Enrollment And Benefit Guidelines

Enrollment and Benefit Guidelines for

Students and Academic Advisors

The Department of Veterans Affairs has set regulations in regards to programs and courework for which VA Educational Benefits can be paid. It is the responsibility of the student, along with their academic advisor, to ensure that the courses which are being taken are following a set degree plan of study. This degree plan includes courses necessary to graduate with a degree in the student's chosen field of study. Courses which are certifiable for education benefits can include elective requirements, necessary prerequisites, general education courses which are a required part of the degree path, and core courses necessary for degree completion.

When students and academic advisors are meeting to discuss the coursework necessary for degree completion, this plan of study should be fairly well set in accordance with the program guidelines set forth in ｾﾅﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ's Program and Course Catalog. Students and academic advisors should be planning course enrollment each semester which is in compliance with the program structure outlined in the ｾﾅﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ Catalog.

The ｾﾅﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ VA Education Benefits Office can only certify courses which meet the requirements necessary for degree completion. As such, we are asking that students and their academic advisors utilize the Enrollment Certification Request Form (see Forms page for correct form per academic term) each semester to verify coursework is meeting requirements for the student's specified program of study.

In addition to the requirement of coursework aligning with necessary degree guidelines, below are several more important things to remember in regards to enrollment and your education benefits:

窶｢ VA education benefits are paid based on training time/rate of pursuit, and benefit payment may be adjusted for enrollment that does not equal a full-time courseload spanning the entire semester.

窶｢ For students using Chapter 33 Post-9/11 benefits: the ｾﾅﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ VA Education Benefits Office will certify the net in-state tuition and fee charges for your courses with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Any tuition charges with ｾﾅﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ not covered by your education benefit tuition payment from the VA are your responsibility. Use of any type of tuition-paying resource, such as tuition assistance, will be deducted from the tuition amount paid by Chapter 33 benefits. If a tuition-paying resource is applied to your account at ｾﾅﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ after your Chapter 33 benefits have been certified with the VA, this may result in a debt owed by you to the VA or ｾﾅﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ.

窶｢ For students using Chapters 1606 or 1607: Under regulations from the Department of Defense, students cannot use Federal Military Tuition Assistance (TA) in conjunction with Chapter 1606 MGIB-Select Reserve or Chapter 1607 Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP). If you submit a request for Education Benefit certification but are using Federal TA for the same term, Veterans Services cannot certify your Ed Benefits. If you are certified under Ed Benefits and the ｾﾅﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ VA Education Benefits Office is made aware of Federal TA usage after Ed Benefit certification has been processed, we must terminate your Ed Benefit certification, which will result in a debt owed by you to the VA for any Ed Benefit payment received for a term in which Federal TA is also used.

窶｢ Changes in your schedule involving dropping or adding classes, enrolling in classes outside your degree plan, repeating classes, or enrolling in classes that do not span the entire semester can affect your benefits. Failure to report changes may result in an overpayment of your benefits and subsequent repayment.

窶｢ Courses which are repeated may be certified for one repeat if the original grade was punitive (ie. a failing grade). Courses that have been successfully completed cannot be certified for VA purposes if they are repeated. Academic advisors must indicate on Enrollment Certification Request form if a course is being repeated, and give reason for repeat.

窶｢ Audited courses cannot be certified.

窶｢ Remedial courses can be certified if they are required and taken in an on-campus format. If a remedial course is taken, your academic advisor must give a valid reason (ie. Test Score or Placement Exam) on Enrollment Certification Request form that the remedial course is required. Please note that online remedial courses cannot be certified under VA Education Benefits.

窶｢ The ｾﾅﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ VA Education Benefits Office is required to report non-punitive grades, such as W (Withdrawn), to the VA, which may result in a repayment of funds from the student to the VA. If you have a mitigating circumstance that required you to withdraw from classes (ie. deployment, military transfer, extenuating medical or life circumstance), please contact our office for more information. With appropriate documentation provided by you, we may be able to report mitigating circumstances to the VA.

窶｢ The ｾﾅﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ VA Education Benefits Office is required to report grades of I (Incomplete) to the VA. You will have one year to obtain a letter grade for that class or face possible repayment to the VA. If you have received an Incomplete in a course, contact ｾﾅﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ Veterans Services once a grade for the Incomplete is received to ensure proper notification to the VA.

窶｢ The ｾﾅﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ VA Education Benefits Office is required to report academic probation, dismissal, and graduation to the VA.

If you have questions regarding the guidelines for benefit-eligible enrollment, please contact the ｾﾅﾉｫﾊﾓﾆｵ VA Education Benefits Office in Grace Wilkie 105; by phone at (316) 978-3547; or by email to Veterans.Services@wichita.edu.