Veterans educational benefits

1. Veterans educational benefits

2. What is the role of a veterans certifying official? • Assist student veterans and dependents in choosing a school and training program of interest • Guide in the proper management of educational benefits • Certify enrollment and academic progress to the VA for payment to school and/or student • Meeting many other school-related needs of student veterans and dependents

3. Who do we serve? • Active Duty • Reservist or Guard Member • Newly discharged Veterans • Dependents of a service members

4. Veterans Education Benefits All training programs/school must be approved for payment of GI Bill benefits. Educational benefits can be used for: • graduate and undergraduate degrees • vocational/technical training • on-the-job training • flight training • correspondence training • licensing and national testing programs • tutorial assistance

5. Benefits Comparison Chart

6. Post 9/11 gi bill • The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 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. • The Post 9/11 GI Bill can be transferred to spouses and dependents. • The Post-9/11 GI Bill was effective August 1, 2009.

7. What the Post 9/11 GI Bill Payseffective august 1, 2011 • Tuition and Fees • Covers all mandatory in-state public school costs • Covers up to $17,500 of private school costs • Yellow Ribbon still available (for those qualifying for 100% of the Post 9/11 benefit) • Housing allowance • Payment based on BAH rate of E-5 with dependents “stationed” in primary zip code of school • Prorated to training time if enrolled at least “half time” Benefits prorated based on length of Active Duty service.

8. Dependents Educational Assistance(Ch. 35) • DEA provides financial support to students who are the dependents/spouse of a service member who is Killed in Action or who is rated 100% service-connected disabled. • The monthly payment is paid directly to the student “in support of education”. • Current rate is $987.00 for full-time enrollment.

9. Starting Educational Benefits Apply at www.gibill.va.gov

10. From Application to Payment Student applies to VA for benefits VA process claim and sends $$ to school and student School submits Enrollment Certification Student enrolls in school

11. Reporting requirements • SCO’s must report all enrollments within 30 days. • Can be reported up to 60 days prior to start of term. • Certifications must include student’s name, VA File Number, Academic Program, Start/End date of program, Hours of Enrollment, and Cost of Attendance. • SCO’s must monitor enrollment and certify only courses which apply towards student’s official degree program. • SCO’s must also report graduation, academic and conduct-related dismissals, and other changes in student enrollment status.

12. Va-once • VA-Once is the online mechanism by which SCO’s submit student enrollment certifications and modifications to the VA. • Only those who have officially been designated as an SCO via their school’s MOU and VA Form 22-8794. • http://www.gibill.va.gov/school-certifying-officials/va-once-faq/index.html

13. Student Debts to va A debt is established on the student for tuition/fees/yellow ribbon when: • The student withdrew after the first day of the term (FDOT) • If the student completely withdrew on the FDOT, treat as if student never attended • The student reduced hours whether the reduction occurred before or during the term • If the student attended at least one day of any of the classes certified and a payment has been issued, any debt created by the reduction/withdrawal should be charged to the student • The school submitted a change in enrollment (1999b) and reported a reduction in tuition, fees, and/or Yellow Ribbon due to student action reducing or terminating training. • If a student drops a course and adds a course so that there is no net change in training time, any change to tuition, fees, and/or Yellow Ribbon is a student debt

14. School debts to va A debt is established on a school when: • The student never attended classes for which he/she was certified regardless of the reason for non-attendance • The student completely withdraws on or before the first day of the term. If student reduces, the debt is a student debt • The school received payment for the wrong student • The school received a duplicate payment • The school submitted an amended enrollment certification and reported reduced tuition and fee charges, reduced Yellow Ribbon amount, or reduced both. (Reductions based on student’s action should be reported on a 1999B with the changes in the enrollment and will result in a debt to the student.) • The student died during the term, or before start of the term • VA issued payment above the amount certified on the enrollment certification that was used to process the payment (VA data entry error)

15. Resolving school debts • Payments for school debts can be made via check, credit/debit card, Western Union, or by returning the uncashed Treasury check. Details of Payment Refund Proceeds can be found in the SCO Handbook pages 89-90. • If a school debt has been established and your school believes that it is not appropriate, please notify VA through Internet Inquiry System or by letter to the RPO (not the Agent Cashier). • http://www.gibill.va.gov/documents/job_aids/SCO_Handbook_v2.pdf

16. Questions?? Melody S. Kesler Senior Assistant Registrar University of Georgia mkesler@uga.edu

17. www.gibill.va.gov