Using VA Benefits
Guest students taking KU classes | Steps for KU School of Medicine, Nursing, Health Professions students
GI Bill® frequently asked questions
Important GI Bill tips to maximize your benefits (handout)
Additional step for Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (Ch. 30) & Selected Reserve (Ch. 1606) |
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Guest students taking a class at KU but getting a degree from another school |
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Enrollment Status and Training TimeThe VA benefits you can expect |
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Enrollment status is used to classify the varying percentages of benefits that a student may receive under the various VA education benefit programs. The lists below are used to determine student status for VA educational benefits certification. Please note: these classifications are set by the VA and may differ from those used for university enrollment status or those used to determine financial aid. Only those courses counting toward your KU degree will be included for certification. Disclaimer: this information is kept as up-to-date as possible and should only be used as a planning estimate. Individual circumstances may cause a deviation from the amounts listed. Ch. 30 Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty (MGIB-AD), Ch. 1606 Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) & Ch. 35 Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA)
These programs provide a monthly payment made directly to student, not to KU. It is the student's responsibility to ensure their university bill is paid. Current rates can be found by going to the GI Bill Comparison Tool, selecting the appropriate program, and searching for the location where you are taking a majority of your classes.
Undergraduate Students:
The number credit hours toward enrollment status is calculated by dividing the number of credit hours you are taking by the amount of credit hours to be considered full time in a semester (12 hours for fall & spring and 6 for summer). This percentage is rounded down to the nearest 25%:
* Students whose enrollment status is less than 1/2 time may only receive up to the amount charged for tuition and fees. Note for non-standard length courses: For courses that do not run the full semester, the VA will calculate a value referred to as "Credit Hour Equivalency" (CHE). CHE can then be added to all other credit hours being taken to determine enrollment status. While the official amounts are calculated by the VA, the following formula may used to estimate your coure's CHE:
Weeks are calculated by counting the total number of days the course is in session (looking at the course's start and end dates, not just the days you have class), dividing by 7 and rounding to the nearest whole number. For partial weeks, 3 days or less are rounded down and 4 days or more are rounded up. Graduate Students:
Enrollment status for graduate students is based on KU's academic policy, and only credits that apply toward their program can be considered. More information can be found here: Full-Time Enrollment for Graduate Students
Note for non-standard length courses: For courses that do not run the full semester, the VA will calculate a value referred to as "Credit Hour Equivalency" (CHE). CHE can then be added to all other credit hours being taken to determine enrollment status. While the official amounts are calculated by the VA, the following formula may used to estimate your coure's CHE:
Weeks are calculated by counting the total number of days the course is in session (looking at the course's start and end dates, not just the days you have class), dividing by 7 and rounding to the nearest whole number. For partial weeks, 3 days or less are rounded down and 4 days or more are rounded up. Ch. 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill The Post-9/11 GI Bill has multiple benefits paid at varying rates. The information below may not include all situations a student may find themselves in. Under this program, you should expect to receive tuition and mandatory fee reimbursement (paid directly to KU), as well as a monthly housing allowance and book & supplies stipend (paid directly to you).
All amounts are prorated by your length of service percentage, which is certified by the VA and can be found on your Certificate of Eligibility. If you have not yet received your Certificate of Eligibility, check out this chart to see what you may be eligible to receive.
Tuition and Fee Reimbursement:
Tuition and fees will be paid up to the maximum in-state student rates per credit hour, regardless of enrollment status (full-time or part-time) and level (undergraduate or graduate). Out-of-state students not eligible for the Armed Forces Residency Benefit may be eligible for the Yellow Ribbon program.
Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA):
The VA pays MHA for the days you attended class, so if your term starts in the middle of January, the payment you receive in the beginning of February will be prorated accordingly. To calculate a full month of your MHA, multiply the following items together:
To get your daily MHA rate, divide this rate by 30 (for VA purposes, every month has 30 days). Note: You may not get BAH monthly stipends if you or your spouse is on active duty. Rate of Pursuit - Undergraduate: (round to the nearest 10% to get your rate)
Rate of Pursuit - Graduate: (round to the nearest 10% to get your rate)
**Only students whose rate of pursuit is greater than 50% will be eligible to receive the MHA. Books & Supplies Stipend:
The books & supplies stipend is paid directly to you as a lump sum each semester. At the 100% level it is calculated by multiplying $41.67 by the number of credit hours you are certified to take, but only up to $1000 (or 24 credit hours) per academic year starting in August and ending in July.
If benefit level is less than 100%, it's based on percentage (e.g. 50% benefit level = $41.67 x 50% = $20.84 per credit certified, up to 24 credits for the academic year).
