How Veterans Can Get Reimbursed for Certification Costs

First and foremost, I won’t waste your time. If you don’t qualify for any of the following, you can NOT use this resource:

• Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)
• Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (Chapter 30)
• Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606)
• Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (Chapter 35)

You’re also out of luck if you’ve used up all of your education benefits. BUT, if you qualify for ANY of the above, PLEASE stop reading and go apply now if you haven’t already.

When I first started going to college after the military back in 2021, I planned on buying some IT certification test vouchers and study materials out of pocket so that I could reinforce my learning and have a competitive edge in the IT field. Shortly after some quick Google searches, I found out that some certifications cost SO much money, and some of them aren’t even worth it.

Take the CompTIA ITF+. There is absolutely no way in HELL I’m paying $138.00 for a somehow below entry-level IT certification when you have companies like Juniper offering their Cisco CCNA equivalent certification (the JNCIA) for $200.00, AND you can receive a 70% discount if you complete all of their FREE learning modules. Absolutely insane if you ask me! Sorry to pick on CompTIA, but it’s easy. Rant over…

While working in the VA Work-Study program in college, I read through the benefits pages a million times, answering simple questions other beneficiaries had. HOWEVER, poking around a bit more in my free time because I was bored, I came across THIS:

“How many tests can I get paid back for?
We’ll pay for as many licensing and certification tests as you want to take as long as you have remaining entitlement and use your benefits within the time limit.
We’ll pay you back even in these situations:
- You didn’t score high enough to get your license or certification
- You need to take the same test more than once
- You need to retake a test you passed already so you can get recertified or retain a license you already have”

Read that again. It’s true and an easy process. You buy the test voucher, you pass or fail the test, you submit your claim to the VA online (or via mail), and you get your money back. I got my money back within two weeks of submitting my claim online.

So whatever certification you want, go ahead, buy that voucher, and take the test. Even if it’s not listed in the VA’s repository of covered tests, it might just not be approved yet. Submit it anyway—they literally encourage it.

Note: When I submitted my claim, the VA’s approved test list showed a lower amount than the actual cost of my voucher. The VA reimbursed me based on my receipt, so submit your evidence accordingly. And don’t try fraudulent shit—they will find out, and you’ll mess it up for everyone else.

For more information about this benefit and how to submit a claim, click here and read up. If you need help submitting a claim, please reach out to me via LinkedIn. Thank you.