Veterans Admission Requirements and Application Procedures
Classification and Definition
Persons returning from at least one year of active military service will be readmitted or reinstated regardless of previous scholastic record, provided Northeastern Illinois University is the first institution of higher education attended following release from service.
Veterans Services Office
The Veterans Services Office (D-130) provides veterans, active military members, reservists, and their families guidance on obtaining their federal and state veterans educational benefits. The Veterans Services Office strives to assist the military community with all aspects of their NEIU experience. Note: Veterans benefits are approved by the Illinois State Approving Agency.
Prospective military-connected students are encouraged to contact the Head of Veterans Services for assistance with navigating the admissions application process. Please visit the Veterans Services Office (D-130) to learn what veterans’ resources NEIU offers. For more information, call (773) 442-4005, email veterans@neiu.edu or visit our webpage, http://admissions.neiu.edu/veterans-services.
Credit for Military Service
Four credit hours are awarded to veterans who have been honorably discharged and have served a minimum of one year on active duty or in the guard/reserve. Veterans must submit Member 4 of their DD214 to the Admissions Processing Office at the time of application for admission.
Credit is also allowed for those United States Armed Forces Institute (USAFI) courses for which the American Council on Education recommends credit at the baccalaureate level, provided the student has passed the appropriate USAFI end-of-course test or examination.
Credit for service schools successfully completed may be evaluated upon request. In order to grant credit to veterans for service/school training, veterans must provide transcripts. These transcripts are free to all eligible soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen. More details are available at the following websites.
USAF-CCAF Transcripts: http://www.airuniversity.af.mil/Barnes/CCAF
Joint Services Transcripts for Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy: https://jst.doded.mil
The student must file the Request for Evaluation form available in Enrollment Management Services (D-101).
Retention of VA Records
Student records are kept for 3 years following the ending date of the last period certified to VA. Records need to be kept longer than 3 years only if a written request to keep the records longer is received from the Department of Veterans Affairs or the General Accounting Office 30 or more days before the end of the 3-year period. This requirement is in the Code of Federal Regulations (38 CFR 21.4209(f)).
ROTC Programs
Air Force ROTC
Northeastern Illinois University has a crosstown agreement with Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) and the University of Chicago allowing students to enroll in the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Chicago. Air Force ROTC is a four-year program that can be consolidated into a shorter period of time, and which allows qualified men and women the opportunity to earn commissions as Second Lieutenants in the United States Air Force or the United States Space Force upon graduation and upon completion of the Air Force ROTC. Students may apply for scholarships to receive full tuition and fees or room and board as well as a book stipend for $900 a year plus monthly subsistence allowance which ranges from $300-$500.
All members of the Professional Officer Course also receive the Charles McGee Leadership Award to provide $18,000 towards tuition and fees or $10,000 for room and board as well as a book stipend of $900 a year plus monthly subsistence allowance which ranges from $450-$500.
State of Illinois ROTC scholarships are also available to qualified students and pay full tuition.
The Air Force ROTC courses are taught on the University of Chicago campus but registration for the courses takes place via NEIUport and students registered in Air Force ROTC courses are assessed NEIU tuition and fees. For more information on Air Force ROTC, email airforcerotc@uchicago.edu or visit the website at: Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) | College Admissions (uchicago.edu).
Military Science (Army ROTC)
Military Science (Army ROTC) is offered through Northeastern Illinois University in conjunction with Loyola University Chicago. Loyola is the host school for all of Army ROTC in the northern Chicago area. Basic courses (freshman and sophomore level) are open to all students and require no prerequisites. The advanced portion of the course for juniors and seniors is only open to those students who meet special ROTC criteria.
All lecture courses, physical training courses and Leadership Labs are offered off campus at Loyola University Chicago or alternate locations near Northeastern. Army ROTC is time-intensive and on average meets five times per week or more. For further information on scholarship opportunities call the Recruiting Operations Officer at Loyola University Chicago, Army ROTC at (773) 508-8980.