These FAQs are focused on using education benefits at OSU and certification related to those benefits and applying for in-state tuition (Choice Act and HB2158).
Not finding what you need below? Access more FAQs for military-connected students at OSU.
Yes, you are permitted to use state tuition assistance along with your federal VA education benefits or federal military tuition assistance. If you are using Chapter 33 benefits, be aware that your state tuition assistance will be deducted from the tuition/fees certified to the VA (just as federal tuition assistance is deducted).
Yes. Learn more about in-state residency for service members and scroll down on that same page to learn about the federal Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act. You can learn about state tuition programs here.
Learn more about military deployment accommodations here. We also recommend submitting a copy of your orders to the VA and Military Benefit Certifying Team at [email protected].
Yes, you are expected to submit your Joint Services Transcript to the Admissions department if you will use VA education benefits. Learn more about obtaining military experience credit here.
In the end, the VA and/or the military branch determines if it will pay or not pay for your courses. We know that the VA will not pay for “U” grades so it is important to pass your class if you select the S/U grade mode. For tuition assistance, OSU is required to return some TA funds if you withdraw from your course or stop attending and earn an “F” before the 60% mark. At the end of each term, the VA Military Certifying Team reports all grades to the military branches for students using TA benefits. For students using VA education benefits, we report all withdrawals and “U” grades to the VA.
Study abroad coverage depends on your chapter, your major at OSU, and the type of study abroad program you seek. In general, the VA will pay your benefits as if you are enrolled in on-campus courses. They may pay additional fees specific to the study abroad program if the program is required for your degree. VA will not pay for any costs related to travel or any third party charges; this means that third party provider programs are not covered by the VA. Keep in mind that study abroad experiences often have course dates that do not follow the regular OSU academic calendar and some programs are measured in semester hours instead of quarter hours; these factors can have an effect on your housing allowance. If you plan on using VA education benefits to study abroad, please notify the VA Military Certifying Team as soon as possible by emailing [email protected].
Tutorial assistance may be paid if you are using Chapters 30, 33, 35, and 1606 to help you pay for necessary tutoring. The maximum pay is $1200 (monthly maximum of $100) and is in addition to your regular monthly education benefits. To request tutorial assistance, work with your instructor to obtain a letter stating you are deficient in your course competency and need to access tutoring and forward that letter to [email protected]. The VA Military Certifying Team can help you find an approved tutor. You, your tutor and the School Certifying Official (SCO) will complete an Application and Enrollment Certification for Individualized Tutorial Assistance. The application must be signed and dated on or after the date of the last tutoring session, and submitted to the VA at the end of each month or combination of months.
At the end of each term, the VA Military Certifying Team will notify you if you are on academic warning or academic probation and will share a list of resources with you to help you to improve your academic standing. The VA Military Certifying Team is also required to report students on academic probation and academic suspension to the VA. Suspended students cannot continue to enroll at OSU and cannot use their benefits. Learn more about academic progress standards for veteran students at OSU.
Non-degree students can be certified for VA education benefits up to two terms as a non-degree student as long as they are pending admission to a degree program at OSU and are taking courses that apply directly to that degree program.
If you are approved for a late drop by the ARC, the course is removed from your transcript, your charges for the course are reversed, and the VA Military Certifying Team will adjust your certification to the VA to reflect the new amount of credits and the date the late drop was approved. The reduction in course load may affect your housing allowance, if you receive one. If your petition included documentation of mitigating circumstances, the VA Military Certifying Team will report the mitigating circumstances to the VA, as well. If you received VA education benefits and plan to petition the ARC, we recommend emailing [email protected] to learn more about how your petition may affect your certification of benefits.
WAVE stands for Web Automated Verification of Enrollment and is a system used to verify your attendance each month. Monthly verification is required of students receiving Chapter 30 and 1606 benefits. This verification is done by you and not by the VA Military Certifying Team.
Yes, you can. Any time you wish to take a class at another school that will transfer back to OSU and fulfill a degree requirement, you will want to complete the Parent School Letter. You might want to learn more about the Degree Partnership Program at OSU, as well.
The VA will pay for repeated courses as long as you have not yet met the minimum grade required for that course in your degree program. For example, if you have taken a required course twice and earned a “D” each time, and the minimum grade is a “C,” then the VA will pay for you to take the course again so that you can reach the minimum grade required for your degree. The VA will not pay for you to repeat a course simply because you wish to earn a better grade.
