Veterans & Servicemembers

Serving Those Who’ve Served Us

At the College of Law, we value the service and experience of veterans, reservists, active-duty military and the National Guard alongside our service connected families. 

The skills you develop in the military—problem-solving, leadership and discipline—are easily transferable to a successful academic experience in law school and beyond. Create a future that combines law with any number of specialized fields allowing you to shape a professional niche that matches your strengths, passions and talents. 

Students enjoy small class sizes, personal interaction with faculty, and a number of joint degree and specialized programs including the Certificate of Advance Study in National Security and Counterterrorism Law, the joint J.D./M.A. in International Relations, and the joint J.D./M.P.A.—to name a few—with no additional time and little additional cost at all, setting us apart from other schools with incredible value.

Syracuse University has a longstanding commitment to veterans and military families which has not gone unrecognized. We are dedicated to our veteran population, providing access to multiple resources and activities as well as offering military-related academic programs and student organizations.

Be an Orange with a Yellow Ribbon: Finance Law School with VA Benefits

There are a variety of Educational Benefits for Veterans which allow student-veterans and dependents of veterans to easily finance their legal education. The Yellow Ribbon Program provides financial support for tuition & fees, a stipend for books & supplies, and a housing allowance.

Academics

  • Syracuse University Institute for Security Policy and Law: Our world-renown national and international programs offer multidisciplinary programs that address the law and policy of national and international security, counterterrorism, postconflict reconstruction, and cybersecurity. SPL students engage in advanced coursework, research projects guided by expert faculty and networking events. 
  • J.D./M.P.A. Masters in Public Administration: The Maxwell School’s M.P.A. program is consistently ranked #1 in US News and World Report. A unique interdisciplinary approach will help students understand the political, economic and social context of public administration, as well as learn the skills necessary for effective management and decision making in the policy world.
  • J.D./M.A. International Relations: The M.A. International Relations degree, also highly ranked in its field by Foreign Affairs, provides students with a deep understanding of the world and regional affairs necessary for the global workplace and draws on the Maxwell School’s expertise in public affairs and cutting edge applied social science research.
  • J.D./M.B.A. for Veterans: Syracuse Law offers joint degree options with the Martin J. Whitman School of Management’s M.B.A. for Veterans Program. It’s specially designed to leverage military veterans’ education, experience and skills.
  • DC Externship Program: Syracuse Law’s D.C. Externship Program combines professional experience with unique course work to develop an understanding of how lawyers function in our nation’s capital. Gain real-world experience working as part of a legal team in a variety of environments – from government to nonprofits to private practice. Network weekly with D.C.-area alumni and other practitioners.
  • College of Law Veterans Legal Clinic: The Veterans Legal Clinic benefits our veterans and community by assisting with VA claims, representing clients in VA claim appeals, and helps veterans in upgrading discharges.

Resources

  • Syracuse University Veteran and Military Affairs: The Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) serves as the university’s single point of entry for all veteran and military related programs and initiatives.  Committed to being the “Best Place for Veterans,” OVMA assists university stakeholders to support and empower military-connected students and veteran employees of Syracuse University.
  • Syracuse University’s Office of Veteran Success: The Veterans Resource Center opened in July 2009 to assist prospective and current students with Veterans Administration and University business matters and to provide a welcoming space for veterans on campus. The office and Veterans Lounge is located at 700 University Ave.Our center services military veterans and service members from across campus to ensure they can pursue their academic goals at Syracuse. Expert staff members with information related to the GI Bill and Syracuse University’s Yellow Ribbon participation are available to prospective students of any academic program to offer assistance and advice. This full-service department of the University also works to foster a community for veterans on campus through social and service programs. Veterans are recognized at a commencement reception where they receive honor chords for their service.
  • Syracuse University’s Institute for Military Veterans and Families: The first institute of its kind in the nation, the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) mission is to fully leverage the intellectual, human and social capital of higher education, in service to America’s veterans and their families.
  • Syracuse VA Medical Center: The “VA” is part of the largest integrated health care system in the United States. The Syracuse VA Medical Center provides state-of-the-art patient care and is only steps away from campus.
  • VA Vets Success On Campus: Various services are available to all student Veterans, Active Duty, and Dependents with the help of a full-time VA Counselor. Walk-in appointments are available Monday-Friday.