Using Your VA Education Benefits for Entrepreneurship Training
Are you interested in starting your own business? Would
you like to learn how to get started? Or
are you a current business owner who wants to learn how to boost your small
business operation?
As
a service member or veteran you now have an opportunity to use your education
benefits to learn how to start or enhance a small business.
Entrepreneurship
training allows eligible service members and veterans to use VA education
benefits to take courses offered by the Small Business Development Centers
(SBDCs) or The National Veterans Business Development Corporation, better
known as
“The Veterans Corporation.” Individual
courses must be specifically approved for VA purposes to use your benefits.
You
may receive reimbursement for approved entrepreneurship courses if you’re
eligible for any of these VA Education Programs:
-
Montgomery
GI Bill – Active Duty
-
Montgomery
GI Bill - Selected Reserve
-
Veterans’
Educational Assistance Program
-
Section
903 of Public Law 96-342
NOTE: Unfortunately, Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) participants
are not eligible for this benefit.
To
find out if you might be eligible under any of these programs, check our
Internet site HERE.
Owning
or operating your own business will not disqualify you from using your benefits
for these courses. In fact,
you can use your benefits more than once to take approved entrepreneurship
courses.
Both
of the qualified organizations offer courses around the country. To
locate course offerings near you, view training opportunities on the web
or contact the organizations directly.
Small
Business Development Centers
On
the web at www.sba.gov/sbdc/ or by
phone at 1-800-8-ASK-SBA
The
Veterans Corporation
On
the web at www.veteranscorp.org or
by email at vetregistrar@veteranscorp.org
You
should contact VA at 1-888-442-4551 or the local training sites where you
plan to attend to see what courses are approved for VA purposes.
You can get and submit an application for benefits (VA Form 22-1990)
on-line, or submit a printed copy.
Just go HERE to download a copy of the application. If applying on-line,
we must receive a copy of the signature page with an original signature to
process your claim for benefits. Applications may also be requested by calling
the VA at 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551).
Printed
applications should be submitted to the VA regional processing office that
has jurisdiction over the state where you will train. Mailing addresses are provided on the application or on the
GI Bill web site under Contact Information.
You may read answers to Frequently Asked Questions about GI Bill benefits
or contact us via email HERE. You
can also reach us by phone at 1-888-GIBILL-1 or, for the hearing impaired,
at 1-800-829-4833.
Veterans
in Business
Additional assistance for veteran entrepreneurs is
available through the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Center for Veterans
Enterprise (CVE).
CVE helps
veterans
To find out more about the
services offered by CVE, visit them on the web at www.vetbiz.gov or
call 1-866-584-2344.
They
Stand Ready to Serve You
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