17³Ô¹Ï

Ahmanson Foundation Veteran Initiative

The Ahmanson Veteran Scholarship Initiative provides funding to twenty-four private colleges and institutions in California with the goal of enrolling, supporting, and helping veterans graduate from college.

Thanks to the , some veteran students who attend 17³Ô¹Ï have the opportunity to graduate without student loan debt. 

Yellow Ribbon Benefit Program

In collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, 17³Ô¹Ï is able to assist veterans and their spouse/dependents through the program, which assists students with tuition and fees.

Students must qualify under the in order to receive this benefit and have 100% eligibility for benefits.

Eligibility

Only veterans entitled to the maximum benefit rate (based on service requirements) or their designated transferees (spouse or dependent children) may receive this funding. Active-duty service members and their spouses are not eligible for this program (child transferees of active-duty service members may be eligible if the service member is qualified at the 100% rate).

Therefore, you may be eligible if:

• You served an aggregate period of active duty after September 10, 2001, of at least 36 months.
• You were honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability and you served 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001.
• You are a dependent eligible for Transfer of Entitlement under the Post 9/11 GI Bill® based on a veteran’s service under the eligibility criteria listed above.

Benefit Amount

Payment rates for the 2026 - 2027 academic year (August 1, 2026 - July 31, 2027) are up to $30,908.34 (the national maximum).

Sample Awards

A veteran student with 100% service eligibility or their transferee (spouse/dependents) will qualify for the annual maximum of $30,908.34 in a Post 9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefit for 2026 - 2027. Rates for subsequent years are typically made available by the VA in June.

The Yellow Ribbon Benefits will then cover the remaining cost of tuition and fees that are not covered by the Post 9/11 GI Bill®. In the case of 17³Ô¹Ï, for the 2026 - 2027 academic year, tuition & fees are $35,552 per semester. The Post 9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefit pays the full amount ($30,908.34) during the fall semester, resulting in a larger Yellow Ribbon benefit for the spring semester (see example below).

Spouse/Dependent(s) of Veterans- Sample Award

Fall 2026	Cost	Spring 2027	Cost
Tuition	$35,246	Tuition	$35,246
Fees	$305	Fees	$306
Total	$35,551	Total	$35,552
Post 9/11 GI Bill® (100% fall)	$30,908	Post 9/11 GI Bill®	$0
VA Yellow Ribbon	$2,322	VA Yellow Ribbon	$17,776
Oxy Yellow Ribbon Match	$2,321	Oxy Yellow Ribbon Match	$17,776
Student Tuition & Fees Responsibility	$0	Student Tuition & Fees Responsibility	$0

Steps to Receive Financial Aid and Activate VA Benefits

Veterans and their spouse/dependent(s) that qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefit and Yellow Ribbon program may also qualify for other types of Financial Aid. Since the Post 9/11 GI Bill® and Yellow Ribbon programs combined only cover the cost of tuition and fees, students that require additional assistance to help cover housing, food, books and supplies are encouraged to apply for need-based financial aid.

To be considered for need-based federal, state, and institutional financial aid, the student must complete a financial aid application. Instructions for completing aid applications for first-years, transfers, and returning/current students are available online.

To activate VA benefits, the student must submit the Certificate of Eligibility (which can be obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs) to the Office of Financial Aid. The Office of Financial Aid will then notify the 'school certifying official', Registrar James Herr, of the student's eligibility. The school certifying official will submit the request for funding to the VA.