VA Education Benefits

• Eligibility
  •  Served at least 2 years on active duty
• Benefits Overview
  • This program offers up to 36 months of education and training benefits.
  • Not Transferable to dependents.
  • A monthly benefit is paid directly to the student
• Payment and Processing
  • VA processes benefit payment after the student verifies enrollment. It can take up to 5 days to arrive.

• Required Documents
  • Intake Form
  • COE
  • DD Form 214
  • Military Transcript
• Monthly Enrollment Verification Required

• Eligibility
  •  Veterans and Service Members with service-connected disabilities
• Benefits Overview
  • This program offers up to 36 months of education and training benefits.
  • Tuition and Fees are paid directly to the University and a Monthly Subsistence Allowance paid directly to the student.
  • Tuition, Required Fees, Books, and supplies covered for student.
  • Student must meet with their VR&E Counselor to obtain a Purchase Order (PO) Number/ Authorization Number. This PO Number last for one year. There is a PO Number for tuition and Fee and for books and supplies. The PO number It is required for invoicing for Tuition and Fees by the Business office.
• Required Documents
  • Intake Form
  • COE
  • DD Form 214
  • Military Transcript
• Processing and Payment
  • The Business Office invoices for this benefit after the final purge. The invoices are paid by VR&E.
  • The funds are usually received mid-semester. VA processes these invoices within 7-14 business days, unless there is a backlog.

• Eligibility
  •  Served on active duty after September 10, 2001.
• Benefits Overview
  • May transfer some or all of entitlement to dependents.
  • Veteran Affairs pays a specific amount based on the benefit percentage. Percentage of benefits is based on amount of active-duty time after Sept. 11, 2001.
  • This program offers up to 36 months of education and training benefits.
  • If eligible, the student receives a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA).
  • Student also received a book stipend.
    • MHA

• You’re not eligible for an MHA payment if any of these are true:
  • You’re on active duty, or
  • You’re a spouse using transferred benefits while the Veteran is on active duty, or
  • You’re in school half time or less than half time, or
  • You’re taking correspondence training or flight training, or
  • You’re on break from school
  • Contract VA for MHA rates

• Book Stipend
  • Receive up to $1,000 each academic year to help pay for your books and supplies for each program you’re enrolled in.
  • If you’re enrolled in a college or university, you may be able to get up to $41.67 per credit hour, for up to 24 credits per year, prorated by the percentage of benefits you’re eligible for. VA will pay you at the start of each term or enrollment period.

• Certification Procedures    
  • When the intake form is received by the Veterans Center, the SCO certifies the student’s enrollment to VA using the Enrollment Manager system. Two Certifications are required:
    • First- Submit the student’s enrollment without tuition and fees (enter $0 for T&F). This allows VA to process monthly housing and book stipends.
    • Second- After the drop/add period, submit an amendment that includes the actual tuition and fees. This second certification functions as a verification.
• Required Documents
  • Intake Form
  • COE
  • DD Form 214
  • Military Transcript
• Processing and Payment
  • FTA and SEAP awarded are deducted from amount requested during second certification.
  • The funds are usually received mid-semester. VA processes these invoices within 7-14 business days, unless there is a backlog.
  • Funds are paid directly to the University. Only paid Tuition and Mandatory Fees
    • The Virtual Course Materials Fee is not considered a Mandatory Fee.

• Eligibility
  •  Child or Spouse of a Veteran or Service Member:
    • Veteran or Service Member who has died
    • Veteran or Service Member captured or missing,
    • Veteran or Service Member Permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability

• If you became eligible before August 1, 2023, one of these must be true for you to use these benefits:

• • • • You’re 18 years old, or
      • You completed high school or have a GED

• If you became eligible or turned 18 years old or completed high school on or after August 1, 2023, you can be any age to use these benefits.

• Benefits Overview
  • This program offers up to 36 months of education and training benefits.
  • Monthly Benefit is paid directly to the student from VA.

• Required Documents
  • Intake Form
  • COE
• Monthly Enrollment Verification Required
• Processing and Payment

• • This benefit is paid in arears. The funds are paid at the beginning of the month for the prior month.
  • The beneficiary must verify their enrollment for VA to begin processing their monthly benefit. Once verified, payment processing can take five to seven calendar days.

