Online degrees for veterans using the GI Bill or VR&E
Accredited degree programs that the GI Bill or VR&E (Chapter 31) can help pay for. These are not free on their own.
11 programs listed. 1 is free with no VA benefit needed, 9 are free or paid through a VA benefit (GI Bill, VR&E or VET TEC 2.0), and 1 is paid or have unclear cost. Last checked Sep 30 to Oct 4, 2026.
Use the program finder to filter by who you are, your benefits, state and format. Questions about benefits? See the FAQ.
Check before you apply: details change often, so confirm on each program's official page. Verify details = some details not fully confirmed.
Programs (11)
- Saylor Academy (Saylor University) free courses
Saylor University (Constitution Foundation, 501(c)(3)) · Free
Free self-paced college-level courses with certificates, plus options to earn college credit
- Georgia Tech OMSA (Online MS Analytics)
Georgia Institute of Technology · Paid; GI Bill / VR&E may cover it
Online MS Analytics (computational data/ML tracks)
- Georgia Tech OMSCS (Online MS Computer Science, ML specialization)
Georgia Institute of Technology · Paid; GI Bill / VR&E may cover it (~$7,000 total tuition; $0 if VR&E or scholarship pays)
Online MS CS with Machine Learning / AI (Artificial Intelligence) specializations
- UIUC Online MCS / MCS-DS (Coursera)
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Paid; GI Bill / VR&E may cover it (~$22,000+; $0 via VR&E)
Online MCS with data science/AI tracks
- UT Austin Online MS Data Science / MS CS
University of Texas at Austin · Paid; GI Bill / VR&E may cover it (~$10,000 total; $0 via VR&E)
Online MSDS or MSCS
- UT Austin Online MS in Artificial Intelligence (MSAI)
University of Texas at Austin · Paid; GI Bill / VR&E may cover it (~$10,000 total; $0 via VR&E)
Online MS in AI (Artificial Intelligence)
- Western Governors University (via VR&E)
Western Governors University · Paid; GI Bill / VR&E may cover it (~$4,500 to $5,500 per 6-month term; $0 if VR&E approves)
Online competency-based BS/MS (Cyber, Data Analytics, CS, AI (Artificial Intelligence)/ML MS) at flat-rate tuition
- Caterpillar ThinkBIG (Cat dealer technician associate degree with paid internships) Verify details
Caterpillar and Cat dealers with partner colleges · Not always free
Associate of applied science degree in heavy equipment or electric power generation, alternating 8 weeks at college with 8 weeks in a paid Cat dealer internship (about 2,000…
- NC State / UNC System online programs (in-state) Verify details
UNC System · Paid; GI Bill / VR&E may cover it (In-state tuition; $0 via VR&E)
In-state tuition for NC (North Carolina) residents; online MS in CS/Data Science/Analytics options
- University of Colorado Boulder MS-DS / MS-AI (Coursera, performance-based admission) Verify details
CU Boulder · Paid; GI Bill / VR&E may cover it (~$15,000 to $20,000; $0 via VR&E)
Online MS Data Science or MS AI (Artificial Intelligence) with no-application performance-based admission
- Jefferson-Lewis BOCES Army Medic to Practical Nursing (New York) Verify details
Jefferson-Lewis BOCES Adult Education · Paid; GI Bill / VR&E may cover it (Tuition (grants available); eligible for veterans education benefits)
Accelerated 5-month practical nursing program for military medics, leading to NCLEX-PN eligibility and NY LPN licensure