Thank you for your service!
Whether you are a veteran or active duty personnel, St. Thomas Aquinas College is proud to support you in continuing your education. We have resources and services available to help you connect with the campus programs that will empower you on your academic journey from application to graduation.
From a personalized, mentor-guided educational approach to a wide range of financial assistance opportunities, St. Thomas Aquinas equips service members and veterans to discover all that they can achieve.
Admissions Process
St. Thomas Aquinas College offers rolling admissions for current military and veteran prospective students. In order to apply, please submit the following:
- Completed Common Application. Waive the fee by selecting the Director’s Fee Waiver.
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities you attended, including your current institution (if any). Please have them sent by the issuing institution directly to the Admissions office (unofficial transcripts are useful only for initial review). Be sure to include your courses in progress as well.
- An official high school transcript or GED report.
- SAT or ACT scores if your high school graduation was less than one year ago.
- We’ll accept both the new SAT and the old SAT and then compare your scores using concordance tables to determine your highest scores.
Materials may be sent to admissions@stac.edu. Once we have received all of the above, we will notify you of an admissions decision within two weeks. We will simultaneously review your eligibility for academic or merit scholarships starting at $7,000.
Transfer Student Credit Evaluation
We will review your college transcripts and provide you with a detailed evaluation on how your previous credits transfer into your desired major at St. Thomas Aquinas College. Students may transfer up to:
- 70 credits from a two-year college (must complete at least 50 at St. Thomas Aquinas)
- 90 credits from a four-year institution (must complete at least 30 at St. Thomas Aquinas)
When you are ready to commit to St. Thomas Aquinas, we will waive your reservation fee of up to $250 and walk you through the registration process. An academic advisor will guide you through planning your schedule for the first semester.
Questions? Contact our School Certifying Official Eileen Murphy at (845) 398-4310 or emurphy@stac.edu
Tuition Benefits
Do you need to apply for VA Education Benefits?
- Apply for VA Education Benefits through vets.gov
- Complete VA Form 22-1990
- Submit the following to the School Certifying Official (SCO) in the Registrar’s Office:
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE) or eBenefits Statement (The VA will provide once your application has been approved.)
- DD-214 Form – Discharge paperwork if applicable.
- Register for courses
- Submit the VA Enrollment Certification Request
Already have benefits from another school?
- Complete VA Form 22-1995 – Request for Change of Program or Place of Training
- Submit the following to the School Certifying Official (SCO) in the Registrar’s Office:
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE) or eBenefits Statement (The VA will provide once your application has been approved.)
- DD-214 Form – Discharge paperwork if applicable.
- Register for courses
- Submit the VA Enrollment Certification Request
Tuition Assistance Checklist
You may be eligible for financial aid throughout your college experience. In order to apply for assistance:
- File your FAFSA application. We strongly recommend you use the Data Retrieval Tool to directly import your financial information into the application. Make sure both parent and student e-signatures are included. The school code for St. Thomas Aquinas College is 002832. If you have any problems completing the FAFSA application, please call 1-800-433-3243.
- Send School Certifying Official Eileen Murphy at emurphy@stac.edu your certificate of eligibility from the Veterans Benefit Administration.
- Once the Financial Aid office staff (trained in Title IV and Higher Education Act programs) receives confirmation from the School Certifying Officer, you will be reviewed for additional/other federal, state and institutional funding and awards.
- As a participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program, St. Thomas Aquinas College will match funding with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to cover all tuition and fees for Yellow Ribbon Eligible Students.
Veteran Benefits and Financial Aid
St. Thomas Aquinas College is a proud participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which covers the cost of tuition and fees in excess of the amounts payable under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. Veterans attending St. Thomas Aquinas may also be eligible for the following:
Post-9/11 GI Bill® Veterans Educational Assistance Act (Chapter 33):
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® provides up to 36 months of educational benefits for individuals who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001. Eligibility for benefits is extended to 15 years from the last period of active duty. Benefit entitlement is determined by length of active duty after September 11, 2001. In addition to tuition and fees, which is capped at the highest in-state undergraduate tuition at a public institution, three are provisions for a monthly housing allowance, which equates to E-5 basic allowance for housing with dependents (based on zip code,) and a yearly stipend of $1,000 for books and equipment.
