Coding Bootcamps for Veterans: Top GI Bill and VET TEC Bootcamps

Many active-duty military personnel are eager to pursue meaningful civilian work after they serve, and education is often the first step. Whether veterans choose to attend a vocational school, college, or a coding bootcamp, GI Bill benefits are there to help cover the cost. Coding bootcamps that accept the GI Bill are an appealing gateway for vets to enter the tech industry.

But what is the GI Bill, and how can it help veterans pay for a coding bootcamp? Depending on your eligibility, you can a expect partial or full tuition waiver, a monthly housing stipend, and a textbook stipend. This guide covers how to use your benefits, which in-person and online coding bootcamps accept the GI Bill, and how VET TEC benefits can also pay for bootcamp training.

Table of Contents

1. Coding Bootcamps That Accept the GI Bill
2. How Much is the GI Bill Worth?
3. Can I Use GI Bill Benefits to Pay for Coding Bootcamps
4. How to Use My GI Bill
5. Coding Bootcamps That Accept VET TEC 
6. What Is VET TEC?
7. Who Is Eligible for VET TEC
8. How to Apply for a VET TEC-approved School
9. VET TEC vs GI Bill
10. What Other Funding Is Available for Veterans at Coding Bootcamps?

Key Takeaways

• GI Bill benefits are available to veterans for pursuing education, including coding bootcamps.
• GI Bill covers tuition, fees, housing allowance, and textbook stipends depending on eligibility.
• Veterans can use GI Bill benefits for approved coding bootcamps since the 2017 Forever GI Bill update.
• VET TEC is a program under the Forever GI Bill designed to help veterans learn technical skills.
• VET TEC covers tuition and housing costs for certain vocational programs without using up GI Bill benefits.
• To qualify for a VET TEC coding bootcamp, veterans must have one day of unexpired GI Bill benefits.
• Veterans have other options to finance a coding bootcamp, including scholarships and tuition discounts.

Coding Bootcamps That Accept the GI Bill

From General Assembly to Galvanize, there are dozens of coding bootcamps that accept GI Bill funding for student veterans. These programs include in-person and online courses. The table below shows the GI Bill coding bootcamps where you can use these educational benefits, as well as which programs are eligible.

How Much Is the GI Bill Worth?

The GI Bill is worth the full cost of tuition and fees for an in-state student attending a public school or up to $26,380 per year at a private school plus a monthly housing stipend for up to 36 months. Exactly how much the GI Bill is worth varies from person to person, but GI Bill benefits can pay for an entire bachelor’s degree at a four-year college or a coding bootcamp program.

Can I Use GI Bill Benefits to Pay for Coding Bootcamp?

Yes, the GI Bill will pay for coding bootcamps. However, the coding bootcamp must be approved by the VA to qualify for this type of funding.

The ability to use the GI Bill for bootcamps is a recent development since bootcamps themselves are a relatively new form of education. Only since the 2017 Forever GI Bill update have students been able to use their GI Bill benefits for a coding bootcamp. However, there are already many coding bootcamps that can accept GI Bill funding.

The GI Bill has always paid for programs at community colleges or universities because a key goal of the bill was to help veterans access higher education. GI Bill benefits have also always been used for vocational programs like police academies, welding schools, and truck driving programs. Coding bootcamps are an extension of the GI Bill’s longstanding commitment to increasing veterans’ access to career training.

How to Use My GI Bill

If you have decided to earn a degree in software development or attend a web design bootcamp, you’re probably wondering how to use your GI Bill. It is relatively simple to use your GI bill benefits, but make sure you start the application process early. Here are four easy steps to using your GI Bill:

1. Begin the college or coding bootcamp application process: Before you begin the GI Bill application, you will first need to apply and be accepted into one of the colleges or coding bootcamps that accept GI Bill benefits. Find your top choices, reach out to their admissions counselors to determine if your GI Bill benefits will work, and apply as usual. 
2. Begin the VA application process: Once you have been accepted into your college, bootcamp, or training provider of choice, you will need to begin the VA GI Bill application process. You can find the application on the VA education benefits homepage. It can be a bit confusing the first time, so don’t hesitate to call the GI Bill Hotline at 888-442-4551 and ask a representative how to use your GI Bill.
3. Receive and submit a certificate of eligibility: After submitting your application for benefits, you will begin the waiting game. It typically takes at least two weeks to hear back about your application, though experienced GI Bill users will tell you not to expect any news for a month or so. If approved, you will receive a certificate of eligibility (CoE) in the mail, and/or by email. You will then need to submit the CoE to your school immediately.
4. Request benefit certification: Once the school has received your CoE, you will need to request certification of your benefits. This is usually a form you can get from your school or bootcamp’s Office of Veteran Affairs. This allows the school and the VA to sync up and get your benefits rolling.

