Frequently Asked Questions
What will the Montgomery GI Bill do for me?
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_Info/rates.htm.)
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. However, you
must use your benefits within a specified time frame or they will expire.
How do I start using my Montgomery GI Bill?
Apply for your benefits by completing VA Form 22-1990, Application for VA
Education Benefits, or you can apply online at http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp.
Veterans should submit a copy of their most recent DD-214 (Member copy 4) with
the application. 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.
How does the Department of Veterans Affairs know to pay me?
The campus veterans coordinator will certify your enrollment to the VA Regional
Processing Office, Buffalo, NY. The DVA will process your claim and send a check
directly to you or to a direct deposit account designated by you, each month you
are enrolled in school.
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).
When will I receive my first check? How do I find out the status of my payments?
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 check. You will be paid retroactively from the first day of
class. Once you receive your first check, subsequent checks should arrive near
the middle of each month; by setting up direct deposit, the monies are
deposited the first week of the month.
Students may inquire about the status of a pending claim through the Questions
and Answers website https://www.gibill2.va.gov/vba/vba.cfg/php.exe/enduser/std_alp.php.
Students may also contact the Regional Processing Office at 1-888-442-4551
(1-888-GI Bill-1).
Am I required to pay my tuition up front?
Yes.
Must I attend school full-time to receive my benefits?
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 32 and Chapter 1606 receive
monthly checks for less-than-half time training.
Will I automatically receive benefits next semester?
No. Students must submit a Notification of Veterans Student Status form at the
start of each semester. Then, 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
Regional Processing Office in Buffalo, New York.
How long will I continue to receive my benefits?
If you completed at least 20 months of a two-year enlistment or 30 months of a
three-year enlistment, you are typically entitled to 36 months of full-time
educational benefits. Your training time will be deducted from your 36 months
as it is used. For example, if you are taking 6 credits as a half-time student,
the DVA will deduct 1/2 month of entitlement for each month you are paid at the
half-time training rate. In this case, you could continue going to school
half-time for a total of 72 months. If you increase your training time, your
monthly benefits will increase and your 36 months of eligibility will be
depleted faster.
What happens if I withdraw from a course? What if I fail a course?
If you withdraw from a course the DVA may require you to repay the money for this
course retroactive to the first day of class 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 and they will not recover the money they already paid you for the
course you failed. 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.
Can I enroll in any course I want?
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.
Can I change my degree program?
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 VA Form
22-1995 (Request for Change of Program or Place of Training).
What about transcript requests?
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.
Community College of the Air Force ( http://www.au.af.mil/au/ccaf/)
AARTS/Army/ACE Registry Transcript System ( aartstranscript.army.mil/)
SMART/Sailor/Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript ( smart.navy.mil/request.pdf)
U.S. Coast Guard ( www.uscg.mil/hq/cgi/ve/official_transcript.asp)
What information can I obtain by calling 1-888-442-4551?
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. Customers may speak to an Education Officer during business
hours Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (excluding federal holidays). You
may also access the following web site for additional information
www.gibill.va.gov/.
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