There are a variety of educational benefits available for many military-connected students, including veteran, active duty military, veteran dependents/spouses, and ROTC members of our campus community. Please explore some of the resources below for information on the different benefit types and how to apply. Please also see information for new and current students interested in using benefits once enrolled.

  • New Military-Connected Students

    +

    Welcome to Governors State University! To get started with applying your benefits at Govstate, we will request a few documents to have on file.

    • A copy of your DD214 (or the DD214 of the person you receive benefits from)
    • A certificate of eligibility for the benefit(s) you will be using at GovState

    If you do not have copies of the documents listed above, please let us know. We can assist you obtaining all documentation you need to get started! Once you have the documents listed above submitted to us, then you can proceed to the step below for current students. If you still need to apply for benefits, please explore our benefit information on this page for links to what you may qualify for.

  • Current Military-Connected Students

    +

    Veterans Benefit Form Processing

    Veterans Benefit Forms must be completed each term to apply your educational benefits. They are completed via DocuSign, and must be sent to you directly via your GovState student email account. Please contact us at veterans@govst.edu for a copy of the form. 

    Important notes about the form:

    • When you open the landing page for the form, you will need to enter your academic advisor’s email address. Please be sure to only enter your academic advisor’s email address when prompted, and not the veterans@govst.edu address as this will result in a misdirection of the form and will prevent it from being processed. If you are not sure what your academic advisor’s email address is, you can find it in the GovState staff directory: https://www.govst.edu/employee-directory/
    • Veterans Benefit Forms are processed for upcoming academic terms once the current term is concluded.

  • Federal Veterans Education Benefits

    +

  • Illinois State Veterans and Dependent Benefits

    +
  • Tuition Assistance for Active Duty Military Students

    +
  • ROTC Programs Available at GSU

    +

    The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) are a group of college and university-based officer training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces.

    While ROTC graduate officers serve in all branches of the U.S. armed forces, the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Coast Guard do not have their own respective ROTC programs, but graduates of Naval ROTC programs have the option to serve as officers in the Marine Corps contingent on meeting Marine Corps requirements. The Coast Guard has no ROTC program and its officers can only be commissioned via the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Coast Guard Officer Candidate School, interservice transfer from another U.S. military service following completion of at least 4 years commissioned service in that other branch of the U.S. military (e.g. such as interservice transfers for officers designated as Army Aviators, USN and USMC Naval Aviators and USAF Pilots), or via the Coast Guard College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI), although the CSPI program is only available at colleges and universities designated as a Minority Serving Institute (MSI) or with a student population of at least 50% minorities for the past three years.

    Governors State University has a crosstown agreement with the University of Chicago to host AFROTC students. Please see their program website for more information and to contact them to apply. 

    Air Force Aerospace Studies (AS) Courses offered via the University of Chicago crosstown agreement:

    ·         AS 101 Heritage and Values of the United States Air Force I

    o   This survey course is designed to introduce students to the United States Air Force and provides an overview of the basic characteristics, missions, and organization of the Air Force as well as basic communication skills. This is the first course of a two-course sequence that continues with AS 102 Heritage and Values of the United States Air Force II. COREQUISITE(S): AS 499 LECTURE: 1 LAB: 0 CREDITS: 1

     

    ·         AS 102 Heritage and Values of the United States Air Force II

    o   This survey course is designed to introduce students to the United States Air Force and provides an overview of the basic characteristics, missions, and organization of the Air Force as well as basic communication skills. This is the second course of a two-course sequence that begins with AS 101 Heritage and Values of the United States Air Force I. COREQUISITE(S): AS 499 PREREQUISITE(S): AS 101 LECTURE: 1 LAB: 0 CREDITS: 1

     

    ·         AS 201 Leadership Foundation I

    o   This course provides a fundamental understanding of both leadership and team building. Materials will discuss personal leadership style as well as teamwork. The courses will prepare cadets for their field training experience where they will implement the skills they learned in class. The purpose is to instill a leadership mindset and to identify students to transition from AFROTC cadet to AFROTC officer candidate. This is the first course of a two-course sequence that continues with AS 202 Team and Leadership Fundamentals II. COREQUISITE(S): AS 499 PREREQUISITE(S): AS 102 LECTURE: 1 LAB: 0 CREDITS: 1

     

