The University of Wisconsin System has launched a new website to help veterans enroll in higher education programs when they return home from service.

The site includes information about higher education for veterans, such as how they can apply to Wisconsin schools, what benefits are available to veteran students and also provides advising services at each UW school specifically geared toward helping veterans, UW System spokesperson David Giroux said.

Giroux said the site is a convenient place for veterans to find resources to help them successfully transition into higher education programs.

He added it is important for universities to aide veterans, and the best way to honor their service is to offer them the opportunities to earn advanced education.

“Veterans often face challenges that typical students do not; their transitions into higher education programs are complicated, and this site is designed to offer extra personal support,” Giroux said.

Stephen Lee, Wisconsin State Director of the Student Veterans of America, said he wished the UW System offered something like this website when he was preparing to come to UW.

“To have all that information in one place would have saved me so much time, confusion and frustration, especially since I am an out of state student,” Lee said.

According to the statement, the UW System president’s office funded the website launch with $100,000 from the Growth Agenda for Wisconsin funds.

The statement also said the portal is part of a national effort to make higher education programs more veteran-friendly.

According to the statement, the site also provides information to veterans about their federal and state-wide benefits, including the Wisconsin G.I. Bill that covers 100 percent of veterans, their spouses and their children’s higher education tuition.

Giroux said the portal is also helping the UW System achieve their goal of having an additional 80,000 Wisconsin college graduates by the year 2025.

He also said to reach this goal the UW System must be more attentive to the needs of non-traditional students, and veterans represent a significant group of these students.

“The military tries to prepare service members for separation, but time is limited and information vast. Many times service members need further resources to guide veterans to the educations they desire,” Lee said.