Examples:
For all examples below, it is assumed that the courses have all been certified by their academic advisor and count toward graduation.
Student A is an on-campus student
They can expect to receive the following payments:
Student B is an on-campus student
They can expect to receive the following payments:
Student C is an on-campus student
They can expect to receive the following payments:
Student D is an online student
They can expect to receive the following payments:
Student E is on-campus student who started in Spring 2021
They can expect to receive the following payments:
Student F is an online student currently on Active Duty
They can expect to receive the following payments:
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VA Benefits Overview |
Read more about the Forever GI Bill. In addition to the benefits below, all students using their VA education benefits may apply for VA Work-study (part-time student employment) for the semster they are receiving them. Ch. 30 Montgomery GI Bill® - Active Duty (MGIB-AD)
Eligibility:
Benefits:
For more information on Ch. 30, visit the VA benefits website. Ch. 31 Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E)
Eligibility:
Benefits:
Ch. 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill Eligibility: Servicemember or veteran with an honorable discharge with:
Family members who have received transferred benefits while servicemember was on active duty. Benefits:
For more information on Ch. 33, visit the VA benefits website. Ch. 35 Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) Program
Eligibilty:
Benefits:
For more information on Ch. 35, visit the VA benefits website. Additional benefit for ALL GI Bill users: FREE Ch. 36 Education and Career Counseling Program Eligibility:
Services include assisting with: Career choice: Understand the best career options based on your interests and capabilities Benefits coaching: Maximizing VA benefits and/or other resources to achieve education and career goals Personalized support: Academic or adjustment counseling and personalized support to help remove any barriers to success To receive this benefit:
Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Fry Scholarship)
Eligibility:
Benefits:
For more information on the Fry Scholarship, visit the VA benefits website or contact us at veterans@ku.edu. Ch. 1606 Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)
Eligibility:
Benefits:
For more information on Ch. 1606, visit the VA benefits website. |
Frequently Asked Questions |
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How can I obtain a copy of my Certificate of Eligibility (COE) or Statement of Benefits?
- Post-9/11 GI Bill users: obtain a copy of your Statement of Benefits.
- All other GI Bill users: Click the "Ask a Question" button (login required) on the GI Bill website and submit a query for the VA to mail copy of your COE. How do I find out how many months of GI Bill I have left?
The VA will send you a letter each semester regarding the amount of entitlement you used and the amount remaining.
- Chapter 31 (VR&E) - you can check with your VR&E counselor for the details of your benefits.
- Chapter 33 (Post 9-11) - check your Post-9/11 GI Bill Statement of Benefits on va.gov website. - All other GI Bill users: Use the GI Bill Ask a Question feature or call the GI BIll hotline at 888-442-4551 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CDT.
When do I need to submit a copy of my Certificate of Eligibility (COE)?
- Students will upload their COE when they complete the New KU Request for Benefits form. Students will only need to submit a COE the first time they are using a VA benefit.
- GI Bill users applying for the Armed Forces Residency Benefit will not have to submit a COE if they already completed the New KU Request for Benefit form and uploaded their COE. Will the GI Bill cover a Minor?
Yes, the GI Bill will cover all of the classes for one minor. Students may change minors before they are complete, but cannot have more than one minor at a time. Students can also have 2 majors AND one minor.
Will my GI Bill cover a certificate program?
Certificate programs are not approved for the GI Bill, unfortunately. The certificate program courses must fulfill some other graduation requirement.
Will the GI Bill pay for (or provide me my full monthly stipend if I'm not using the Post-9/11 GI Bill) for every class that I want to take?
No. Only classes that fulfill a requirement for your degree program, minor, dual degree, or dual major, can be reported to the VA for the purpose of determining your rate of pursuit. Speak with your advisor to ensure your course fits some sort of graduation requirement. The VA will not pay for repeat courses unless you received an “F” or must pass with a certain grade in order to move forward in your program. When will I receive my monthly stipend from the VA?
Part of it depends on when you submit your KU request for benefits. On average, it takes KU 7-10 business days to send your paperwork to the VA (peak times, August & January, may take longer). The VA has 30 days from that point to process your paperwork and will email you once it's complete. You should then receive your monthly stipend at the beginning of the next month. The VA typically pays around the first of every month for the previous month. For example, Sept. 1 you’ll get a check for the days you were in classes in August. Payments are prorated, meaning you will received less based on semester start/end dates (August, December, January and May). For VA purposes, each month has 30 days so you can calculate prorated amounts by dividing your stipend by 30 and multiplying by number of days school is in session (e.g. if classes being Aug. 20 and BAH is $1494, your BAH for August would be $498). Visit the GI Bill Comparison Tool to see your specific rates. Classes have already started and I have not received my VA benefits, will KU charge me a late fee or cancel my enrollment since my tuition has not been paid?