    ·         AS 202 Leadership Foundation II

    o   This course provides a fundamental understanding of both leadership and team building. Materials will discuss personal leadership style as well as teamwork. The courses will prepare cadets for their field training experience where they will implement the skills they learned in class. The purpose is to instill a leadership mindset and to identify students to transition from AFROTC cadet to AFROTC officer candidate. This is the second course of a two-course sequence that begins with AS 201 Team and Leadership Fundamentals I. COREQUISITE(S): AS 499 PREREQUISITE(S): AS 201 LECTURE: 1 LAB: 0 CREDITS: 1

     

    ·         AS 301 Leading People and Effective Communication I

    o   This course builds on the AS 200 curriculum, teaching skills and knowledge in management and leadership. Special emphasis is placed on enhancing communication and emotional intelligence for leadership. Cadets have an opportunity to practice these leadership and management techniques in a supervised environment. This is the first course of a two-course sequence that continues with AS 302 Leading People and Effective Communication II. COREQUISITE(S): AS 499 PREREQUISITE(S): AS 101 and AS 202 and AS 201 and AS 102 LECTURE: 3 LAB: 0 CREDITS: 3

     

    ·         AS 302 Leading People and Effective Communication II

    o   This course builds on the AS 200 curriculum, teaching skills and knowledge in management and leadership. Special emphasis is placed on enhancing communication and emotional intelligence for leadership. Cadets have an opportunity to practice these leadership and management techniques in a supervised environment. This is the second course of a two-course sequence that begins with AS 301 Leading People and Effective Communication I. COREQUISITE(S): AS 499 PREREQUISITE(S): AS 301 LECTURE: 3 LAB: 0 CREDITS: 3

     

    ·         AS 401 National Security

    o   This course is designed for 4th year cadets, providing the foundation to understand their role as military officers and how they are directly tied to our National Security Strategy. It is an overview of the complex social and political issues facing the military profession and requires a measure of sophistication commensurate with the senior college level. COREQUISITE(S): AS 499 PREREQUISITE(S): AS 302 LECTURE: 3 LAB: 0 CREDITS: 3

     

    ·         AS 402 Preparation for Active Duty

    o   This course is designed for college seniors and gives them the foundation to understand their role as military officers in American society. It is an overview of the complex social and political issues facing the military profession that prepares the college student for their first assignment in the US Air Force or US Space Force. PREREQUISITE(S): AS 401 LECTURE: 3 LAB: 0 CREDITS: 3

     

    ·         AS 499 AFROTC LLAB Leadership Laboratory

    o   Leadership Laboratory (LLAB) is a dynamic and integrated grouping of leadership developmental activities designed to meet the needs and expectations of prospective Air Force second lieutenants and complement the AFROTC academic curriculum. Most of the LLAB lesson objectives are cadet planned, organized, and executed under the supervision of the Detachment Commander and Operations Flight Commander. Cadets will explore and implement their personal leadership style, communication, and other techniques in a supervised environment. LLAB is required every term for Air Force cadets. LECTURE: 0 LAB: 3 CREDITS: 0

     

    ·         AS 101 Heritage and Values of the United States Air Force I

    o   This survey course is designed to introduce students to the United States Air Force and provides an overview of the basic characteristics, missions, and organization of the Air Force as well as basic communication skills. This is the first course of a two-course sequence that continues with AS 102 Heritage and Values of the United States Air Force II. COREQUISITE(S): AS 499 LECTURE: 1 LAB: 0 CREDITS: 1

     

    ·         AS 102 Heritage and Values of the United States Air Force II

    o   This survey course is designed to introduce students to the United States Air Force and provides an overview of the basic characteristics, missions, and organization of the Air Force as well as basic communication skills. This is the second course of a two-course sequence that begins with AS 101 Heritage and Values of the United States Air Force I. COREQUISITE(S): AS 499 PREREQUISITE(S): AS 101 LECTURE: 1 LAB: 0 CREDITS: 1

     

    ·         AS 201 Leadership Foundation I

    o   This course provides a fundamental understanding of both leadership and team building. Materials will discuss personal leadership style as well as teamwork. The courses will prepare cadets for their field training experience where they will implement the skills they learned in class. The purpose is to instill a leadership mindset and to identify students to transition from AFROTC cadet to AFROTC officer candidate. This is the first course of a two-course sequence that continues with AS 202 Team and Leadership Fundamentals II. COREQUISITE(S): AS 499 PREREQUISITE(S): AS 102 LECTURE: 1 LAB: 0 CREDITS: 1

     

