VA Education Benefits

1
VA Education Benefits

• Basic Training Workshop

2
Objective

• At the end of this presentation you will be
  better able to assist your students with their
  questions regarding VA education benefits.

3
VACO Education Service
VACO EDU Service establishes policies and
procedures for four Regional Processing
Offices. Only the 4 RPOs process education
claims. Each RPO has jurisdiction over separate
states and territories.
Atlanta
Buffalo
Muskogee
St. Louis
4
Which Office Will Process Your Claim?
(Foreign Schools)

(PR and VI)
(AK , HI, Guam Samoa, and Manila)
5
Muskogee VA Regional Office
6
VA Partners

• SCO (School Certifying Official) The person at
  an institution delegated authority to sign
  enrollment certifications, documents, and reports
  relating to VA benefits.
• ELR (Education Liaison Representative) The VA
  employee responsible for liaison, program
  approval functions, and compliance surveys for
  your state.
• SAA (State Approving Agency) An agency appointed
  by the Chief Executive of a state to approve
  institutional programs of education and training
  for payment of benefits under the various laws
  administered by VA.

7
Programs of Education

• Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty
• Chapter 32 Post Vietnam Era Veterans Education
  Assistance Program
• Chapter 34/30 Old GI Bill - Vietnam Era GI
  Bill.
• Chapter 1606 Montgomery GI Bill-Selected
  Reserve
• Chapter 35 Dependents Educational Assistance
• Chapter 1607 Reserve Education Assistance
  Program

8
Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill-AD

• First entered active duty on or after 7/1/85.
• Had 1200 deducted from the first 12 months of
  military pay for participation in MGIB.
• Have met their basic service requirement.
• Obtained a high school diploma or GED prior to
  applying for benefits.

Must have one period of honorable service equal
to the first obligated period of service, and
9
Chapter 32 - Veterans Educational Assistance
Program (VEAP)

• First entered service between 1/01/77 and
  6/30/85,
• Contributed money to a VEAP account,
• Have money in that account for use, and
• Have a discharge reason of anything other than
  Dishonorable.
• These veterans were eligible to contribute up to
  2700 into their VEAP account.

10
Chapter 34/30

• These are the former Vietnam Era GI Bill
  participants who
• Had remaining entitlement under that program when
  it ended on 12/31/89.
• And served on active duty between 10/19/84 and
  7/1/85, and continued to serve on active duty to
  7/1/88, or to 7/1/87 followed by four years in
  the Selected Reserve.
• Or if not on duty on 10/19/84 may be eligible
  with 3 yrs. of service at any point after
  7/1/85.

11
Chapter 34/30 (continued)

• Served long enough to still be eligible for
  benefits (for example someone who left service
  in 1986 would no longer be eligible to use their
  benefits because their 10 year delimiting date
  has passed).
• Any period between 1/01/77, and 7/01/85, not in
  service will be deducted from the 10 year
  delimiting date period.
• These claimants are eligible for increased
  benefit rates for their dependents.
• No payment or contribution is required for this
  program.

12
Individuals Using Active Duty Benefits

• Receive up to 36 months of full time benefits.
• Have 10 years from the date of last discharge to
  use their benefits.
• Apply using VA Form 22-1990 or VAs online
  application.

13
Chapter 1606 Montgomery GI Bill - Selective
Reserve Benefit

• Must have a six year obligation to serve in the
  Selected Reserve.
• Complete your IADT (Initial Active Duty for
  Training).
• Serve in a drilling Selected Reserve unit and
  remain in good standing.
• Obtained a HS diploma or equivalency certificate.
  Completing 12 hours toward a college degree
  before you apply for benefits also meets this
  requirement.

14
Individuals Using MGIB-SR Benefits (Ch. 1606)

• Receive 36 months of full time benefits, prorated
  for less than full time training.
• Have 14 years to use their benefits.
• Lose their benefits if they leave the Reserves.

15
Chapter 35 - Dependents Educational Assistance
Program

• Available to the spouse, surviving spouse, or
  dependent child of a veteran who
• Is 100 permanently and totally disabled as a
  result of a service connected disability,
• Died while rated as 100 permanently and totally
  disabled as a result of a service connected
  injury,

16
Chapter 35 Eligibility (Continued)

• Died as a result of a service connected injury
  while on active duty, or
• Was held as a POW or was MIA (as determined by
  the Secretary of Defense) for 90 days or more
  (benefits end when that status ends).

17
Individuals Using Chapter 35 Benefits

• Receive 45 months of full time benefits, prorated
  for less than full time training.
• Spouses have 10 yrs from the date of the veterans
  death or 100 PT rating to use benefits.
• Surviving spouses of veterans killed on active
  duty have 20 years to use benefits.
• Children generally have to use benefits between
  18 and 26.

