 5= no return.
Federal Student Financial Aid

Various federal financial aid programs are available through the U.S. Department of Education, including the Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, College Work-Study, and Stafford Student Loans.

All veterans and service members are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.

For more information about the cost of attendance, go to https://www.wiu.edu/student_success/financial_aid/costs/FinancialAidBudgets.php.

Contact Information

Macomb Campus

Veterans Resource Center
Wright Residence, 333 N. Ward Street
Macomb, IL 61455

Phone: (309) 298-3505
Fax: (309) 298-3509
Email: VeteransResources@wiu.edu

Hours: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM each weekday

Quad Cities Campus