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Student Acknowledgement VA Certification Policy

CERTIFICATION POLICY FOR VA EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS

The focus of the VA Program is to serve in a role that enhances the military friendliness of the institution by providing VA Educational Benefits to Veterans and Eligible Dependents while abiding by the federal requirements set forth by the Department of Veteran Affairs. These requirements, and the resulting policy, serve to enhance graduation rates and equip veterans for employment opportunities by providing the credentialing of a college degree. These policies are geared towards optimizing timely Program Completion and the continued progression towards higher educational goals.

Policy for VA Educational Benefit Certification:

  1. The VA Certifying Official will only certify classes that are in your program of study.
  2. The VA Certifying Official will only certify classes that are needed for graduation requirements.
  • i.e. – If you have completed a required area on your degree audit, once the VA Certifying Official is aware that this requirement is met, other classes that fall within your major but that do not contribute toward advancing progress towards your graduation requirements will not be certified.
  • “Rounding Out” the final semester is an exception to the previous item.
  • The VA Certifying Official reserves the right to correct any certification that has been certified in a manner that does not meet VA or State Approving Agency guidelines.

**It is the STUDENT ‘s responsibility to notify the VA Certifying Official of any changes in the student’s  schedule ASAP!**

  • The VA Certifying Official has to report changes within 30 days of the change in status.
  • Withdrawals can negatively affect the continuance of receiving VA educational benefits
  • If there are mitigating circumstances surrounding a withdrawal, please notify the VA School Certifying Official of these circumstances. Documentation will be required.
  • To notify the VA Certifying Official each semester of his or her intent to use the benefits for the upcoming semester.

**If the STUDENT RECEIVES ANY SCHOLARSHIPS, the student MUST SUBMIT THE PAPERWORK to the VA School Certifying Official.**

  1. If the STUDENT withdraws from a course that has been certified, it is at the VA’s discretion to temporarily suspend payments at which time the STUDENT will need to provide information to the VA in order to reactivate their educational benefits.
  2. If the STUDENT changes majors, the student should notify the VA Certifying Official ASAP and fill out a “Request for Change of Program or Place of Training” form to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The institutional “Change of Major” form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office.  VA Form 22-1995 is for Service Members and Ch. 33 Post 9/11 recipients.  VA Form 22-5495 is for Ch. 35 DEA recipients (Dependents’ Request for Change of Program or Place of Training).
  3. If the STUDENT transfers from another institution, or transfers from this institution to another institution, and wishes to continue receiving VA Educational Benefits, then the student needs to submit a “Change of Program or Place of Training” to the receiving institution.
  4. Jackson State University DOES NOT participate in advance payments.
  5. This institution certifies one semester at a time and each semester the veteran must notify the VA Certifying Official of any classes being taken which need to be certified.
  6. JSU will certify “Guest Students” once there is an active consortium agreement between schools and the classes have been confirmed to go towards the program at the home institution.
  7. JSU requires a Military (Joint Services) Transcript, an Air Force Community College Transcript, and a Certificate of Eligibility for certification. (On occasion, a Certificate of Eligibility may be provided after the initial certification since the certification generates a new Certificate of Eligibility, but a copy of the submitted application needs to be provided. This is per guidance received by the VA.)

PLEASE NOTE: VA FILES ARE CHECKED REGULARLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STATE APPROVING AGENCY!

By CHECKING THE I ACCEPT BOX AND PROVIDING my J Number, First and Last Name below, I acknowledge my responsibilities listed above concerning the VA Benefits I am receiving and understand that failure to comply with these requirements can result in debts created by VA, and that these debts have the potential to affect my student account at JSU, as well.