18
Chapter 1607 - Reserve Education Assistance
Program (REAP)

• For Guard/Reservists who served 90 continuous
  days or more on active duty after September 11,
  2001 for a contingency operation as determined by
  the President or Congress.
• Members receive a portion of the MGIB three year
  rate depending on how long they served on active
  duty.

19
Quick Review

• Active Duty Benefits
• Chapters 30 32
• Selected Reserve Benefits
• Chapter 1606 and 1607
• Dependents Benefits
• Chapter 35

20

• National Call to Service (NCS)Provisions of PL
  107-314
• Summary
• The NCS education benefits is a Department of
  Defense
  (DoD) program administered by VA, much in the
  same manner as MGIB-SR (Ch1606) and REAP
  (Ch1607).
• NCS offers four short-term irrevocable enlistment
  incentives
• A 5,000 cash (taxable) bonus
• Up to 18,000 student loan repayment program
  (taxable) that covers the loan and interest.
• An education allowance of up to 12 months
  equivalent to the MGIB 3-year rate.
• An education allowance of up to 36 months of
  the MGIB 2-year rate.

21

• National Call to Service (NCS)ContinuedProvision
  s of PL 107-314
• How Incentives Are Administered
• The two cash incentives (loan repayment and
  bonus) are taxable and are administered by the
  Department of Defense. They are paid after the
  initial active service and training are
  completed.
• VA will administer the two EDU programs. These
  are considered non taxable income.

22

• National Call to Service (NCS)ContinuedProvision
  s of PL 107-314
• Eligibility for Selection to NCS
• The person must not have served in the military
  prior October 1, 2003.
• Must be a high school graduate.
• Must be in the top mental category of I-IIIA, as
  determined by the ASVAB test.

23

• National Call to Service (NCS)ContinuedProvision
  s of PL 107-314
• Phases of Required service. NCS participants are
  required to have a Military Obligated Service of
  8 years. This service is broken down into three
  phases
• Phase 1 Active Service
• Must complete 15 months after attending basic
  training.
• Phase 2 Either Active Duty or Selected Reserve
• Participant must either extend or re-enlist on
  active duty, or must serve for a period of 24
  months in the active reserve (attends drills)
  status.
• Phase 3 Additional Service
• Participant have the option to serve remainder of
  the 8 year MSO in either an active component, the
  Selected Reserve, or in the Individual Ready
  Reserve.

24
National Call to Service (NCS)ContinuedProvision
s of PL 107-314 Reenlistment or extension of
service may create MGIB eligibility for NCS
participants. Scheduled to end on December 31,
2007. Currently the law provides no delimiting
date for NCS participants. Programs of
Education A participant who elects one of the
education incentives can receive benefits for
undergraduate or graduate degree or certificate
programs. NCS participants may not take
correspondence, flight, OJT/APP training,
licensing and certifications tests, or national
tests for admissions.
25
National Call to Service (NCS)ContinuedProvision
s of PL 107-314 In 2005 DoD estimated that
approximately 200 people out of 2000 have
selected the VA EDU benefit incentive. Through
April 2008, 38 Individuals have been paid this
benefit from the Muskogee office. Many have
participated and elected to receive the bonus
benefit.
26

• VA Education Benefits Can Be
• Used To Pay For
• Degrees at approved schools
• Non-college certificates or diplomas
• Apprenticeships and On the Job Training programs
• Correspondence courses
• Flight school training
• Cost of a license or certification test

27
VA Education Benefits Can Be Used To Pay For

• Tuition Assistance Top Up of DODs tuition
  assistance program
• Accelerated payment of certain high tech courses
  leading to employment in a high tech industry
• Work study benefits for students enrolled at
  least ¾ time
• National Exams such as GRE, SAT, LSAT, CLEP, AP,
  and GMAT

28
Note All schools training establishments
must be approved by your State Approving Agency
(SAA).
29
Licensing and Certification Tests

• VA will reimburse the cost of approved tests
  taken for licensing and or certification up to a
  maximum of 2000.

30
Tuition Assistance Top Up

• Commonly referred to as TATU.
• VA will pay the difference between what DOD pays
  for tuition assistance and the actual cost of the
  course.
• DOD pays anywhere from 75 to 100 of the cost of
  courses for this program.

31
Accelerated Payment

• VA will reimburse up to 60 of the cost of
  certain high tech high cost courses leading to
  employment in a high tech industry if the total
  cost of the course will exceed 200 of the
  regular MGIB payments that would otherwise be
  paid for the length of the course.

32
Work Study

• VA will pay work study students who are training
  at ¾ training time or greater.
• The work studys duties must be VA related.
• The student is paid minimum wage.

