Yellow Ribbon
The Yellow Ribbon Program is a partnership between Hawai‘i Pacific University and the Department of Veteran Affairs to supplement the tuition benefit of the Post-9/11 GI Bill ®.
For the 2023-2024 VA academic year, which began on August 1, 2023 and ends on July 31, 2024, the Yellow Ribbon program (HPU funds plus VA funds) covered an additional $29,200 ($14,600 from HPU plus $14,600 from the VA) in approved tuition and fees expenses for all required courses in an approved degree program.
The Yellow Ribbon program for the 2024-2025 VA academic year is a combined amount of $29,600 for undergraduate programs. Yellow Ribbon amounts for graduate programs are listed below by degree level and college:
Degree Level |
College |
Total HPU & VA |
Graduate |
College of Business |
$14,000.00 |
Graduate |
College of Health Sciences |
$2,000.00 |
Doctoral |
College of Health Sciences |
$2,000.00 |
Graduate |
College of Liberal Arts |
$14,000.00 |
Doctoral |
College of Liberal Arts |
$16,000.00 |
Graduate |
College of Natural and Computational Sciences |
$18,000.00 |
Graduate |
College of Professional Studies |
$14,000.00 |
Graduate |
School of Nursing |
$18,000.00 |
Doctoral |
School of Nursing |
$2,000.00 |
TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A YELLOW RIBBON SCHOLARSHIP, YOU MUST:
- Be a veteran or family member the VA has determined to be 100% eligible for benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill®. Beginning August 1st, 2022, active duty service members and spouses of active duty service members qualify for Yellow Ribbon while the service member is active duty.
- Be an HPU student in good academic standing
- Be in a VA-approved degree program
- Be registered for classes at Hawai‘i Pacific University (your courses must apply to your degree program), and
- Successfully complete all registered classes – you may be required to repay HPU and the VA for the tuition for any class you fail or drop after the term begins. The HPU School Certifying Officials will request Yellow Ribbon payments when required.
TO HAVE THE PAYMENTS APPLIED TO THE TUITION AND FEES, YOU MUST:
- Complete the Request for Veteran Enrollment Certification (RVEC) form for your classes. This form must be completely filled out each term the student wishes to use GI Bill®
- If this is your first time using Post-9/11 Benefits at HPU, you must attach your certificate of eligibility (COE) from the VA that verifies you are 100% eligible for veteran benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill®.
- Remember to re-certify each subsequent semester or term.
You can email required documents to: va@hpu.edu
We strongly encourage students wishing to use Yellow Ribbon funds to fill out the Request for Veteran Enrollment Certification at least six weeks before the semester begins, as it may take 4-6 weeks for the VA to process your application. We are not responsible for processing delays. We cannot approve you for Yellow Ribbon funds without your eligibility paperwork from the VA. If you choose to register for classes prior to finalizing your paperwork, you may personally responsible for tuition balances and any late fees on your account. If you have any questions and/or concerns you may also contact HPU's VA Coordinator directly at va@hpu.edu or at (808) 356-5222.
‘‘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."