Veterans Upward Bound

What it is

Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) is one of the federal TRIO programs paid for by the U.S. Department of Education. It gets veterans ready for college classes.

Who qualifies

• A military veteran who served on active duty for more than 180 days.
• Low-income and/or a prospective first-generation college student. At least two-thirds of participants must be both.
• The Department of Education page also says participants have a high risk for academic failure. The project staff decide who is accepted.

What it gives you

• Core instruction in math through pre-calculus, lab science, foreign language, and composition and literature
• Tutoring and mentoring
• Financial literacy counseling
• Help with college applications and entrance exam prep
• Help using VA resources

The Department of Education page gives FY 2024 figures: 68 projects served 8,973 participants at about $2,480 each in federal cost.

How to get it, step by step

1. Open the TRIO project map and filter by your state to find a project near you. Veterans Upward Bound is not named as its own filter on the page, so look through the list.
2. Call or email the project. Ask for the Veterans Upward Bound program and how to apply.
3. Ask the staff what papers they need to show your service and income.

Traps

• Projects come from grant competitions held every four years. The last one was in FY 2022, so what exists near you can differ from year to year.
• The map page showed a notice that information may not be monitored or maintained. Call to confirm a project is still open.

Where to call and where to go

Phone

• No national phone number is printed on the official page. Email the TRIO office at OPE_TRIO@ed.gov for help finding a project.

Official pages

• Department of Education: Veterans Upward Bound
• TRIO project map
• TRIO home page

Other school help

• GI Bill and VA education questions: va.gov/contact-us for the main line (1-800-698-2411).