33
Transfer of Entitlement

• This program allows for the transfer of up to 18
  months of MGIB entitlement to a spouse or child.
• Although this retention program is available to
  all branches of the military, the Army is the
  only branch currently offering a transfer of
  entitlement to spouses and children as a
  reenlistment incentive.
• For spouses to receive benefits, the soldier has
  to reenlist after 6 years of service and have
  less than 14 years of service.

34
Transfer of Entitlement(Continued)

• For children, the soldier must reenlist after 10
  years of service.
• To qualify for transfer of entitlement, a child
  must have completed high school, or received an
  equivalency certificate, or be at least 18 years
  of age.
• Eligibility for children ends when the child
  reaches age 26. A qualifying child may begin
  using the entitlement on the effective date of
  the transfer.

35
Transfer of Entitlement

• What should the dependent file with VA?
• --VA form 22-1990, Application for VA Education
  Benefits.
• --Declaration of transfer to dependent (DD form
  2366-2).
• --VA form 21-686c, Declaration of Status of
  Dependents.

36
Quick Review

• VA pays for a wide variety of programs.

• Tuition Assistance Top Up
• Accelerated Payment for High Tech Programs
• Work Study Program
• National Exams

• College Degrees
• Non college Pursuits
• OJT/APP Programs
• Correspondence Courses
• Flight Training
• Licensing or Certification Test

37
Award Letter

• When payment of education benefits is
  authorized, the RPO will mail an award letter to
  the student. Included is the specific period
  certified, the monthly rate of payment,
  delimiting date of benefits, and amount of
  entitlement remaining at the end
  of the enrollment period.

38
Helpful Numbers Addresses

• This number is used to reach the Muskogee
  Education Office. The office is open from 800
  a.m. to 500 p.m. CST, Monday - Friday. This
  number is used to check on VA education related
  problems and can be given to students.
  
• 
  1.888.442.4551 or 1.888.GIBILL.1
• Direct Deposit
  1.877.838.2778
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
  1.877.823.2378
• For non-education related VA information
  questions
  1.800.827.1000

39

• Education Benefits Service
• http//www.gibill.va.gov
• VA-ONCE Website
• https//vaonce.vba.va.gov/vaonce_student/de
  fault.asp
• Work-Study telephone number
  1.918.781.7878

40
If a Student Has Questions About VA Benefits and
Eligibility, You Should

• Refer the student to the toll-free VA Education
  Phone number 1.888.442.4551 (1.888.GI Bill 1)
• Do not try to make determinations of basic
  eligibility. The benefit programs change
  frequently, so it is best to refer the student
  directly to the VA for questions about basic
  eligibility in programs.

41
Delimiting Date
STOP

• The expiration date of education benefits.
  Claimants must use or lose their benefits before
  this date.

42
Benefits Are Paid in Arrears

• The student receives payment for the month of
  September at the beginning of October, etc.
• Exception Advance Payment

43
Where Benefit Checks Are Sent

• VA benefit checks are sent directly to the
  address the student has indicated on the
  application or that is shown on the
  certification.
• Exceptions
• Advance Payment.
• Direct Deposit Chapter 30 and chapter 1606
  students can have their checks deposited directly
  into their bank account.
• Benefit checks are NOT paid to the school. The
  money is intended to help defray educational
  expenses, but does not have to go directly toward
  tuition costs. It can be used any way the
  student wishes.

44
Retroactive Benefits

• VA benefits can be paid for enrollments up to
  one year prior to the date VA receives a
  students application.

45

• Entitlement The number of months the student
  will be eligible for VA Education Benefits.
  Usually 36 months, but never more than
  48 months.
• Compliance Survey A review of records pertaining
  to students in receipt of VA education benefits,
  conducted by the ELR or ECSS. The purpose is to
  ensure that VA paperwork is being completed
  correctly and timely and VA guidelines/regulations
  are being adhered to.

46

• Program Approval Training establishments are
  responsible for making sure their catalogues are
  up-to-date, and only those courses or programs
  approved by the SAA are certified to VA for
  payment of education benefits.
• Facility Code Schools ID number. The numerical
  code assigned by the VA to an institution
  specifically identifying it.

47
Who Do I Contact?

• Questions regarding payment issues and/or status
  of a claim
• 1-888-GIBILL 1
• Questions regarding how to fill out VA forms or
  VA guidelines/regulations
• Your Education Liaison Representative

48
How Do You Certify a Student?

• You can certify a student for VA benefits by
• Filling out and mailing VA Form 22-1999,
  Enrollment Certification, or
• Electronically certifying through VA-ONCE

49
VA Forms

• If a veteran has never used his/her VA education
  benefits, a form 22-1990 (22-5490) needs to be
  completed.
• This can be done either by hard copy or through
  our website at www.gibill.va.gov under Education
  Benefits then click Education Forms.

