Yellow Ribbon

The Yellow Ribbon program is an additional amount of funding for qualified Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill ® recipients which is used for any remaining mandatory tuition and fee costs once the annual maximum Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill ® funding has been exceeded.

Emory University has a specific amount of Yellow Ribbon awards available by application on a first come, first serve basis.

YR.1 Yellow Ribbon qualifications

To qualify for Yellow Ribbon funding at Emory the student must complete/comply with all the following:

1. Meet the VA’s Yellow Ribbon qualification standards. Visit the VA standards website and see the Am I Eligible for Yellow Ribbon section. To provide proof that this criterion is met the student must supply a COE which states they qualify for Yellow Ribbon.
2. Email an application with a copy of your COE to your school’s Yellow Ribbon Liaison.
   1. The Yellow Ribbon application can be downloaded from the link below:

      Yellow Ribbon Application

      Send the completed application and a copy of your COE to your school’s Yellow Ribbon Liaison - Click Here

   2. The email addresses for all liaisons can be found in the Participation Table PDF.
3. The school must have an available Yellow Ribbon award for the semester which you enter. Each school has a limited number of Yellow Ribbon awards, and each is filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Submission of an application does not guarantee approval.

Upon receipt, review, and confirmation of the above if you are awarded Yellow Ribbon a liaison will contact you.

Yellow Ribbon awards are posted between the first and second semester certification dates which are listed on the Emory VA Website.

YR.2 How Yellow Ribbon is calculated

When your tuition amount exceeds the maximum annual Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill ® tuition reimbursement amount the school AND the VA will each apply Yellow Ribbon funds towards the excess tuition up to the maximum award amount offered by your school.

Example 1:

• The maximum Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill benefit amount for the 2021-2022 academic year is $26,042.81.
• The maximum Yellow Ribbon award amount for Emory's Undergraduate programs is $7,000.
• If the student's annual mandatory tuition and fees are $31,000.00, $26,042.81 would come from the Chapter 33 Post 9/11 ® funds which would leave a balance of $4,958.00 (rounded)
• Emory would contribute $2,479.00 (rounded)
• The VA would contribute $2,479.00 (rounded)

The combination of both amounts would cover the tuition balance. 

Example 2:

• If the student's annual mandatory tuition and fees are $45,000.00, $26,042.81 would come from the Chapter 33 Post 9/11 funds which would leave a balance of $18,958.00 (rounded)
• Emory would in this case contribute $7,000.00 (the maximum YR award amount)
• The VA would contribute $7,000.00

After the application of all funds there would be a balance of $4,958.00 (rounded) which would be paid out of pocket or by other funding sources.

YR.4 Transferring Between Schools at Emory

Yellow Ribbon awards are unique to and vary between schools at Emory. Each school has a specific number of available awards as well as a maximum amount for each award. Students who move from one school to another during their studies do not carry their Yellow Ribbon award amount and eligibility with them. Students must apply for Yellow Ribbon at each school they attend and are subject to the availability and amount of the school to which they are transferring.

Additional Considerations

• Yellow Ribbon funds are applied as needed, and at the amount needed (not to exceed the maximum amount of your school’s award).
• Emory charges tuition and fees per semester so:
  • You may or may not need to use Yellow Ribbon funds during your first semester
  • You may or may not need the entirety of the maximum Yellow Ribbon amount
• Once you are awarded Yellow Ribbon from your school you do not need to apply for it again. You will receive this funding as long as you still meet the VA qualifications.
• If you are using benefits transferred from a spouse and you exhaust your benefits during the term, the VA will NOT make a matching payment.
• If you fail to notify the SCO that you have exhausted your benefits and you are awarded Yellow Ribbon for a term which you do not qualify you will be required to return those funds to Emory and/or VA
• A total Yellow Ribbon award includes a school portion AND a VA matching portion.