Which Coding Bootcamps Accept VET TEC?

Table of Contents

• What Is VET TEC?
• VET TEC 2.0 – What's Coming in 2025?
• VET TEC vs GI Bill
• Which Schools Accept VET TEC
• How to Apply for VET TEC in 3 Steps
• VET TEC Living Stipend: Online vs In-Person
• Further Reading

What Is VET TEC?

VET TEC is an innovative VA education benefit that allows veterans to attend a coding bootcamp for free, includes remote training, and pays a monthly housing stipend to students. VET TEC stands for Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses. And VET TEC is all about jobs – the VA specifically works with training providers that prioritize meaningful employment within six months of graduation.

Major Update: The VET TEC pilot program ended on 11/17/23, after training 14,000 veterans over five years. However, in January 2025, Congress passed the Dole Act which reauthorizes VET TEC!

VET TEC 2.0 – What's Coming in 2025?

• VET TEC 2.0 will train 4,000 individuals per fiscal year (starting October 1). This is different from the pilot, which authorized a budget instead of actual spots.

• There are changes to the eligibility for both veterans and training providers. Now that the law is signed, the VA will start digging into those legislative changes.

• In VET TEC 2.0, the VA will consume some of your GI Bill. That math is still TBD.

• Expect the first students to start training with VET TEC in 4-6 months (April '25 at the earliest)
• Schools/training providers will need to reapply for VET TEC to get approved – but schools that were part of the pilot have done ~80% of the work already.
• Veterans who want to get a head start should make sure that your account with the VA Education Office is up to date, sign up for updates via email from VA Education, and secure your GI Bill eligibility. Make sure that all of your paperwork is in order so that when the new approval process is rolled out, you can apply and get that certificate of eligibility as soon as possible. 

VET TEC vs GI Bill

Of course, many coding bootcamps now accept the GI Bill. But VET TEC is different from the GI Bill:

• Veterans need 1 day of GI Bill Benefits to qualify for VET TEC and you need to have 1 day on the first day of your program. The VA will issue a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) when veterans apply to the program. Then they will double-check that eligibility when the veteran starts a program. If a veteran exhausts their GI Bill benefits between getting that CoE and day 1 of their program they are no longer eligible for VET TEC.
• VET TEC pays a monthly housing stipend to students in the program.

• For both GI Bill and VET TEC, veterans need to apply to VA and to the school. They have to be accepted into the school and have their VA benefits confirmed.
• Also, schools are paid differently than the GI Bill operates. As Maggi Molina, an advisor at Operation Code, says: "Because bootcamps only get the full tuition payment after a veteran gets hired, bootcamps have an incentive to get veterans jobs."
  • An initial 25% of tuition and fees when the Veteran enrolls and attends.
  • Another 25% when the Veteran graduates from his or her training program.
  • The remaining 50% once the Veteran secures meaningful employment in his or her field of study.
  • The VA will pay the Bootcamp in stages:

FYI: See a full list of bootcamps that accept the GI Bill. And compare the GI Bill vs VET TEC here.

Which Schools Accept VET TEC

VET TEC works with accelerated training providers that are between 6 – 28 weeks in length. Because VET TEC was recently reauthorized, training providers must reapply – no school is "grandfathered" in. Coding bootcamps can apply to be a VET TEC training provider here. 

You can also bookmark this page for the most updated list.

Previously, there were ~25 bootcamps approved by the VA to accept VET TEC.

1. New Horizons Computer Learning Center (DC/VA location)
2. Skillstorm Commercial Services
3. Training Concepts
4. Allskilled
5. TLG Learning
6. Galvanize
7. Divergence Academy
8. LEARN Academy
9. Skill Distillery
10. Zipcode Wilmington
11. ACI Learning
12. Code Platoon
13. Global Information Technology
14. SAVVY Coders
15. Fullstack Academy
16. Digital Workshop Center
17. Carolina Code School
18. Tech Elevator
19. We Can Code IT
20. Sabio
21. Prime Digital Academy
22. Code Fellows

How to Apply for VET TEC in 3 Steps

Soon, veterans will be able to apply for VET TEC again!

1. Apply online here. You’ll receive a letter from VA with a decision. If you are approved you will receive a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE).  
   
   
2. Choose a coding bootcamp from the VA’s list of approved providers (above). 
   
   
3. Tell the bootcamp you are eligible for VET TEC and interested in their program. You may need to pass a coding challenge and be admitted to the bootcamp as well (it depends on the bootcamp).

VET TEC Living Stipend: Online vs In-Person

An important reminder that your living stipend will depend on your location and whether you're taking the bootcamp online vs in-person.

The living stipend for students attending an online bootcamp was previously $1054.50 per month, which was half of the national average for in-person bootcampers. 

The living stipend for students attending an in-person bootcamp was based on the zip code of the school, but the national average was $2109 per month. 

Further Reading

• Coding Bootcamp Veteran Scholarships
• How to Use the GI Bill to Attend a Coding Bootcamp