Veteran subsidized loans are military loans specially tailored for veterans. The interest rate charged for the loan is significantly lower because they are subsidized and the rest of the loan terms are advantageous too. These loans are great for veterans because they provide affordable financing but often people wonder about the eligibility for this kind of loan. It is important then to determine what makes someone a veteran when it comes to this kind of loans.

Though government agencies and non profit institutions or even profit lending institutions (which also offer veteran loans) have different requirements, there are some guidelines that can give you an idea of whether obtaining one of these loans is feasible or not. Following are some factors that will determine whether you can obtain a veteran subsidized loan or you need to search other forms of financing.

General Eligibility Issues

In order to qualify for this kind of loans you need to have served on active duty in the army, navy or air force, marine corps, or coast guard or any special team. You also need to have been discharged prior to applying but the reason for the discharge needs to be different from a dishonorable one. Moreover, there may be some minimum time span requirements that usually differ whether you served on peacetime or wartime.

Specific Eligibility Scenarios

There are specific scenarios that can trigger eligibility for veteran loans. For instance, you can be eligible for certain veteran loans if you were discharged due to a service related disability or when you suffered an accident or injuries when in duty. Usually this scenario makes you eligible for a veteran loan even if the time requirements are not fully met. Pre-existing conditions may or may not imply eligibility, but chances are that if you are discharged due to a pre-existing condition you can qualify too.

Being discharged due to the sole convenience of the government can also trigger eligibility but the time periods required for this are usually longer. For instance, the average veteran loan requires at least 20 months of service under these circumstances while a disability scenario usually requires no more than 90 days of service (during wartime).

The spouses of veterans can also be eligible for veteran loans if the late spouse met the requirements for approval. There is a catch however; the spouse needs to remain unmarried in order to be eligible. If he or she marries again the benefit is lost. The spouses of those missing in action or held prisoners of war have also the right to obtain approval for this kind of loans.

Personal Qualification Analysis

There is however no way to know in advance whether you qualify or not if you do not contact the specific lender or government agency. Therefore, it is important that you request all the necessary documentation from the source you want to obtain the funds from so you can see whether you are eligible or not. Nevertheless the above guidelines will give you a general idea of what to expect.