Coding Bootcamps That Accept VET TEC

Several coding bootcamps are on the list of VET TEC-approved programs. You can use VET TEC benefits to pay for coding bootcamp programs as long as you have at least one day left of GI Bill benefits. Keep in mind that generally only full-time bootcamp programs are eligible for VET TEC funding. Some VET TEC-eligible coding bootcamps are:

What Is VET TEC?

As a result of the Forever GI Bill, the Department of Veterans Affairs has launched the Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC) program. This program is intended to help veterans learn skills for technical vocations to help them thrive in the modern economy. To apply for the VA’s VET TEC program, veterans need only one day of unexpired GI Bill benefits. 

Through VET TEC, the VA covers tuition and housing costs for certain vocational programs. VET TEC doesn’t use up GI Bill benefits. Veterans who are eligible for the VET TEC program will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until funding for the program has been spent. Check for up-to-date information about VET TEC funding availability on the VA website.

Who Is Eligible for VET TEC?

You can apply for a VET TEC-approved program if you meet ALL the following requirements:

• You have already retired from active duty or you are still on active duty but within 180 days of retirement
• You qualify for training assistance under the GI Bill
• You have at least one day of unexpired GI Bill benefits
• You have been admitted into a training program approved by the US Department of Veteran Affairs (VA)

How to Apply for a VET TEC-Approved School

You can apply for the VET TEC program by following these steps:

1. Apply for the VET TEC program on VA’s official site
2. If the VA determines you are eligible, apply for the VET TEC-approved program you would like to attend
3. If you’ve never applied for VA education benefits, you will also need to fill out an application for these benefits. You can fill out a paper or digital form.

VET TEC vs GI Bill

Both VET TEC and GI Bill educational benefits can be used to help veterans reskill for a career in tech. The table below runs through the main similarities and differences between the two programs.

What Other Funding Is Available for Veterans at Coding Bootcamps?

If you only partially qualify or do not qualify for funding under the GI Bill or VET TEC, there are other options available. Some coding bootcamps have special tuition discounts or scholarships for veterans, and private veteran support organizations also have scholarships for military spouses, military children, and veterans.

Additionally, some bootcamps have programs to ease the transition from duty to civilian life. A good example is Springboard and its Veteran Fellows program, which aims to provide guidance and support to ex-military as they build their new careers.

Scholarships for Veterans

Many bootcamps offer scholarships to veterans and military workers who are interested in acquiring skills in coding and technology. Scholarships are competitive programs that students need to apply for and demonstrate financial need, academic excellence, or a combination of the two. Scholarships offered at coding bootcamps for veterans include:

Tuition Discounts for Veterans

Scholarships are financial assistance programs that you need to apply for, but a veteran’s discount for coding bootcamp is an automatic credit towards your tuition. You don’t need to do anything special to qualify for a tuition discount for veterans, simply enrolling in the program and giving proof of your veteran status is enough.

• Claim Academy: Veterans who enroll in the Full Stack program get a $500 discount on tuition.
• DigitalCrafts: Enrolled student veterans get a $1,500 tuition discount for full-time programs and a $1,000 tuition discount for part-time programs.
• Fullstack Academy: Fullstack Academy veteran students are eligible to participate in the VET TEC program, but veterans who choose not to use VET TEC and who pay the full cost of tuition upfront get a $1,000 tuition discount.
• Thinkful: Student veterans at Thinkful can get a tuition discount between $200 and $500, depending on the program.
• LearningFuze: Veterans who sign up for a LearningFuze program automatically receive a $500 tuition discount.

The Future of Coding Bootcamp GI Bill Funding

The GI Bill has enabled millions of veterans to access continuing education, which in turn has allowed them to earn higher salaries and become more financially stable. Today, the GI Bill continues to significantly impact the economy, opening up access to education and housing benefits for many more veterans.

Due to its success, it is likely that this type of funding will expand in the coming years. In fact, as part of the Isakson and Roe Act of 2020, funding for VET TEC is increasing from $15 million each year to $45 million. We are also likely to see the list of coding bootcamps that accept the GI Bill or VET TEC program continue to grow. All in all, the future of this type of funding seems secure.

If you are in the final months of your military service or have already retired, using the GI Bill or VET TEC for a coding bootcamp is a short, affordable way to pursue a tech career. The bootcamps that we highlighted in this article are the best of the best when it comes to meeting the needs of veterans and active military personnel, so do not hesitate to send in your application.

GI Bill Coding Bootcamp FAQ