Which Veteran Affairs Education Benefits am I able to receive?
Use the information below to determine what educational benefit you are eligible for and then apply online. For general information on all education programs offered through the VA visit the official Veterans Affairs Education website or call the GI Bill Hotline at 1-888-442-4551.
What is considered Full-Time?
To receive full-time benefits for the semester, you must be enrolled for at least 12 credit hours every day of the semester. Given that there are different start times — ex., late start, variable term and first and second mod — you must pay attention to the start and end dates to ensure that at all times you are at a 12 credit minimum. If you register for 12 credits but not all the classes begin and end on the same dates, you will not be considered as full-time for VA benefits. Full time for CMU Financial Aide is different than Full-Time for the VA.
The VA will not pay for remedial courses taken online, such as MATC 090/091, ENGC 090/092 and READ 092. These classes must be taken in-seat in order to be certified for VA payment.
VA Education Benefits Explained
Eligibility
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® is for veterans with at least 90 days of total service on or after September 11, 2001, or veterans 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®. Veterans who qualify for this benefit can also transfer their education benefits to their family members.
Dual Certification Process
First Certification: the student submits a Veteran Enrollment Certification Request (VECR) e-form. Next, Veteran Services will pre-review it and make sure we have all the correct documentation and that you are taking classes following your degree program (Degree Works). Then the School Certifying Official will process your request to the VA based on the number of credits you are taking during the semester as well as the difference between in-seat and online classes. This is also where we make sure you are full-time, according to the VA, to maximize your benefits.
You will get an e-form email stating you were certified. You will also get an updated CoE letter in the mail stating a zero-dollar balance will be paid to CMU. Which includes how much the book stipend and Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) you will get each month.
Second Certification: After the full-term “Drop Period” ends aka census date (which you can find in Important Dates on the CMU website) the School Certifying Official updates your enrollment certification by adding the tuition and fees. You then will receive another CoE letter in the mail with the added tuition and fees reported.
Urgent Payment Deadline Approaching email from IRIS All students get this email.
Because you are using Post 9/11 GI Bill® Chapter 33 benefits you have the GI hold on your account. This means you will not get late fees because you have no control over when the VA pays tuition and fees. After the VA pays the hold will be removed. What you do need to pay attention to is Direct Digital (eBooks), parking permits, meal plans, orientation fees, and on-campus housing. The VA will not pay those things, it is your responsibility to pay those fees. If you haven’t paid the additional charges after the VA pays you will get an email informing you of your balance. After the VA pays CMU, you will be susceptible to monthly late fees unless you set up a payment plan or pay off the remaining balance.
When do you get paid?
- You will receive the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) at the end of each month.
- The first and last months of the semester will be pro-rated because you are in school for less than 30 days.
- In the three middle months, you will receive the full amount if you are full-time (12 credits every day).
- We recommend you purchase your books at your earliest convenience or charge to your student account and wait for the book stipend to be directly deposited into your bank account. Then you can pay your student account off with the Epay app.
Enrollment Verification
Every month the VA will email or text you to confirm that you are enrolled. If you do not respond or say “no” you will not get paid the housing allowance for that month. If you make a mistake, call the GIBILL Hotline at 1-888-442-4551.
What is considered full-time? (Maximize your benefits).
- 12 credit hours every day of the semester. Please pay attention to the dates of each class, some classes are late start, variable terms, 1st mod, and 2nd
- If you take all online classes, you will only get 50% of the MHA.
- You must take at minimum one class in-seat or hybrid to get the full MHA.
- You must take 7 credit hours minimum to receive an MHA. If you are at 6 credit hours, you will not receive an MHA.
Sign in to your VA.gov account from here to see months and days of benefits remaining. Save the document as a PDF and attach it to the COE/DD214 Document Upload and VA Hold Override e-form or VECR e-form.
*GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Eligibility
Post 9/11 GI Bill® Veterans who meet certain criteria can transfer a portion or his/her education benefits to spouses and/or children.
