Home to the third largest concentration of veterans in the country, San Diego is an ideal stopping place for military personnel. In fact, each year, around 15,000 sailors and Marines stationed in San Diego leave the service, according to the Voice of San Diego. So, it’s no wonder that programs, organizations and services dedicated to helping them readjust to civilian life are essential. And there’s no doubt that education is one of the vital pieces.
In honor of Veteran’s Day on Nov. 11, we researched San Diego’s top business schools to find out what each school offers regarding scholarships, financial aid, career services and more.
Rady School of Management – UC San Diego
The Rady School is dedicated to helping members of the Armed Forces and veterans enhance their skills. In particular, the Rady MBA curriculum is focused on providing the analytical tools and business fundamentals necessary to help individuals transition from the military. As for the specific financial aid available:
- In appreciation for military personnel, the Rady School waives the application fee for all current and former members of the military.
- As for veteran’s benefits, the Rady School participates in all federal veteran’s benefits. These advantages include the Post-9/11 Bill, the Montgomery GI Bill, the Vocational Rehabilitation Training Program, the Survivors’ and Dependents Education Assistance Program and the Reserve Educational Assistance Program.
- Military personnel may also qualify for military tuition assistance. Active and retired personnel should contact their individual military office for authorization.
Beyond tuition assistance, the Rady School is also home to the Rady Veterans Association, which has to the goal of organizing veteran alumni and current students to recruit, mentor, and conduct community outreach.
San Diego State University College of Business Administration
At San Diego State, they’re dedicated to serving their veterans and military personnel on campus, and they do this through a variety of benefits. Just like the Rady School, SDSU offers their veterans and dependents access to all federals and California military benefits. These benefits include the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation, Dependents Educational Assistance and the California Veterans Fee Waiver Program.
As for specific university scholarships, there are over 15 unique opportunities available, including:
- The AFCEA Educational Foundation Scholarship
- Dan Gomes Veterans Alumni Organization Endowed Scholarship
- Jack McGrory Veterans Scholarship
- Pat Tillman Foundation
University of San Diego School of Business Administration
USD ranks 28th in the Military Times survey of the “Best Business Schools for Military Veterans“, and there are plenty of reasons why. USD is completely military friendly to active duty military, veterans, and dependents/spouses. For their active duty military, they offer educational benefits including the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Military Tuition Assistance and more. As for veterans, they also offer VA Education Benefits including Vocational Rehabilitation and the Yellow Ribbon Program.
USD also provides a variety of other military benefits. The USD Veterans Center is responsible for the administration of all U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits. Veterans can also find help by contacting the veteran student services coordinator and the Student Veteran Organization.
Fermanian School of Business – Point Loma Nazarene University
At the Fermanian School, military personnel can expect quality services. PLNU was recently named one of the “Best Colleges for Veterans” by U.S. News as well as a Top University by the Military Advanced Education & Transition Guide. Part of what makes Fermanian and PLNU so attractive is the myriad of financial aid options available. The university participates in the Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement program as well as the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
In addition, PLNU offers transition support, VA benefit guidance, VA resources, career transition coaching and more. Students can also participate in the Student Veterans group, which provides workshops and networking events for military and veteran students.
Alliant School of Management – Alliant International University
Alliant International University is committed to serving military personnel. For five consecutive years, it’s been voted as a military-friendly school by GI Jobs magazine and their programs were featured in the Military Times EDGE magazine as part of the “Best for Vets: Colleges.” In the context of this goal, they increased their acceptance of military students by 30 percent through the Yellow Ribbon program and they established a Student Veterans Organization (SVO) on the San Diego campus.
Some of their military benefits for education include participation in the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Montgomery GI Bill, and the Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP). Other scholarships include the My CAA: Spouse Education Programs, the Army Tuition Assistance Program and the California National Guard Education Assistance Program.