Quarterly Certification of Benefits

The VA and Military Benefit Certifying Team starts certifying credits to the VA in Week 9 of each term (for the upcoming term). No request is needed from you! We will send you an email notification with certification dates based on enrollment level (full-time, ¾ time, etc). The best practice is to have your schedule set by the date we begin certifying. 

Below is important information that you need to know regardless of your VA Education benefit chapter.

  • Students using VA Education benefits qualify for veterans’ priority registration.
  • Courses certified to the VA must be required for your degree; extra electives (i.e., electives you do not need to complete your degree) cannot be certified and do not count towards your enrollment level with the VA.
    • For undergraduate/post-baccalaureate students, the Certifying Team uses MyDegrees to confirm degree applicability. It is important that any course substitutions be in MyDegrees prior to certification.
    • For graduate students, we will submit a Degree Applicability Verification DocuSign form directly to your graduate program director each term that you enroll in courses. We will certify your courses upon receipt of an approved verification form. 
  • If you are planning to take courses at another institution, you must complete the Parent School Letter prior to certification each term.
  • VA education benefits are calculated based on daily enrollment in the term. Changes to your registration on or after the first day of the term, such as adding courses or dropping courses, can affect payment of your VA education benefits. If you do need to make a change in your registration, please refer to the related deadlines.
  • The VA generally does not pay for withdrawn courses unless it is your first withdrawal up to 6 credits. The VA will also consider exceptions if there are mitigating circumstances. If you withdraw due to mitigating circumstances, email documentation (e.g., doctor’s note) of the circumstances to [email protected] so we can report the circumstances to the VA.
  • If you take a course with the S/U grade mode, make sure you earn an “S” (Satisfactory) grade. The VA does not pay for courses where a “U” grade is earned and will ask you to repay them for the course.
  • If you fail a course (“F” grade), you are not required to repay the VA for the course because “F” grades count in your overall degree progress.
  • If you receive an incomplete (“I/” grade), the VA will only ask you to repay them for the course if a “U” grade is earned after the incomplete is resolved.
  • Summer term can be complex if you are trying to maintain your housing allowance over the summer. Learn more about summer mini-sessions, enrollment calculations, and drop deadlines as they relate to VA payments.

Click here for important information specific to each chapter.