Visit the GI Bill® website for more information on eligibility.
Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty (Chapter 30):
The MGIB program provides up to 36 months of education benefits payable for 10 years following release from active duty. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training, and correspondence courses.
Visit the GI Bill® website for more information on eligibility and to apply online.
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MyCAA Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts:
MYCAA is a workforce development program that provides up to $4,000 of financial assistance to eligible military spouses. This scholarship helps military spouses pursue licenses, certificates, certifications or associate’s degrees to gain employment in high demand, high growth portable career fields and occupations.
Visit the MYCAA website for more information on eligibility.
Armed Forces Tuition Assistance is a benefit paid to eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. Congress has given each service the ability to pay up to 100% for the tuition expenses of its members. Each service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application process, and restrictions.
NY Army National Guard Federal Tuition Assistance Program (ARNG FTA):
ARNG FTA offers New York Army National Guard soldiers from %250 per credit to $4,500 annual, not to exceed the cost of the course or program. The institution must be accredited but may include public/private colleges, universities, vocational, technical or trade schools within and outside of New York State. ARNG FTA also funds non-degree study. While professional degrees are eligible, doctoral programs are not.
Visit www.dmna.state.ny.us/education for more information on eligibility.
NYS Veterans Tuition Awards: Awards tuition funding for full-time and part-time study to eligible veterans matriculated in an approved program.
NYS Military Service Recognition Scholarship (MSRS):
MSRS offers awards for spouses, children and financial dependents of a service member whose parent/spouse was severely and permanently disabled or killed at any time on or after August 8, 1990 and was a New York resident at that time. The awards allow for direct costs (tuition, fees, on-campus room and board, commuter student allowance, books, supplies, and transportation) at a public/private university up to the cost of CUNY tuition. The MSRS award may not exceed the cost of attendance, and additional awards may result in its reduction.
Visit hesc.ny.gov for more information on eligibility.
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Chapter 31):
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) aids veterans with service-connected disabilities to prepare for, find, and keep suitable jobs. If any training is needed, the VA will pay your training costs, such as tuition and fees, books, supplies, equipment, and, if needed, special services. While in training, the VA will also pay a monthly benefit to help with living expenses. To receive an evaluation for VR&E services, a veteran must have received, or will receive, a discharge that is other than dishonorable and have a service-connected disability rating of at least 10%.
Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606):
The MGIB-SR program provides up to 36 months of education benefits to members of the Selected Reserve, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Reserves and the Army and Air National Guard. This program does not require to serve on active duty to qualify.
Reserve Education Assistance Program (Chapter 1607):
REAP is an education program that provides up to 36 months of education benefits to members of the Selected Reserves, Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) and National Guard who are called to active service. The educational assistance allowance payable under REAP is a percentage of the MGIB rate based on the number of continuous days served on active duty.
Recruitment Incentive and Retention Program (RIRP):
RIRP is a tuition benefit for active New York National Guard members. It provides eligible, qualified applicants who have completed advanced individual training within the NYS Military Forces (Army and Air National Guard, Naval Militia) the cost of tuition up to $4,350 per calendar year. It will cover tuition after all other financial aid has been applied to charges.
Visit www.dmna.state.ny.us/education for more information on eligibility.
NYS Regents Awards for Children of Deceased and Disabled Veterans:
This award will grant $450 to eligible students whose parent(s) served during specific periods of time and died or suffered 40% or more disability, or are classified as missing in action or prisoner of war. Parent(s) must be current New York State residents or was a New York State resident at the time of death/classified status.
Visit hesc.ny.gov for more information on eligibility.