- Veteran needs to complete a transfer application through MilConnect
- Family Member needs apply online (once benefits are transferred)VA Form 22-1990E
Dual Certification Process
First Certification: the student submits a Veteran Enrollment Certification Request (VECR) e-form. Next, Veteran Services will pre-review it and make sure we have all the correct documentation and that you are taking classes following your degree program (Degree Works). Then the School Certifying Official will process your request to the VA based on the number of credits you are taking during the semester as well as the difference between in-seat and online classes. This is also where we make sure you are full-time, according to the VA, to maximize your benefits.
You will get an e-form email stating you were certified. You will also get an updated CoE letter in the mail stating a zero-dollar balance will be paid to CMU. Which includes how much the book stipend and Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) you will get each month.
Second Certification: After the full-term “Drop Period” ends aka census date (which you can find in Important Dates on the CMU website) the School Certifying Official updates your enrollment certification by adding the tuition and fees. You then will receive another CoE letter in the mail with the added tuition and fees reported.
Urgent Payment Deadline Approaching email from IRIS All students get this email.
Because you are using Post 9/11 GI Bill® Chapter 33 benefits you have the GI hold on your account. This means you will not get late fees because you have no control over when the VA pays tuition and fees. After the VA pays the hold will be removed. What you do need to pay attention to is Direct Digital (eBooks), parking permits, meal plans, orientation fees, and on-campus housing. The VA will not pay those things, it is your responsibility to pay those fees. If you haven’t paid the additional charges after the VA pays you will get an email informing you of your balance. After the VA pays CMU, you will be susceptible to monthly late fees unless you set up a payment plan or pay off the remaining balance.
When do you get paid?
- You will receive the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) at the end of each month.
- The first and last months of the semester will be pro-rated because you are in school for less than 30 days.
- In the three middle months, you will receive the full amount if you are full-time (12 credits every day).
- We recommend you purchase your books at your earliest convenience or charge to your student account and wait for the book stipend to be directly deposited into your bank account. Then you can pay your student account off with the Epay app.
Enrollment Verification
Every month the VA will email or text you to confirm that you are enrolled. If you do not respond or say “no” you will not get paid the housing allowance for that month. If you make a mistake, call the GIBILL Hotline at 1-888-442-4551.
What is considered full-time? (Maximize your benefits).
- 12 credit hours every day of the semester. Please pay attention to the dates of each class, some classes are late start, variable terms, 1st mod, and 2nd
- If you take all online classes, you will only get 50% of the MHA.
- You must take at minimum one class in-seat or hybrid to get the full MHA.
- You must take 7 credit hours minimum to receive an MHA. If you are at 6 credit hours, you will not receive an MHA.
Sign in to your VA.gov account from here to see months and days of benefits remaining. Save document as a PDF and attach it to COE/DD214 Document Upload and VA Hold Override e-form or VECR e-form.
*GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Eligibility
If you opted into Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty this information is for you. The MGIB program provides up to 36 months of educational benefits. The VA pays any benefits directly to the student.
Certification Process
The student registers for classes and submits the Veteran Enrollment Certification Request (VECR) e-form. Next, Veteran Services will pre-review it and make sure we have all the correct documentation and that you are taking classes following your degree program (Degree Works). Then the School Certifying Official will process your request to the VA based on the number of credits you are taking during the semester as well as the difference between in-seat and online classes. This is also where we make sure you are full-time, according to the VA, to maximize your benefits. You will get an e-form email stating you were certified.
Urgent Payment Deadline Approaching email from IRIS All students get this email.
What you do need to pay attention to is Direct Digital (eBooks), parking permits, meal plans, orientation fees, and on-campus housing. The VA will not pay those things, it is your responsibility to pay those fees. You will be charged monthly late fees unless you set up a payment plan or pay off the remaining balance. Your charges can all be seen in the ePay app in your MAVzone.
Payments and Enrollment Verification
- Set up a payment plan to avoid late fees.
- On the first weekday of each month, you must log in to WAVES to verify your enrollment.
- Within 5 business days, you will receive payment.
- If you do not verify on WAVES you will not get paid
What is considered full-time? (Maximize your benefits).
- 12 credit hours every day of the semester. Please pay attention to the dates of each class, some classes are late start, variable terms, 1st mod, and 2nd
- If you take all online classes, you will only get 50% tuition payments.
- You must take at minimum one class in-seat or hybrid to get the full monthly payment.
*GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Eligibility
This program allows veterans to receive the education for the career they are seeking. Education can include an apprenticeship, on-the-job training, a degree or even a certificate.
You’re eligible to apply for VR&E benefits and services if you meet both requirements:
- You didn't receive a dishonorable discharge, and
- You have a service-connected disability rating of at least 20% from VA
Certification Process
The student registers for classes and submits the Veteran Enrollment Certification Request (VECR) e-form. Next, Veteran Services will pre-review it and make sure we have all the correct documentation and that you are taking classes following your degree program (Degree Works). Then the School Certifying Official will process your request to the VA based on the number of credits you are taking during the semester as well as the difference between in-seat and online classes. This is also where we make sure you are full-time, according to the VA, to maximize your benefits. You will get an e-form email stating you were certified.
How do I get my books?
Once you are certified you can go to the CMU Bookstore and purchase your books. The cashier will verify that your name is on the list for Third Party Chapter 31 benefit users. You will have a $50 budget to spend on school supplies such as pens, pencils, and notebooks.
When do I get paid?
You will receive the Subsistence Allowance (SA) at the end of each month.
What is considered full-time? (Maximize your benefits)?
12 credit hours every day of the semester is full-time. Please pay attention to the dates of each class, some classes are late start, variable terms, 1st mod, and 2nd mod.
| Subsistence Allowance | Credits enrolled in |
| 100% | 12 credits or more |
| 75% | 11-9 credits |
| 50% | 8-6 credits |
| 0% | 5-1 credits |
**VR&E Case Managers are available every Thursday from 12-3 in the Houston Hall Veteran Lounge**
Eligibility
For a survivor or family member of a veteran who has 100% permanent and total service-connected disability.
What is Chapter 35?
Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of certain veterans. The program offers up to 36 months of education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree or certificate programs, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training. If you are a spouse, you may take a correspondence course. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances. The VA pays an education stipend directly to the student.
Certification Process
- Apply for Chapter 35 benefits.
- Wait for the Certificate of Eligibility to come in the mail.
- Provide a copy of your CoE to Veteran Services.
- Register for classes.
- Submit VECR.
When do you get paid?
You will receive the education stipend at the end of each month.
The first and last months of the semester will be pro-rated because you are in school for less than 30 days. In the three middle months, you will receive the full amount if you are full-time (12 credits every day).
How does the education stipend work?
The VA will pay the student the education stipend, and then it will be the student’s responsibility to pay the institution's tuition and fees. It is recommended that the student set up a payment plan on Epay in their Mavzone to avoid late fees. Students can take prerequisites and degree-required classes. These classes can be online or in-person. Payment is at the end of the month. Please note that during the first semester, the education stipend can take between 4-12 weeks before it is directly deposited into your account.
What is considered full-time? (Maximize your benefits)
- 12 credit hours every day of the semester.
- Pay attention to the start and end dates of each class, some classes are late start, variable terms, 1st mod, and 2nd
- Online or in-person (optional)
Education Stipend Credits enrolled in
$1,488 for each full month 12 credits
$1,176 for each full month 9 credits
$862 for each full month 6 credits
Army Reservists use Federal TA
If you wish to use federal TA, reach out to Veteran Services and inform them so they can put your classes in the system. You must complete your TAR (Tuition Assistance Request) 8 days before the first day of class; otherwise, you will not be able to get those classes paid for.
Monthly Enrollment Verification using the WAVE Portal
Submit your VECR for 1606/ MGIB- SR benefits.
You will get paid the below amount to help pay for tuition.
Full-time enrollment: $439.00 for each full month
3/4-time enrollment: $329.00 for each full month
1/2-time enrollment: $219.00 for each full month
Less than 1/2-time enrollment: $109.75 for each full month
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Army National Guard and Air National Guard
Submit your VECR for 1606/ MGIB- SR benefits.
You will get paid the below amount to help pay for tuition.
Full-time enrollment: $439.00 for each full month
3/4-time enrollment: $329.00 for each full month
1/2-time enrollment: $219.00 for each full month
Less than 1/2-time enrollment: $109.75 for each full month
GI Bill Comparison Tool
See the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA stipend) for CMU.