Undergraduate students may consider utilizing the Planned Educational Leave Program. If your leave from OSU is due to deployment or military training, you do not have to pay the $25 and are not limited to one PELP. Graduate students may consider taking a leave of absence after consulting with their academic program or graduate school.
Chapter 33 students with a financial aid package of $1000 or greater automatically have a portion of their expected VA payment advanced to their OSU account before the term begins. This advance of expected VA funds helps to trigger the disbursement of their financial aid award. Once the term has begun, the advance is reversed so that the VA payment, once it arrives, can accurately reconcile the tuition/fee charges it covers.
Oregon State University offers priority registration to students using veterans' educational benefits and veterans and military members who submit appropriate documentation. More information can be found on the Veterans Priority Registration web page.
Yes! If you are assessed non-resident tuition at OSU and receive Chapter 33 benefits at the 100% rate, you may be eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Yellow Ribbon is available to off-set the difference between non-resident and resident tuition only and is not applied to summer term courses or E-campus courses because students are not charged non-resident tuition for these courses. For more information, please visit the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Yellow Ribbon webpage.
To apply to receive the Yellow Ribbon benefit, you will need to email [email protected] to verify your eligibility. OSU has agreed to award $3,000.00 per academic year to undergraduate students and $4500.00 per academic year to graduate students. The VA will provide matching funds.
In some cases, nonresident students may benefit more from certain tuition programs instead of using the Yellow Ribbon program. Learn more about in-state residency for service members and scroll down on that same page to learn about the federal Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act. You can learn about state tuition programs here.
We do recommend that all students complete the FAFSA to see if they qualify for federal financial aid funding. In some cases, VA payments can be delayed and having a financial aid award at the start of the term makes it easier to obtain needed books and supplies. Click here to learn more about financial aid at OSU.
No. You must submit your request for in-state tuition along with supporting documentation that you have established a physical presence in Oregon before your tuition rate can be changed at OSU. The links to these requests are below.
Yes. Requests for in-state tuition must be received by the last day to drop with a 100% refund for the term, as published in the Academic Calendar, to receive in-state tuition effective that term.
Documentation that you have established a physical presence in Oregon can include your UHDS Housing Assignment (accessible via the housing portal), a rental agreement/lease, an Oregon driver’s license or ID, or other documentation with your name and Oregon address.
Check your email for the DocuSign form. You’ll need to use the link in that email to complete the request.
Yes. If your VA benefits run out before you complete your degree at OSU, then you must meet the following conditions to keep the in-state tuition rate under the Choice Act:
NOTE: You may make changes to your degree program and take terms off from school while you have remaining VA education benefit entitlement.
Yes. When you are approved for in-state tuition, the Office of Financial Aid and the Scholarship Office will adjust your awards to reflect your new in-state tuition charges. Any non-resident financial aid or scholarships already applied to your account for the term in which you begin paying in-state tuition will be reversed.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill will pay the cost of in-state tuition only. If you are charged non-resident tuition and use Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, then you will be responsible to pay the difference between the in-state tuition that the VA pays and the non-resident tuition that you are charged. Non-resident financial aid and scholarship awards, including the WUE Scholarship and the Provost Scholarship, may help cover the difference and reduce your out-of-pocket costs. Additionally, if you have been awarded Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits at the 100% eligibility level, then you may also apply to use Yellow Ribbon, for which OSU pays additional funding ($1000 for undergraduates and $1500 for graduates) each quarter term except Summer, and which the VA matches, to help offset the cost of the non-resident tuition that you are charged. To request to use Yellow Ribbon benefits at OSU, please email the Veterans and Military Certifying Team at [email protected].
No. Non-resident students are only considered for the WUE Scholarship and the Provost Scholarship at the time of their admission to OSU. Current and continuing OSU students are not eligible to be re-considered for either scholarship if they lose the in-state tuition rate.
No. The in-state tuition request approvals change your tuition rate only. It will not change your residency classification with OSU. The only way to request a review of your residency classification is to submit a Residency Affidavit with the Office of Admissions. Additional information may be found on the residency website.
Yes! See below:
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