Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) is a free U.S. Department of Education TRIO program designed to help eligible U.S. military veterans enter and succeed in the postsecondary school of their choosing. Currently, there are 48 VUB programs nationwide, including Puerto Rico, ready to assist veterans. The services provided by VUB projects include:

Academic Preparation

• Assessment of academic skills 
• Academic Refresher Courses 

- Math
- Laboratory Science
- Composition
- Reading
- Literature
- Foreign Language
- Computer Skills 

Other services may include

• Assistance completing college admission forms
• Personal academic advising and career counseling
• Help with GI Bill applications
• Assistance completing financial aid applications and finding scholarships
• Career guidance and planning
• Cultural field trips and campus visits
• Tutoring and mentoring
• Referrals to other community agencies serving veterans

Eligibility for services

To benefit from the free educational services offered by VUB, veterans must meet a few simple eligibility requirements:

• Participants must:

- have at least 180 days of active duty service, or
- if less than 180 days, must be discharged or released because of a service connected disability, or
- be member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces called to active duty for a period of more than 30 days, or
-be a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces who served on active duty in support of a contingency operation on or after September 11, 2001.
- all discharges qualify except dishonorable. 

• All participants must be either low-income (based on family income and number of dependants) or potential first generation college students (neither parent earned a 4-year degree). 

If you want to go back to school, but its been a few years since you've been in a classroom setting, or if you could use a free refresher program to help knock the rust off of your skills, contact the veteran-friendly staff at a VUB program near you. To find a program close to you go to the VUB Program Locator at the top of the page.you.