Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce DevelopmentMilitary & Veteran Resources
The state of Missouri values those who serve in uniform in our state and the veterans who have chosen to live here. Several valuable programs exist at the state level and in Missouri's institutions of higher education that provide opportunities for financial aid, the award of educational credits, and job placement.
Resources for Veteran Job Seekers
Workforce staff are available in Missouri Job Centers statewide to provide a full array of employment services to assist veterans. Stop by a Job Center for personal assistance to overcome barriers to employment and learn more about programs for veterans.
Resources for Students
The Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development (MDHEWD), in collaboration with the Midwestern Higher Education Compact and the University of Missouri—St. Louis, released a College Handbook for Missouri Veterans in 2019. The handbook was written by Missouri student veterans for their peers and provides resources and information about federal and state programs for veterans, as well as space for colleges to add campus-specific information. Additional resources can be found on the Journey to College student veterans webpage.
Financial Aid
If you have served in active or reserve duty in the United States Armed Forces and were discharged or separated under a condition other than a dishonorable discharge, you may be eligible for educational assistance benefits, including the Missouri Returning Heroes tuition discount or the Wartime Veteran's Survivor Grant.
Credit Articulation
In 2013, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon signed into law SB 106, which required the Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE) to adopt a policy requiring every public institution of higher education to award educational credits for courses that are part of a veteran student’s military training or service (see §173.1158, RSMo). The course must meet the standards of the American Council on Education (ACE) or equivalent standards for awarding academic credit and be determined by the academic department or appropriate faculty of the awarding institution to be equivalent in content or experience to courses at the institution. For additional information, please contact the military and veterans services office at the institution at which you intend to apply or are currently enrolled.
Directory of Military & Veterans Services
Residency
In 2009, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon signed into law HB 427, which grants in-state tuition at Missouri public institutions of higher education to dependents of active-duty military personnel, or activated or temporarily mobilized reservists or guard members, who reside in this state (see §173.1155, RSMo). In 2013, Governor Nixon signed into law SB 117, which authorized any individual who is in the process of separating from any branch of the military with an honorable discharge or a general discharge to be granted student resident status for purposes of admission and tuition at any public institution in the state (see §173.1150, RSMo). To be eligible for student resident status, individuals must demonstrate presence and declare residency within the State of Missouri. For additional information, please see 6 CSR 10-3.010(4).
In 2014, President Barack Obama signed into law the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 (“Choice Act”), which requires all public universities and colleges to offer in-state tuition rates to veterans making use of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits who live in the state where the institution they intend to enroll is located, regardless of formal in-state residence status. Spouses and dependent children using transferred benefits or benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship also qualify for in-state tuition rates. Beginning August 1, 2022, all public institutions of higher education must extend in-state residency status to Chapter 35 recipients, as required by Public Law 117-68. For additional information, please see the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
To confirm your eligibility for residency, contact the Registrar’s Office at the institution at which you intend to apply or are currently enrolled.
Resources for Institutions
Partnership Opportunities
Air University operates two partnerships with civilian academic institutions. The first is the General Education Mobile (GEM) Program, which provides Air and Space Force Professionals with general education courses to fulfill the 15 semester hours of the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree general education requirements. Partnering schools must offer at least one, but no more than ten, general education courses in each of Oral Communication, Written Communication, Mathematics, Social Science, and Humanities disciplines.
The second partnership opportunity is the Air University Associate to Baccalaureate Cooperative (AU-ABC), which provides Air and Space Force Professionals with online/distance learning baccalaureate degree opportunities. CCAF graduates can earn a baccalaureate degree by completing (in most cases) no more than 60 additional semester hours beyond the CCAF AAS.
For more information on either of these programs, please reach out to Air University’s Program Manager at ccaf.decm@us.af.mil.
The MDHEWD, in partnership with the Missouri Behavioral Health Alliance and the Missouri Department of Mental Health—Division of Behavioral Health, created a Student Veteran Center Guide to assist institutions in meeting the needs of student veterans. The resource details how to create a Student Veteran Center and outlines a number of best practices in behavioral health, education, employment, and social support services.
Multi-State Collaborative on Military Credit
Missouri is one of 13 states convened by the Midwest Higher Education Compact to participate in the Multi-State Collaborative on Military Credit. The collaborative was formed with funding from the Lumina Foundation and Strada Education Network to advance best practices that are designed to ease the transition of veterans and their families from military life to college campuses.
Initiatives
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