Christendom College has rejected all federal funding since our founding in order to safeguard as much as possible our ability to teach the truth without compromise. We have always been proud and supportive of our military families. We have historically accepted GI Bill funds and similar programs for veterans because, unlike student loans or federal grants, they have always been treated as an employment benefit owed to the individual veterans. These funds also did not come with the government bureaucracy and requirements that are attached to student loans under title IV of the Higher Education Act.
Unfortunately, new government regulations were issued in the summer of 2021 requiring that any school that accepts GI Bill funds must meet the requirements for and participate in federal student aid programs under Title IV. As a result, GI Bill funds are now likely to bring with them the same bureaucracy, government control, and entanglement as other federal funding.
Under the circumstances, we were placed in the unfortunate position of having to explain to our military families that we no longer accept GI Bill funds. We believe, however, that it is important that our military families’ service be recognized and that the federal government’s new regulations not interfere with their opportunity to receive an authentically Catholic education. As we know well, students from these families often excel in the classroom and leave Christendom dedicated to “restoring all things in Christ.”
We reached out to loyal supporters for assistance in helping to replace the GI Bill funds and our donors responded generously. Due to their support, we are happy to establish a Military Service Scholarship for the 2022-2023 academic year which will cover 100% of the cost of tuition ($28,500) for eligible students.
For more information on how to apply and program eligibility, please contact Christine Schmidt, Financial Aid Officer, at christine.schmidt@christendom.edu or 540-551-9216.