The VA will pay for certification exams. To be more specific they will reimburse you for the cost of the test with proof of an attempt.  You can take a test as many times as you want, and the VA will pay even if you fail.

The problem is that they don’t pay for test prep or the training for the test. This can cause a problem for most veterans. Industry certifications can range from $50 – $250 per exam attempt. These industry certifications are sponsored by companies such as Microsoft, CompTia, Cisco, Linux and more.

The Fix:

Since the VA will pay for college courses and not exam preparation training, you need to seek out short college course tracks that prepare you for certifications while giving you college credit. This means that you win and get the best of both worlds. Once you complete the course and get the training you can then sit for the course. This is a simple fix that most colleges do not offer, and will keep you from having to front the money for an exam you are not sure of. The idea of an education is to prepare you for a job, yet many schools don’t offer dual cert and education at the same time and as we have discussed the VA only pays for certain types of education and training. The link provided below is the correct form for reimbursement from the VA you have already attempted certification exams.

If you would like to get industry certs while attending college courses, give us a call at ALU at 213-252-5100.

At ALU:

Nearly all computer technology courses and some healthcare courses are directly mapped to industry certifications at ALU. Our content is created with industry approved content, with interactive live lectures, videos and interactive modules. You will be in good hands as you prepare for your industry certifications that are designed to set you apart from other applicants.

Individuals that hold a certification make on average of 20% more than those who do not hold any industry certifications.

VA Reimbursement Form:

https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/licensing_certification.asp

“GI Bill®” is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).  More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.