EDUCATIONVA program
VET TEC: High-Technology Training
Covers the full cost of computer software, IT, data processing, and other high-technology training programs at VA-approved providers, with a housing stipend for the duration of training.
Available to veterans with at least 1 day of remaining GI Bill entitlement
Step-by-step guide
What VA looks for: service, age, and a spot
- 36 months of active duty, and a discharge other than dishonorableA veteran with at least 36 months of active duty and a discharge under conditions other than dishonorable, or an active-duty member within 180 days of separating who has served 36 months.
- Under 62 when VA approvesYou must be under 62 years old on the day VA approves the application.
- A spot among the year's paid participantsThe program is capped at 4,000 paid participants each fiscal year, and VA.gov says Congress can change the number at any time. The program page shows how many openings are left.
- An approved high-tech certificate programNon-college-degree training in computer programming, computer software, data processing, information sciences, or media application, from a provider approved for VET TEC 2.0. Degree programs do not count. The GI Bill Comparison Tool lists the approved providers, and a few are approved for distance learning.
Source: VA.gov: VET TEC 2.0 (high-tech program) (opens in new tab); VA.gov: other VA education benefits (opens in new tab); VA.gov: GI Bill Comparison Tool (opens in new tab)
Which situation is yours?
- Getting a VET TEC 2.0 spot
VA looks at your active duty, your discharge, your age at approval, and whether one of the year's paid spots is open. The training itself must be an approved high-tech certificate program.
Source: VA.gov: VET TEC 2.0 (high-tech program) (opens in new tab); VA.gov: other VA education benefits (opens in new tab)
- Getting paid during and after training
VA pays the provider for tuition and fees and pays you a monthly housing allowance and money for books, as long as you verify enrollment and report your results.
- Monthly verification for the housing allowanceVA sends each month's housing payment only after you verify your enrollment for that month, online, by text, or by phone.
- Reporting after trainingYou and the provider report your employment or further education when the course ends, and later confirm that you stayed in the job for 180 days, or 365 days if the provider hired you.
Source: VA.gov: VET TEC 2.0 (high-tech program) (opens in new tab); VA.gov: VET TEC 2.0 rates (opens in new tab); VA.gov: verify your school enrollment (opens in new tab)
What to gather, and what it shows VA
| Document | What it shows | How VA gets it | Have it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| DD214 Your certificate of release or discharge, member 4 copy. It shows the months of active duty and the character of discharge. | 36 months of active duty and a discharge other than dishonorable | You keep a copy. VA confirms service through Defense Department records. | Yes |
| The VET TEC 2.0 application The online application on VA.gov for VET TEC 2.0. VA.gov says to use the new form, not the one from the earlier program. | Your service, your date of birth for the age rule, and the program you want | Apply online from the VA.gov VET TEC 2.0 page. | |
| Enrollment certification from the training provider The provider's report to VA of your program, dates, and hours, and later its report of your employment or education outcome. | That you are enrolled in an approved program, and how it ended | The provider sends it to VA; you do not file it. | |
| Your monthly verification Your monthly confirmation of credit or clock hours and the dates you were enrolled, made online, by text, or by phone. | That you were in training for the month | Verify through the VA.gov tool for Post-9/11 and VET TEC 2.0 students, or by text or phone. |
Service records go to VA, and the training provider reports your progress. BeneVets does not ask for copies of them.
Steps, in order
- Get free help from a VSO
Free help: an accredited VSO can file this with you. Find one near you in the BeneVets VSO directory at Find an accredited VSO near you.
Source: VA.gov: accredited representatives (opens in new tab)
- Check the openings and the provider list
The VET TEC 2.0 page shows the openings left this fiscal year. Find an approved provider and program on the GI Bill Comparison Tool, and confirm with the provider that the exact program is approved for VET TEC 2.0.
Source: VA.gov: VET TEC 2.0 (high-tech program) (opens in new tab); VA.gov: GI Bill Comparison Tool (opens in new tab)
- Apply online
Apply from the VA.gov VET TEC 2.0 page with the new application. A certificate from the earlier VET TEC program does not work here.
Source: VA.gov: VET TEC 2.0 (high-tech program) (opens in new tab); VA.gov: how to apply for the GI Bill (opens in new tab)
- Enroll, then verify every month
Once VA approves, enroll with the provider. VA pays the provider for tuition and fees and pays you the housing allowance at the end of each month after you verify your enrollment.
Source: VA.gov: VET TEC 2.0 (high-tech program) (opens in new tab); VA.gov: verify your school enrollment (opens in new tab); VA.gov: VET TEC 2.0 rates (opens in new tab)
- Report your job or your next step
When the course ends, you get a certificate and help finding a job from the provider. You and the provider report your employment or education status to VA, and later confirm 180 days in the job, or 365 if the provider hired you.
Source: VA.gov: VET TEC 2.0 (high-tech program) (opens in new tab)
- Keep direct deposit and your profile current
Housing and book payments come by direct deposit. Update bank details and contact information in your VA.gov profile.
Source: VA.gov: VET TEC 2.0 (high-tech program) (opens in new tab)
Good to know
VA education benefits can be used through VET TEC 2.0 only once, so the choice of training program matters. Check with the provider that the exact program is approved for VET TEC 2.0 before enrolling.
Source: VA.gov: VET TEC 2.0 (high-tech program) (opens in new tab)
With Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty, or DEA months left, VA charges 1 month for each month of full-time training. Without months left you can still take part, even after using the 48-month maximum, and you do not need to have had any VA education benefit before.
Source: VA.gov: VET TEC 2.0 (high-tech program) (opens in new tab); VA.gov: how to apply for the GI Bill (opens in new tab)
Tuition and fees go to the school: the full net amount at a public school, up to a yearly cap at a private one. The housing allowance follows the E-5 with dependents BAH rate for the training ZIP code, scaled by your rate of pursuit, which must be above 50 percent; online-only training pays half the national average. Books and supplies get a yearly amount. No housing allowance is paid on active duty or during a break.
A certificate from the earlier VET TEC program does not carry over to a 2.0 provider, and the service and months rules differ. The new application is the only route in.
Source: VA.gov: VET TEC 2.0 (high-tech program) (opens in new tab)
A VET TEC 2.0 student enrolled at least three-quarter time can hold a VA work-study job.
BeneVets is informational and is not an accredited representative. Free help: an accredited VSO can work through VA benefits with you at no cost. Find an accredited VSO near you
Sources checked October 7, 2026: VA.gov: accredited representatives (opens in new tab), VA.gov: how to apply for the GI Bill (opens in new tab), VA.gov: verify your school enrollment (opens in new tab), VA.gov: GI Bill Comparison Tool (opens in new tab), VA.gov: other VA education benefits (opens in new tab), VA.gov: VET TEC 2.0 (high-tech program) (opens in new tab), VA.gov: VET TEC 2.0 rates (opens in new tab), VA.gov: Work Study (opens in new tab)