    ·         AS 202 Leadership Foundation II

    o   This course provides a fundamental understanding of both leadership and team building. Materials will discuss personal leadership style as well as teamwork. The courses will prepare cadets for their field training experience where they will implement the skills they learned in class. The purpose is to instill a leadership mindset and to identify students to transition from AFROTC cadet to AFROTC officer candidate. This is the second course of a two-course sequence that begins with AS 201 Team and Leadership Fundamentals I. COREQUISITE(S): AS 499 PREREQUISITE(S): AS 201 LECTURE: 1 LAB: 0 CREDITS: 1

     

    ·         AS 301 Leading People and Effective Communication I

    o   This course builds on the AS 200 curriculum, teaching skills and knowledge in management and leadership. Special emphasis is placed on enhancing communication and emotional intelligence for leadership. Cadets have an opportunity to practice these leadership and management techniques in a supervised environment. This is the first course of a two-course sequence that continues with AS 302 Leading People and Effective Communication II. COREQUISITE(S): AS 499 PREREQUISITE(S): AS 101 and AS 202 and AS 201 and AS 102 LECTURE: 3 LAB: 0 CREDITS: 3

     

    ·         AS 302 Leading People and Effective Communication II

    o   This course builds on the AS 200 curriculum, teaching skills and knowledge in management and leadership. Special emphasis is placed on enhancing communication and emotional intelligence for leadership. Cadets have an opportunity to practice these leadership and management techniques in a supervised environment. This is the second course of a two-course sequence that begins with AS 301 Leading People and Effective Communication I. COREQUISITE(S): AS 499 PREREQUISITE(S): AS 301 LECTURE: 3 LAB: 0 CREDITS: 3

     

    ·         AS 401 National Security

    o   This course is designed for 4th year cadets, providing the foundation to understand their role as military officers and how they are directly tied to our National Security Strategy. It is an overview of the complex social and political issues facing the military profession and requires a measure of sophistication commensurate with the senior college level. COREQUISITE(S): AS 499 PREREQUISITE(S): AS 302 LECTURE: 3 LAB: 0 CREDITS: 3

     

    ·         AS 402 Preparation for Active Duty

    o   This course is designed for college seniors and gives them the foundation to understand their role as military officers in American society. It is an overview of the complex social and political issues facing the military profession that prepares the college student for their first assignment in the US Air Force or US Space Force. PREREQUISITE(S): AS 401 LECTURE: 3 LAB: 0 CREDITS: 3

     

    ·         AS 499 AFROTC LLAB Leadership Laboratory

    o   Leadership Laboratory (LLAB) is a dynamic and integrated grouping of leadership developmental activities designed to meet the needs and expectations of prospective Air Force second lieutenants and complement the AFROTC academic curriculum. Most of the LLAB lesson objectives are cadet planned, organized, and executed under the supervision of the Detachment Commander and Operations Flight Commander. Cadets will explore and implement their personal leadership style, communication, and other techniques in a supervised environment. LLAB is required every term for Air Force cadets. LECTURE: 0 LAB: 3 CREDITS: 0

     

    Contact the Veterans Resource Center at veterans@govst.edu for further information for each branch of the U.S. armed force's ROTC program. 

  • Military-Connected Scholarship Information

    +

    Click here for scholarship information for military-connected students, including the Veteran's Emergency Fund.

  • Important Information for All Military-Connected Students

    +

    Our tuition and fee rate for GovState can be found here:

    Tuition and Fees rates for GovState

     

    Student Veteran Attendance or Participation in Courses Pending VA Payment in Compliance with 38 USC 3679(e):

    In Compliance with 38 USC 3679(e), Governors State University will not take any of the four following actions toward any student using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while their payment from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs is pending to the educational institution:

    • Prevent their enrollment;
    • Assess a late penalty fee to;
    • Require they secure alternative or additional funding;
    • Deny their access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.

    However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:

    • Produce the VA’s Certificate of Eligibility by the first day of class;
    • Provide written request to be certified;
    • Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment

     

    Helpful GovState Contacts:

    Veterans Resource Center: veterans@govst.edu or call 708.235.7597

    Financial Aid Office: faid@govst.edu or call 708.534.4480

    Career Services Office: career@govst.edu or call 708.235.3974

    Access Services for Students with Disabilities Office: assd@govst.edu or call 708.235.3968

    To find your Academic Advisor, please see the listing on the Academic Advising webpage.