U.S. Virgin Islands veteran education benefits
Stars rate how much each state offers veterans themselves for college, training and exam fees (family-only programs don't count): 5 = free public-college tuition for most resident veterans, no disability rating needed; 3 = partial grants or narrower eligibility; 1 = little or nothing beyond federal benefits. How we rate
Free UVI tuition plus free workforce courses for VI veterans; fees not covered.
Checked Oct 7, 2026. State benefits change often. Confirm the details with the state agency before you apply.
Verify on the official page means we could not fully confirm that detail on the agency's own page.
For veterans
Free tuition at the University of the Virgin Islands (17 V.I.C. ch. 33, sec. 471; OVA Policy Letter #2)
Verify on the official page
- What it covers
- Free tuition at UVI (fees paid by the veteran). Also free 'without fee or charge of any kind' at UVI CELL (Community Engagement & Lifelong Learning) and any academic or career/technical course run by the VI Department of Education. A 2025 OVA form reportedly mentions up to 128 lifetime semester hours (not read directly).
- Who qualifies and limits
- 'Virgin Islands Veteran': entered service in the VI, or was a VI domiciliary who entered elsewhere while temporarily living there. Must enroll, then verify with OVA; only the OVA Director approves.
For spouses and children
No state program for spouses or children was found. Check with the agency below.
Help with exam and license fees
Free UVI CELL and VI Department of Education career/technical courses for VI veterans
- What it pays for
- Workforce and continuing-ed training courses at no charge (exam fees not mentioned)
"Virgin Islands Veterans shall be permitted to attend, without fee or charge of any kind, UVI CELL (Community Engagement & Lifelong Learning) or any academic or career and technical course conducted by the Department of Education in the US Virgin Islands"
If you left the service 15 to 20 years ago
Good fit. No discharge time limit or rating requirement found. Tied to VI entry/domicile.
Who to contact
- State veterans agency
- Virgin Islands Office of Veterans Affairs
- State Approving Agency (approves schools and programs for the GI Bill)
- Not confirmed. Ask the veterans agency above.
Sources we checked
- veterans.vi.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Policy-Letter-2-Free-Tuition-for
- veterans.vi.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Summary-of-Local-Benefits-Revise
- veterans.vi.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/UVI-Tuition-Waiver-Jan-29-2025.p
Federal benefits such as the GI Bill and VR&E are separate. See the FAQ and the GI Bill programs.