GI Bill®
VA education benefits can be used to pay the tuition for many of our courses and programs, including WFR, EMT, WEMT, and our Summer Semester in Wilderness Medicine.
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In order to use your benefits:
On our website, complete the course registration form for the specific course you want to take. In the payment section indicate that you will be paying via your VA education benefits. When you submit your registration, please include your social security number/VA file number and a copy of your VA Education Benefits Eligibility letter.
Our Certifying Official will contact you to let you know that you have been successfully enrolled in the program. Enrollment in the VA system is digital so there are no longer any forms to fill out.
Aerie will receive payment directly from the VA, so you don’t have to worry about getting reimbursed or forwarding any payments.
Aerie will write up a contract indicating that you will be responsible for any costs not covered by VA education benefits, which you will sign. For WFRs, you will not receive your certification, and for WEMTs and the Summer Semester Program, you will not be able to take the practical exam until the tuition is paid in full.
Aerie must review precious credit earned. Please let us know if you’ve taken any wilderness medicine or front country-based medical classes (i.e., prehospital emergency medicine that is civilian-oriented). Attached is a form of previous credit evaluation that is required by the VA.
Aerie will supply a “Shopping Sheet” for you to review costs and other required information from the Va.
VA education benefits can not be applied to the Spring or Fall Semester in Wilderness Medicine programs.
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A few things to consider:
If you are not 100% covered by VA education benefits you will be personally responsible for paying the balance of the tuition.
Since the GI Bill® pays a housing stipend, the benefits do not cover food and lodging. You will need to pay these fees out of pocket. These expenses vary per field course, so please contact us to discuss these costs before committing to any of the programs.
Please let us know if you will be using your VA education benefits to pay for another institution at the same time as our course. An excellent example of this is enrollment in a degree program or college classes while attending our program on the side. Often your benefits will cover both as long as a guest relationship is possible between Aerie and the other institution. Please contact us for more information.
Recipients of the GI Bill® can take any eligible course for college credit. However, the University of Montana’s $155-per-credit recording fee is not eligible for payment through the GI Bill®.
“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“