In the 2009-10 academic year, Harvard Law School will provide up to 12 qualifying post-9/11 veterans full tuition under the federal government’s new Yellow Ribbon Program, Acting Dean Howell Jackson ’82 announced today.
Under the Program, the Department of Veterans Affairs will match contributions made by schools to pay for the education of eligible veterans. Harvard Law School has agreed to contribute the maximum amount that the Department will match—approximately $21,000 per student. The combination of federal and HLS grants is expected to cover the full cost of tuition and fees next year for up to 12 students.
“We owe our veterans a tremendous amount of gratitude and support,” said Acting Dean Jackson. “Harvard Law School is proud to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program to the fullest extent possible – so that we may help extremely deserving individuals realize their educational and career aspirations.”
The Law School’s participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program was made possible as a result of recent fundraising efforts to increase support for public service scholarships at Harvard Law School. Acting Dean Jackson indicated that funding commitment should be sufficient to cover all eligible veterans attending Harvard Law School next year and expressed the hope that other law schools would follow Harvard’s lead in supporting this important program for our country’s veterans.
Harvard College and the University’s other graduate and professional schools have also agreed to participate in the program, but the Law School’s contribution per student will be the largest.
The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision of the Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act, which seeks to restore the original promise of the GI Bill by enhancing the educational support offered to qualified veterans.
Passed by Congress last year, the program officially begins on August 1, 2009. Veterans who have served for at least three years since September 11, 2001, or who served for at least 30 days and were disabled during duty may participate in the program.
To learn more about Harvard Law School’s participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, contact the office of Student Financial Services.