The Education and Training Benefit (ETB) helps qualifying Veterans finance the education they need to achieve their career goals and pursue activities that give them purpose.
We have resources to help you inform Veterans about funding options to pursue their education at your institution.
Download the ETB fact sheet for institutions (PDF).
About this benefit
To qualify for funding through the Education and Training Benefit, a Veteran must have at least six years of service (2,191 days) in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Qualified Veterans have two streams of benefit funding available to them. Formal Program funding is for post-secondary education and Short Course funding is for shorter duration programs/courses, such as workshops, seminars, etc.
For Veterans to qualify for Formal Program funding, their desired post secondary education program must:
- lead to a degree, diploma, certificate, or certification;
- be offered by an educational institution found on Employment and Social Development Canada’s Master List of designated institutions; and
- run at least 12 weeks within a 15-week period or full-time equivalent
The Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) Master List of designated educational institutions shows all the educational institutions for which students have qualified to receive a Canada Student Loan. Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) does not maintain this list.
Each educational institution included on the list has an assigned four-digit Educational Institution Code. The list is categorized by province/territory and each educational institution is listed alphabetically. International institutions are listed separately.
If you cannot find your educational institution on the ESDC Master List, contact your provincial or territorial student financial aid authority to confirm whether your institution is recognized.
If an educational institution is not found on the ESDC Master List, a Veteran can submit documentation demonstrating that the institution is a government recognized post-secondary institution instead.
VAC does not recommend, co-design or endorse any educational institutions or programs. Veterans decide what school and/or program best suits their needs.
Recruiting Veterans to your institution
VAC’s Education and Training Benefit encourages many Veterans who have recently released from the Canadian Armed Forces to return to school instead of looking for a job immediately. We encourage you to reach out to these Veterans. Adding them to your campus will bring their world-class skills and experience to your institution.
The following information can help you if you are interested in recruiting Veterans to pursue their education at your institution.
At your career/education fair booth or in your admissions office
When meeting with current or former members of the Canadian Armed Forces, have a fact sheet available to inform them of funding their tuition and related costs through VAC’s Education and Training Benefit.
Download the Education and Training Benefit fact sheet for students (PDF).
If you are located close to a Canadian Armed Forces Base
We know that Veterans leaving the Canadian Armed Forces tend to settle in the community closest to their base. To take advantage of this, you should consider holding recruitment fairs that have a specific focus on attracting Veterans to join your campus.
Through social media
You can promote your educational programs to Veterans on your Facebook or X channels with posts like this:
Did you serve in the Canadian Armed Forces and plan to attend (*insert your school’s handle here)? If you have at least six years of service, you could be eligible for funding from Veterans Affairs Canada to cover your tuition and other expenses.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/2qX6ljU
The most effective promotion comes from Veterans sharing their own stories with their fellow Veterans. If you have Veterans attending your school today, ask them to participate in a short video or an interview to share their stories through your social media channels.