Military Friendly Colleges in Idaho

Transitioning from the pace and stress of military life can be difficult. Having a plan and a great deal of support can help you make the transition manageable. The Idaho Division of Veterans Services, working alongside the state’s military friendly colleges and universities, is committed to providing educational opportunities and support to the many men and women throughout Idaho who have devoted their time and talent to serving in the military. Home to military friendly colleges, gorgeous landscapes and the support systems veterans and service members need, Idaho is an ideal state in which to earn a degree and prepare for life after the military.

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Military Education Benefits Offered Through the Idaho Division of Veterans Services (IDVS) and Military Friendly Colleges in Idaho

As you know, all military veterans are eligible for educational benefits through the GI Bill®, which covers not only tuition and fees, but also housing costs and other expenses like books and supplies.

But what you may not know is that there are a variety of other programs available through the Idaho Division of Veterans Services that provide additional help and support, both financial and otherwise. These benefits are there to augment federal programs, and for vets who may not meet full GI Bill® eligibility requirements, they can be a life-line.

State Education Assistance Program (SEAP)

All Idaho National Guard members and qualifying family members are eligible for the Idaho National Guard State Education Assistance Program (SEAP), which provides an additional $4,000 for tuition and registration fees at any school in Idaho. It is awarded at the end of each academic term and can only be used to cover tuition and registration fees not covered by FTA or Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill®) programs.

To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:

Be a member of Idaho National Guard
Have graduated from Basic Military/Combat Training
Have no more than 4 unexcused absences during the last 12 months
Have never been flagged for adverse action
Have passed most recent physical fitness test and meet the height and weight requirements
Have more than two years of service remaining on start date of class
Must maintain your student status, with good academic standing (minimum grade of “C” in all classes), throughout the entirety of the course/term in which SEAP funds have been requested

Idaho Operation Education Scholarship Program

The University of Idaho offers the Operation Education Scholarship Program® to severely injured service members and their spouses.

The program is there to offer financial support beyond federal benefits programs, covering the cost of not just tuition, books, and other fees, but also on-campus housing, transportation, medical assistance, childcare, adaptive equipment, mentoring and tutoring, academic and career planning, internships, and job placement assistance.

To be eligible, you must be an honorably discharged veteran who:

Priority is given to veterans whose injury and disabilities are the direct result of action in a combat zone.

To apply, contact your desired school’s registrar’s office and ask for an application. Universities will be accepting applications for the fall semester as soon as March 1^st and October 1^st for the spring semester. Applying as soon as possible is always recommended.

Idaho In-state Tuition for Service Members, Veterans, and Spouses

For any Idaho National Guard Service Member, veteran, or spouse stationed in Idaho, the state of Idaho (under Idaho Statute §33-3717B) will grant you residency – for educational purposes – allowing you access to in-state tuition rates and Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits (which do not cover out-of-state tuition costs).

That means that although you are still a resident of your home state, while stationed in Idaho, you are able to attend an Idaho college or university, using your Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits, as well as any other Idaho specific military benefits (such as SEAP).

To be eligible for in-state tuition, you must meet one the following requirements:

Be a service member who entered the U.S. Armed Forces as an Idaho resident, has maintained their residency, but has been stationed outside the state of Idaho. Spouses included.

Be a service member in the U.S. Armed Forces who has been stationed in Idaho. Spouses included.

Be a member or spouse of a member of the Idaho National Guard

Be a service member who, after at least two years of service, separated from the U.S. Armed Forces under honorable conditions and has been accepted into an Idaho public institution within one year of separation.

To apply for in-state tuition, contact your desired school’s registrar’s office as soon as possible. They will provide you with a list of the required worksheets and documents needed to apply. Then, submit the required paperwork as quickly as possible, ideally before July 1 (fall semester) and December 1 (spring semester).

Veterans Upward Bound (VUB)

Offered by Boise State, this VA program is designed to help veterans prepare for and succeed in post-secondary education by providing tutoring, individual and group instructional programs, career planning, and other services such as help with college applications, financial aid, and more. This service is FREE to Veterans living in the Treasure Valley area.

You can apply online by heading to the Boise State homepage and searching for “Veterans Upward Bound” at the top of the page. “Apply for VUB here” will appear at the right side of the page.

Idaho Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children (MIC3)

Military members with families face the reality of frequent moves and deployments. To help, MIC3 provides support for children in transition by cutting through the red tape and ensuring your child has the best chance of educational success. Supports include, but are not limited to:

Facilitating prompt enrollment of children of military families, including the transfer of records, to ensure purposeful and timely care of their educational needs,
Overseeing and ensuring that children of military families do not feel or experience any disadvantages due to attendance requirements, scheduling, grading or grade transfers, course content, and assessment,
Ensuring children are eligible to participate in school programs and extracurricular activities,
Quickly certifying and implementing an on-time graduation for any transferred children of military families,
Promoting open discussion and dialogue between educational systems, parents, and their children in order to ensure cooperation and clarity between all parties.

Upon enrollment, provide your child’s new school with the following information:

Possible Station Assignments and Military Bases in Idaho

Idaho is a state with majestic mountains, beautiful streams, rivers, mountain lakes, and quaint small towns. It is an ideal place to seek adventure, enjoy the outdoors, and mingle with people from across the country drawn to the area. It is also an ideal place to raise a family.

The names and locations of the various bases in Idaho are as follows.

Located in southwestern Idaho, Mountain Air Force Base hosts the 366^th Fighter Wing of the Air Combat Command. With a mission to provide combat airpower and support the 366^th is considered the Air Force’s premier air intervention composite wing. Consisting of more then 4,800 military and civilian members and 5,200 family members, Mountain Air Force Bases is nestled between two large mountain ranges and roughly 50 miles from Boise, providing a variety of opportunities for outdoor adventures as well as concerts, football games, and more.

Named after Lieutenant Paul R. Gowen who fought and died in combat as a military pilot, MTA Gowen Field is a 136,000-acres that houses two flying squadrons and twelve support unites while providing training opportunities for pilots and crews in command of B-17 and B-24 Bombers. Located 18 miles south of Boise and within the Nelson Snake River Birds of Pray National Conservation Area, as well as a four-season climate, MTA Gowen Field is an ideal place to prepare units for combat in realistic and rugged environments.

Located south of MTA Gowen Field, Orchard Range Training Site is run by the Army and Air National Guard as well as an artillery and tank firing range and a maneuvering training site. With shooting ranges, a variety of different training areas, as well as classrooms and open space, Orchard Range is an ideal training facility for both the Army and Air National Guard.

Located in southern Idaho, east of Mountain Home, TS Edgemeade is an Army National Guard base of 121-acres of maneuver area, 28 acres of operational areas, and a variety of storage, maintenance areas, and an armory. It is the only bases in the state of Idaho that houses the Army National Guard.

The state motto of Idaho is “Esto perpetua” which means let it be perpetual – never ending or changing. And although preparing for life after the military means change, the support and encouragement you will find in Idaho is exactly what the state advertises, never ending or changing.

There are few places in the United States that can compare with the raw and majestic beauty of Idaho. There are also few state VA programs and university systems who are as eager to help the many men and women of the military pursue their educational aspirations as you will find in Idaho.