When you have completed your Using VA Benefits paperwork forms above for the semester, you are placed on deferment, giving you/the VA until the end of the semester to pay your tuition and fees. If you receive a late fee, contact us to confirm you have completed your paperwork for the semester. Contact us by Dec. 1/May 1 if you still have charges on your account.
If I take a class that starts later in the semester, how will that affect my GI Bill benefits?
Students must be enrolled full time in term-long classes to receive full GI Bill benefits, as your benefits are charged by day. This means short-term and non-standard courses can affect your full-time status and, therefore, your benefits (and housing allowance if you're using the Post-9/11 GI Bill). For example, undergraduate students must be in 12 credits that all start at the beginning of the semester and end at the end of the semester. If you have 12 credits but one of those courses starts later (e.g. October), you will be part time until that course starts. If you're in 15 credits and one of the 3 credit hour courses starts later, there is no issue since you're in 12 credits for the entire semester. Before you enroll in shorter classes, it's a good idea to reach out to someone in the Military-Affiliated Student Center or the VA Certifying Official to learn how the short courses can potentially affect your benefits. I am changing my VA benefits (e.g. from Post-9/11 GI Bill to Voc Rehab). Should I do anything differently?
If you are switching your VA benefits program while at KU, you will need to complete a second "new VA benefits request" instead of a "continued request." You will need to upload your new Certificate of Eligibility.
How much will my books/housing stipend be with the Post-9/11 GI Bill?
Visit the GI Bill Comparison Tool for specific information.
I'm a Post-9/11 GI Bill user who receives additional grants/scholarships/financial aid. Will they affect my VA benefits? How can I get my financial aid while I wait for the VA to pay tuition?
If you receive grants/scholarships that are designated solely for tuition, you may want to think twice about using your VA benefits. The VA requires KU to apply those funds toward tuition first and, if you have the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, the VA will pay any remaining tuition/fees. Contact the VA Certifying Official at the contact info at the bottom of the page.
Financial aid awards to be deducted before reporting your tuition to the VA include: Federal or State Tuition Assistance and any other types of restricted aid designated for tuition and required fees only. Not all scholarships/grants are designated for tuition. Unrestricted financial aid funds like the PELL Grant, student loans, unrestricted scholarships, etc. will be yours to pay other bills on your KU account. Anything left over will be dispersed to you. Post-9/11 GI Bill users: to receive that money while waiting on the VA to pay your tuition and fees, complete the VA Educational Benefits - Early Release of Funds* form each semester. *A link to this form is included in the KU request for VA benefits form you complete each semester.
Do you offer the Yellow Ribbon program?
Yes, but if you plan to live in Kansas while attending KU, you will not need Yellow Ribbon. Apply for in-state tuition rates per the Armed Forces Residency Benefit instead. If you are using Post-9/11 GI Bill at 100% and live in Missouri while attending classes at KU, please complete the Yellow Ribbon Application each semester you have benefits.
If I run out of GI Bill benefits during the semester, will the VA pay the entire semester?
It depends. If you are a veteran using the Post-9/11 GI Bill and this is the first VA benefit you have used, yes, the VA will pay for the entire semester. If you have combined benefits (e.g., used 36 months of the Montgomery GI Bill and 12 months of the Post-9/11 GI Bill) and will exceed your 48th month during the semester, the VA will only make payments for tuition and BAH up to the last day of that 48th month.
For spouses and dependents, no, the VA will stop payments on the last day of your benefits. For Ch. 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill users, that means your tuition and BAH will be prorated. Similarly, Ch. 35 DEA students may not exceed the limit of their benefits, except under rare circumstances (which must be approved by the VA). Spouses/dependents may combine their Ch. 33 and 35 benefits for a maximum of 81 months of combined eligibility.
How do I update my direct deposit information?
You can update your direct deposit information in your VA.gov profile. You'll need your bank's routing number and account number to make the updates. To update your KU direct deposit information visit Student Accounts & Receivables. KU login required. Chapter 30 and 1606 students can use the WAVE system to update address and financial institution information. Links are on the "Main Menu" avaliable after they log onto WAVE. Students who cannot add their account information through WAVE should call 1-877-838-2778 to begin and change direct deposit. Am I eligable for the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship? . The VA determines who is eligible and who will receive benefits. More information at: Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship |
Need Assistance? |
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- Military-Affiliated Student Center - Contact us
- Office of University Registrar (VA Certifying Officials) - KU Visitor Center, 1502 Iowa Street, 785-864-4423, kuva@ku.edu.