Veterans and Military FAQ

The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service after September 10, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Some of the benefits the Post-9/11 GI Bill will pay include:

• Your full tuition & fees directly to the school for all public school in-state students, if you qualify at the 100% rate. For those attending private or foreign schools tuition & fees are capped at the national maximum rate. Click here for more information.
• A monthly housing allowance (MHA) based on the Basic Housing Allowance for an E-5 with dependents at the location of the school. For those enrolled solely in distance learning the housing allowance payable is equal to ½ the national average BAH for an E-5 with dependents.
• An annual books & supplies stipend of $1,000 paid proportionately based on enrollment.
• This benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits, generally benefits are payable for 15 years following your release from active duty.

Apply for your benefits by completing VA Form 22-1990, Application for VA Education Benefits online at www.gibill.va.gov Select a school you would like to attend and make sure it is approved for veterans benefits. Once you have been admitted to the school, talk to a counselor and select a degree program. Register only for courses required under your degree program. Request transcripts from all previous educational institutions and your military transcript and have them evaluated for possible credit toward your degree. This is a DVA (Department of Veterans Affairs) requirement.

The transferability option under the Post-9/11 GI Bill allows Servicemembers to transfer all or some unused benefits to their spouse or dependent children. The Department of Defense (DoD) determines whether or not you can transfer benefits to your family. Once the DoD approves benefits for transfer, the new beneficiaries apply for them at VA. To find out more, visit the DoDs website

The Montgomery GI Bill will provide you with a monthly educational allowance to help you pay for your education. The monthly benefit amount depends upon the number of credits you take each term, the length of each course, and the length of your initial enlistment. During a standard 16-week semester, 12 semester hours or more is considered full time. Please access the following website for current pay rates www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill If you are eligible for the College Fund, you will receive additional monies. You may be eligible for 36 months of full-time educational benefits, provided you completed your initial obligation with an honorable discharge. Benefits are payable for 10 years following your release from active duty.

Apply for your benefits by completing VA Form 22-1990, Application for VA Education Benefits online at http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp. Select a school you would like to attend and make sure it is approved for veterans benefits. Once you have been admitted to the school, talk to a counselor and select a degree program. Register only for courses required under your degree program. Request transcripts from all previous educational institutions and your military transcript and have them evaluated for possible credit toward your degree. This is a DVA (Department of Veterans Affairs) requirement.

The campus Veterans Coordinator will certify your enrollment. The DVA will process your claim and send a payment directly to the bank account designated by you.

Students who receive either the MGIB or Selected Reserve MUST verify their enrollment each month to receive payments. This verification can be done either by using the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) system or by using an automated telephone system (1-877-823-2378)

New applicants should allow 8-12 weeks from the date your application for benefits and your certification of enrollment was processed by the college to receive your first payment. You will be paid retroactively from the first day of class. Once you receive your first payment, subsequent payments are deposited the first week of the month.

Students may inquire about the status of a pending claim by calling 1-888-442-4551 (1-888-GI Bill-1)

No. You may take as many or as few courses as you feel you can comfortably manage. Your monthly payment will be determined by the number of semester hours in which you are enrolled and the length of your courses. For instance, if you are a full-time student taking 12 or more semester hours, you will receive full-time benefits for each month you continue with this training time. If you are a part-time student taking less than 12 semester hours, your monthly benefit checks will be reduced accordingly. You must be enrolled half-time or more in order to receive a monthly payment from the DVA. If you are enrolled for less than half-time, or if you are on active duty, you will receive a lump sum payment of tuition cost or the amount of your monthly benefits, whichever is less. Exception: Chapter 33 pay is different.

No. Students must submit a Notification of Veterans Student Status form at the start of each semester. The Veterans Coordinator will review your program of study and certify the courses you are enrolled in are required to complete your degree program. Certification of Enrollment will then be sent to the Processing Office.

If you withdraw from a course the DVA may require you to repay the money for this course unless you withdrew due to reasons beyond your control. If the DVA accepts your reason for withdrawing as being beyond your control, you will be paid through the last day of attendance. If this is the first instance you withdrew, the DVA may consider mitigating circumstances exist without explanation from you for withdrawing from a course or courses totaling not more than 6 semester hours. Note: You must report any changes in your class schedule to your Veterans Coordinator to avoid overpayment of your educational benefits.

If you fail a course and the course is required for graduation, the DVA will pay you to repeat it. However, you must maintain satisfactory academic progress as measured by your cumulative grade point average and the number of credits you have attempted. If your progress becomes unsatisfactory, your benefits will be suspended until you regain satisfactory progress for your degree program.

No. Once you are placed into a program, you can only take classes that are required under that program; DVA will not pay for a course that cannot be used in your degree program. Also, DVA will not pay for a course you have already taken and successfully completed.

Yes. The DVA allows you to make a plan change. You will need to select a new program of study, have all your previous credits evaluated and complete Request for Change of Program or Place of Training (VA form 22-1995).

Once you have received orders, you have the following options:

• Drop all classes and 100% of the tuition and fees will be refunded.
• Withdraw from all classes and receive a "W" grade. Please note there will be no refund of tuition and fees.
• Make arrangements with the instructor to receive an incomplete grade.
• Complete the work upon return from active duty and convert the incomplete grade to a letter grade. Please note failure to complete the work will result in a failing grade.

Please note your decision may impact any tuition assistance or financial aid you may have through state and federal programs. Please consult with the Veterans Coordinator and the financial aid office as soon as possible.

Submit official transcripts for evaluation to the Office of Admissions and Records, including your DD-214, and transcripts from prior colleges and military service schools. The DVA requires an evaluation of your military training/experience and all prior college credits. All transcripts must be submitted and evaluated by the end of your second semester; otherwise DVA will stop your benefits.

This toll free line provides information on DVA educational benefits 24-hours a day, seven days a week. The automated system provides a wide range of information about DVA educational benefits and specific information about individual accounts. You may also access the following web site for additional information: http://benefits.va.gov/gibill/