• Chapters 30, 32, 1606 1607
• VA Form 22-1990
• VA Form 22-1995
• VA Form 22-1999

• Chapter 35
• VA Form 22-5490
• VA Form 22-5495
• VA Form 22-1999

50
Responsibilities of the Certifying Official
As the Certifying Official, you are responsible
for the accurate and prompt certification of
enrollments and changes in enrollment of eligible
students to the VA.
51
Ask the Student If They Have Ever Received VA
Education Benefits Before?

• If the student says YES, then
• Have them fill out an application, VA Form
  22-1995.
• If the student says NO, then
• Have them fill out an application, VA Form
  22-1990.
• Ask them which chapter they are eligible for, if
  known.
• If they are Chapter 31, they do not need to fill
  out either form. Refer them to the vocational
  rehabilitation specialist.
• Explain the students responsibilities regarding
  withdrawals affecting a change of status,
  maintaining satisfactory progress, and taking
  only courses applicable toward the degree goal.

52
Prior Credit

• Accredited schools do not have to report prior
  credit to VA on enrollment certifications.
• Non-accredited schools must report Credit
  Allowed for previous training and education
• 2 wrong answers N/A and blank
• 4 correct answers Pending, of credits,
  Continuing, or None
• Schools still have to evaluate prior credit,
  grant credit as appropriate, and shorten the
  program certified to VA accordingly.
• Prior credit will still be reviewed during
  compliance surveys and credit evaluation records
  must be maintained and made available to both VA
  and SAA personnel upon request. The availability
  of these records should not be a problem if your
  school is meeting its accreditation standards.

53
VA Form 22-1999 Enrollment Certification or
VA-ONCE

• This form is completed by you, the SCO after a
  veteran/dependent has enrolled and been accepted
  at your school.
• This form may be completed using hard copy or by
  using VA-ONCE (VA On Line Certification
  Enrollment) Program at www.gibill.va.gov/once.
• Lets go over how to certify a students
  enrollment.

54
VA Form 22-1999b Notice of Change in Student
Status

• This form is to be completed if a student
  terminates training, reduces or increases his/her
  training time.
• It should be completed within 30 days from the
  time the student changes his/her enrollment
  status.
• Lets go over how to properly complete this form.

55
VA Form 22-1995 Request for Change of Program or
Place of Training

• If a student has previously used his/her VA
  education benefits at another school, or changed
  their program, a form 22-1995 should be completed
  by the student.
• Keep a copy of this form in the students file.

56
PRIMARY AND SUPPLEMENTAL ENROLLMENTS
57
Youre the Primary School IF A student is
taking courses at another school to satisfy
requirements for a degree he or she is pursuing
at your school.
58

• Send a primary school letter to the Certifying
  Official at the secondary school
• Identify the student by name, social security
  number or VA file number, education chapter
• List the courses the student may take at the
  supplemental school that your school will accept
  as transfer credit towards the students degree

59
Youre the Secondary School IF A
student is taking courses at your school that
will apply to a degree he or she is pursuing
elsewhere.
60

• Adopt the student
• Certify the student as a Guest Student
• Enter the name of the Primary School
• Prior Credit will be N/A
• Only certify courses listed in the Primary
  School letter
• Send the Primary School a transcript upon the
  students completion of the course(s)

61
(SAMPLE PRIMARY SCHOOL LETTER - Suggested
Format)   NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRIMARY
SCHOOL Date   NAME AND ADDRESS OF SECONDARY
SCHOOL   ltStudents Name (Claim Number)gt is a
chapter lte.g., 30gt student at ltName of School
(facility code)gt pursuing a ltName of Program,
e.g. B.S. History degreegt.   The course(s) listed
below satisfy ltName of Programgt requirements and
will transfer at full value to ltName of
Schoolgt.   List course(s) by title and
number   Student intends to take the above
course(s) at ltSecondary Schoolgt ltIdentify term,
e.g., spring term 2004gt as a guest student.
Please certify the courses to VA as the secondary
school.    SIGNED BY THE CERTIFYING
OFFICIAL TELEPHONE NUMBER
62
A MATRICULATED STUDENT IS A student who has
satisfied all requirements for admission is
degree seeking.
63
VA benefits can only be paid to a student who is
matriculated. For students who are not
matriculated, only certify for 2 quarters or
semesters.
64
LEVELING COURSES Additional Undergraduate
courses required of a student who has a bachelors
degree in order to satisfy admission requirements
for a graduate degree program.
65

• The student must apply to the school as a
  graduate degree seeking student
• The requirements the student must meet in order
  to matriculate must be identified documented
• The courses must be listed on school letterhead,
  signed by a responsible school official, filed
  in the students file

66
Who Do You Call
How to complete a VA Form or a VA-ONCE
Question Your ELR Is a Program Approved for the
payment of VA Education Benefits Your
SAA General questions about VA Education
Benefits? 1-888-GIBill 1 or www.gibill.va.gov