• Eligibility
  • Member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, or Air National Guard
  • After June 30, 1985, you signed a six-year obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve.
  • You completed your Initial Active Duty for Training (IADT).
  • You got your high school diploma or GED before you completed your IADT. You are in good standing in a drilling Selected Reserve unit.
• Benefits Overview
  • This program offers up to 36 months of education and training benefits.
  • Monthly benefit is paid directly to the student from VA.
• Certification Procedures
  • When the intake form is received by the Veterans Center, the SCO certifies the student’s enrollment to VA using the Enrollment Manager system.

• Documents Needed for certification
  • Intake Form
  • COE
  • DD Form 214
  • Military Transcript
• Monthly Enrollment Verification Required

• Processing and Payment
  • The beneficiary must verify their enrollment for VA to begin processing their monthly benefit. Once verified, payment processing can take five to seven calendar days.

• This scholarship is available to children of service members who died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001.
• For more information visit: https://www.va.gov/family-and-caregiver-benefits/education-and-careers/fry-scholarship/

• Once you are admitted or accepted to Jackson State University, attend one of the New Student orientations each semester.  These orientations will provide welcome briefs, “how to” information, class registration, academic advisement, placement testing, financial aid and scholarship assistance, student I.D., establishing your student e-mail account and other pertinent business to succeed.

• When the intake form is received by the Veterans Center, the SCO certifies the student’s enrollment to VA using the Enrollment Manager system.

You must contact the Veterans and Military Center immediately if you make changes to your class schedule.  The Center will help you determine if and how the change will impact your benefits for each semester.  If you change your schedule you need to bring a revised class schedule that has been signed by our advisor.  Failure to do this may result in a reduction in your benefits.

• If you drop a course or need to withdraw from school after the drop period contact the Veterans Center as soon as possible.  The VA may reduce your benefits retroactively to the beginning of the semester unless there are mitigating circumstances.  Mitigating circumstances are circumstances beyond your control that prevent you from continuing in school or that cause you to reduce the number of credits you are enrolled in.
• Examples of mitigating circumstances include:
  • An illness or injury afflicting you during the enrollment period
  • An illness or death in your immediate family
  • An unavoidable change in your conditions of employment
  • Unanticipated active duty service, including training
  • Immediate family or financial obligations beyond your control that require you to suspend pursuit of your education to gain employment

• If you need to withdraw completely and complete a Medical or Hardship Withdrawal contact the Health Center, Registrar’s Office and the Division of Student Life.  Please inform the Veterans Center to avoid any  VA debt.

• If you are called to active duty and need to withdraw while receiving benefits, there are a few offices on campus that you should notify.  This will ensure that you do not pay tuition and fees unnecessarily and that you can easily return to school at a later date.  Bring a copy of your orders to the Veterans and Military Center so they can be forwarded to the VA.  If you have already deployed, you can fax your orders to the Veterans and Military Center.  Also contact your academic department, financial aid, housing (if you are living on campus), the registrar’s and the Division of Student Life.

• Courses that are failed or for which the grade does not meet minimum requirements for graduation may be certified for VA purpose if they are repeated.  If you repeat a course, you need to have a repeat form signed by your departmental or undergraduate advisor.   If the advisor will not sign the repeat form, the VA will not pay for course.

If you are pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you are expected to make satisfactory progress toward attaining the degree.  In addition you are expected to enter a major and graduate after completion of a reasonable number of credits.  Academic failure will directly affect your benefits and will cause serious consequences such as a reduction or loss of benefits.

• If you are a veteran/military transfer student you will need to fill out the VA 22-1995 “Change of Program/Training Form”.   Dependent transfer students will need to fill out the VA 22-5495  “Change of Program/Training Form” for eligible dependents.

If you are a non-matriculated (not yet degree-seeking), you will need to see your advisor for a non-matriculation form.

• Enrollment Verification Questions
• Update Personal Information
• Direct Deposit Information
• Payment Processing
• Contact Information
  • Education Call Center
  • 888-442-4551
  • 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT
  • Monday through Friday
• Ask VA
  • https://www.va.gov/contact-us/ask-va/introduction