VA Approval Opens New Funding Path for UMGC Certification Preparation Courses

University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) has received approval from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to let eligible veterans use VA education benefits to receive reimbursement for any of five professional certification prep courses. Because the approval is backdated to April 10, 2025, veterans who completed one of these courses on or after that date may also apply to the VA for reimbursement.

The five qualifying non-credit courses help learners prepare for certifications in fields such as human resource management, planning and inventory management, and supply chain management:

"This approval from VA creates a new financing path for our veterans, who previously had to pay out of pocket for these courses," said Keith Hauk, UMGC vice president of Stateside Military Operations. "UMGC has always been at the forefront of unlocking education for our servicemembers and veterans, and this is an important step forward in increasing that access."

To qualify, veterans must be eligible for or using Chapter 33 Post 9/11 or Chapter 35 DEA GI Bill® Benefits and must apply directly to the VA for reimbursement. Reimbursement is prorated based on the cost of the prep course, up to a maximum of $2,000; if a course costs more than that, veterans should plan to cover the remaining balance. (This benefit does not provide a Monthly Housing Allowance.)

Step-by-step instructions on how to apply for VA reimbursement for these courses are available on UMGC's website.