It is the responsibility of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to approve applications and to make decisions regarding payment, issuance of checks, and eligibility.
Please note that new applicants should expect a wait of approximately 8-10 weeks for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to process and send their first subsistence check. Beneficiaries who are renewing their benefits at the same school should expect a wait of approximately 4-6 weeks for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to process and send their first subsistence check.
For individual benefit information, please see the table below.
Beginning on August 1, 2021, Section 1010 of the new Isakson and Roe Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvements Act of 2020 will require all enrolled students, eligible for BAH, to electronically verify their enrollment each month with VA. If a student fails to certify for two consecutive months, VA will withhold their BAH until the student certifies.
Students can verify their enrollment in one of two ways:
Text Messaging – Students who choose VA’s “Opt-In” feature will receive a text message each month prompting them to verify their enrollment status.
Telephone – Students may call the Education Call Center (ECC) at 888-442-4551 to verify their enrollment status.
Requesting Your VA Education Benefits:
1. STEP ONE: Prepare
2. STEP TWO: Apply for Benefits:
3. STEP THREE: Bring Completed Forms to the VMFRC - Once the VA processes your claim, they will send you a Certificate of Eligibility stating the type and amount of benefits you have. Bring that copy, your DD214 and any other forms you have to the Education Center Room 0114.http://www.usi.edu/outreach/veterans
4. STEP FOUR: Certify Enrollment - To inform our office that you want to utilize your VA benefits, complete the on-line NEW Semester Educational Benefit Request Form (For ALL VA and ArmyIgnitED requests). This must be completed EACH semester you want to claim benefits.
Schedule Changes or Withdrawals: Any beneficiary who completes an add/drop or withdrawal must do so according to the official University process. Beneficiaries who revise their schedule or withdraw from the semester must also notify USI Veteran, Military and Family Resource Center (VMFRC) of the change, as it may have an adverse impact on their eligibility for benefits.
VA Debt Management: The institution is an "End-of-Term" reporting school which means if students fail their courses and cease going to classes, the university must report all punitive grades and the last date of attendance (LDA) the student was in class. This action could create a debt to the VA and the institution due to an overpayment of tuition, fees and in some cases, allowances provided as a term of your benefit program. When this occurs monies may be returned and the VA and institution can collect that debt from the student. Information on the VA Debt Management Center can be found at:
Educational Benefits Under the Department of Veterans Affairs (GI Bill®) is always subject to change. For the best updated information, please visit http://benefits.va.gov/gibill/
Click Buttons Below for Information on VA Education Benefit Chapters: