Veterans and members of the U.S. armed forces may be able to take advantage of numerous student financial aid programs, according to KHEAA. The federal government also offers programs for the dependents of veterans and service members. Federal programs include:

• GI Bill benefits, first passed in 1944 for veterans of World War Two. The federal government offers several versions, with benefits that vary according to when you entered service, when you left the service and other criteria. More changes are coming as the result of the Forever GI Bill, passed in 2017. Visit https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/ for more information about your options.

• Federal Tuition Assistance, for active duty members of all branches of the armed forces, including the Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserves. For more information, contact the college financial aid office or the unit education officer.

• Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants, for students who had a parent or guardian die as a result of military service in Iraq or Afghanistan after September 10, 2001. For more information, look under Types of Aid at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/.

KHEAA is a public, non-profit agency established in 1966 to improve students’ access to college. It provides information about financial aid and financial literacy at no cost to students and parents. KHEAA also helps colleges manage their student loan default rates and verify information submitted on the FAFSA. For more information about those services, visit www.kheaa.com.