Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has initiated a significant policy change that could restrict military tuition assistance at numerous prestigious universities, including Cornell University. This action comes as part of a broader evaluation of graduate programs at institutions deemed to exhibit “bias” against the military. A preliminary list released by the U.S. Army categorizes Cornell among those at “moderate to high risk” of losing eligibility for military tuition benefits.
Military tuition assistance typically provides service members with up to $4,500 annually to help offset the costs of graduate-level education. The Tuition Assistance Top-Up program supplements this amount, covering any remaining tuition costs that exceed this limit at more expensive universities. This support is vital, as over 230,000 service members benefit from these programs.
If Hegseth’s proposed policy is implemented, military personnel would no longer have access to tuition assistance from the Pentagon for graduate-level programs at Cornell and other prestigious institutions. The Army’s list includes all Ivy League schools except Dartmouth College, as well as other renowned universities such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University, Stanford University, Duke University, and Vanderbilt University, along with nearly thirty others, including an institution in London.
This move follows a memo issued by Hegseth on February 6, 2023, which severed funding ties between the Pentagon and Harvard University for the 2026-2027 academic year. From that point forward, the Department of War will not support any graduate-level military education, fellowships, or certificate programs in conjunction with Harvard. The military has been directed to assess “all existing graduate programs at Ivy League universities and others that may diminish critical thinking and have significant adversary involvement” with the Chinese Communist Party.
In a video released on the same day, Hegseth elaborated on his rationale for cutting ties with Harvard and other Ivy League schools. He asserted, “Too many of [the military’s] officers come back looking too much like Harvard, [with] heads full of globalist and radical ideologies that do not improve our fighting ranks.” He characterized the Ivy League as having “pervasive institutional bias and a lack of viewpoint diversity.”
Hegseth emphasized that the Army, Navy, and Air Force would evaluate graduate programs at all Ivy League and similar institutions. So far, the U.S. Army is the only branch that has publicly announced its evaluation of these programs. Hegseth concluded his remarks by stating, “We train warriors, not wokesters.”
This initiative reflects a continuation of funding cuts initiated under the Trump administration to Cornell and other elite universities, many of which are also included on the Army’s list. Following these cuts, Cornell and its Ivy League counterparts reached agreements with the previous administration to restore funding for their academic programs and research.
When questioned about any communications with the Department of War or a response to Hegseth’s comments, a spokesperson for Cornell University stated, “Cornell University has proudly educated active-duty military and veterans since its founding and is the only Ivy League institution designated a Purple Heart University for supporting veterans injured in combat.” The spokesperson added, “In addition to a robust ROTC program, Cornell educates active-duty officers pursuing graduate business, law, and engineering degrees with financial support from their branches of the military. We look forward to continuing this important relationship.”
As this policy unfolds, its potential impact on military personnel seeking higher education at leading universities remains a topic of significant discussion and concern.
