VANEEP

[Non Sequitir]

This is an update to my previous thread, which can be found here.

I've been accepted to a competitive BSN program at the local university, now the question is how I pay for all of this...for some context I have a wife, 2 kids, a car payment, mortgage, etc. The mortgage and the youngest kid are both less than a year old, so selling/moving for the sake of accommodating a full-time student lifestyle is not prudent.

I currently work full time at a VA medical center and have started the loooonng process of applying for VANEEP. This is a VHA-level scholarship and stipend program which operates under the auspices of the EISP. I.e., the EISP creates the policy framework from which VANEEP derives its authority. VANEEP pays out the following benefits:

• Full tuition up to $36k
  
• Monthly living stipend equal to your full time salary
  

...in exchange for 36 months pay-back service when the degree is completed. The degree must be in an area which the local VA deems as a high-demand full time position in any field. This of course means that an application can be submitted for any degree program, as long as it falls within the following parameters:

• Degree must lead to an initial licensure/certification (ie, this program can be used for a BSN but not for a non-clinical MSN)
  
• Employee must have been full time for 1 year prior to application, in any position
  
• 3 year service payback begins upon licensure/certification - employee must not have incurred any other federal obligation during payback period
  

Other points of interest:

• VANEEP pays out a maximum dollar amount/college credit amount...after the initial degree is completed, the participant can "use up" the rest of the allotted funds and college credits towards a graduate degree
  
• Recipients in the payback period can transfer to other VA facilities
  
• The school/program in question must have the appropriate accreditation (I was surprised to find out how many programs in my state are not accredited)
  
• Recipients are expected to return to their duty station during scheduled school breaks (spring break, summer break, etc)
  

How the general process works:

My facility accepts completed packages twice per year, once in the spring for classes starting the following fall, and once in the fall for classes starting the following spring. The completed application must include:

• Employee statement on their reasons for pursuing the scholarship as well as what the employee has contributed to the mission of the VA
  
• A letter of reference from the employee's current supervisor
  
• A credit-by-credit, class-by-class entire degree plan (this is used to formulate the check which the VHA cuts to pay for the recipient's books and tuition)
  
• Various other worksheets of such lesser importance that they've already slipped my mind
  

The package is submitted to the local facility's VANEEP coordinator, who works under the Learning Resource Officer. The coordinator ensure completeness then submits the package to a committee which compiles all applications and decides which will be recommended for approval by the facility director. For my facility, since nursing is in such high demand it is usually those packages which are always automatically pushed to the top of the stack.

For those of you who have utilized the Post-9/11 GI Bill, my initial impression of VANEEP is that my lifestyle (assuming I'm accepted) will be very similar to how it was during college using the GI Bill. For example, my coordinator tells me it is not unusual for applicants to find out that they have been accepted only a couple of weeks before their program starts. Conversely, with VANEEP I am doing all of the paperwork instead of a VSO or school registrar.

I've passed the application deadline for this spring, so I will have to wait until the fall application deadline to submit. I was accepted for a full 4-year BSN program (which I would have completed in 6 semesters given my previous bachelor's degree) but I think that I am going to take some online pre-reqs and switch over to the 15 month accelerated program. Didn't want to do pre-reqs but I'll save a lot of time, plus that means in the meantime before I am accepted to the accelerated program I can apply to a higher position which means I will be paid more while in the program yet still have enough time to develop good rapport with a new supervisor for that needed rec letter.

Current or past VANEEP or EISP participants are most welcome to submit any wisdom you have.

[kmcelroy86]

Just wondering did you get the funds for VANEEP? I also work for the VA and the VANEEP program did not have funds to pay for our program that started in August.