Federal Veterans Benefits
VA Chapter Benefits
View the links below to learn more about each of the benefits, their eligibility requirements, and what steps must be taken to receive those benefits at Grayson College. Federal VA Chapter Benefits can be used to pay degrees or certificates at approved schools, as well as national exams such as the GRE, SAT, LSAT, CLEP, AP, and GMAT.
Federal Veterans' Education Benefits
-
Benefit Description
Recipients may qualify to receive payment of tuition and fees, a monthly housing allowance, and a book stipend. Recipients can receive up to 36 months of benefits. Recipients who combine this benefit with one or more other Chapter Benefits can receive up to 48 months of total benefits. A recipient’s benefit amount is affected by their rate of pursuit (number of credit hours being taken divided by the number of credit hours considered to be full-time).
VA tuition and fee payments are paid directly to Grayson College and are applied as a 3rd party payment to the student’s billing account. Students must notify the Veterans Services Office if their VA chapter benefits will exhaust during the semester in which benefits have been requested as this may result a reduced tuition and fee payment from the VA. The VA will not pay for the following:
- Tuition and fees which are already being paid by other forms of financial assistance specifically intended to pay tuition and fees (ex. Tuition Assistance, Assistantships, ROTC tuition payments, tuition scholarships, etc.).
- The portion of Program Fees which consist of charges for books, supplies, travel, food, or accommodations (the student is expected to use their book and housing stipends to pay for such charges). Contact your academic department to inquire about such fees.
- Non-resident tuition which is charged to non-resident students, non-funded students, or for Three-peat fees. For information regarding how to have non-resident tuition waived, exempted, or paid as a non-resident student, see the Non-resident Tuition, Waiver, Exemption, or Payment section of our website.
- Courses which are not required for a student’s degree plan.
- Courses which are repeated for which the student has already earned an acceptable grade (as determined by their degree).
- Courses which are withdrawn or dropped (the VA may pay part, but not all of the cost of such courses).
Monthly Housing Payments are sent directly from the VA to the student (not to the school) via direct deposit . Benefits are paid in arrears (after the training period). For example, a student receives payment for August at the beginning of September. Payment amounts vary annually and are on the Department of Defense (DoD) Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rate for E-5’s with dependents. The amount of this benefit varies from 40% to 100% depending on the length of active duty service. Recipients must have a rate of pursuit of more than 50% to receive the monthly housing allowance. Students enrolled in only distance learning or online courses are only eligible for a monthly housing allowance equal to 50% of the national average of all Basic Allowances for Housing. Payments are prorated for any partial months of attendance (ex. August & December). Payment amounts do not include enrollment break periods (ex. Winter & Summer break).
Book Stipends are sent directly from the VA to the student (not to the school) via direct deposit . Payment amounts are equal to $41.67 per credit hour up to 24 hours in a single academic year ($1,000 maximum). A lump sum payment is made each semester. These stipends are prorated based upon the percentage of benefit awarded.
For financial aid purposes, the estimated housing expense in the estimated Cost of Attendance must be removed for any Active Duty Service Members with a FAFSA on file. This may result in a reduction of financial aid eligibility.
Eligibility Requirements
Veterans and Active Duty Service Members - Veterans and active duty service members must have served on active duty since September 11, 2001, and served a minimum of 90 aggregate days (excluding entry level and skill training) or served a period of at least 30 days or received a service connected disability rating.
Transfer of Entitlement
The Transferability Fact Sheet includes all of the eligibility requirements associated with transferring this benefit from a Service Member to their dependent(s).
Fry Scholarship
The Post 9/11 GI Bill®: Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship FAQ includes additional information regarding this benefit.
Helpful Links
GI Bill® Comparison Tool
VA Rate Tables for Chapter payment amount
DoD’s BAH Calculator
Chapter 33 for study abroad
More information on Chapter 33
-
Benefit Description
Recipients may qualify to receive payment for tuition and fees, a subsistence allowance, and books. The veteran’s Vocational Rehabilitation counselor will determine the number of months of the veteran’s Chapter 31 Benefit eligibility. A recipient’s benefit amount is affected by their rate of pursuit (number of credit hours being taken divided by the number of credit hours considered to be full-time).
VA tuition and fee payments are paid directly to Grayson College and are applied as a 3rd party payment to the student’s billing account. Students must notify the Veterans Services Office if their VA chapter benefits will exhaust during the semester in which benefits have been requested as this may result a reduced tuition and fee payment from the VA. The VA will not pay for the following:
- Tuition and fees which are already being paid by other forms of financial assistance specifically intended to pay tuition and fees (ex. Tuition Assistance, Assistantships, ROTC tuition payments, tuition scholarships, etc.).
- The portion of Program Fees which consist of charges for books, supplies, travel, food, or accommodations (the student is expected to use their book and housing stipends to pay for such charges). Contact your academic department to inquire about such fees.
- Non-resident tuition which is charged to non-resident students, non-funded students, or for Three-peat fees. For information regarding how to have non-resident tuition waived, exempted, or paid as a non-resident student, see the Non-resident Tuition, Waiver, Exemption, or Payment section of our website.
- Courses which are not required for a student’s degree plan.
- Courses which are repeated for which the student has already earned an acceptable grade (as determined by their degree).
- Courses which are withdrawn or dropped (the VA may pay part, but not all of the cost of such courses).
Book Vouchers will be issued to the Grayson College Bookstore after a student’s Request for Certification is processed by the VSO.
Eligibility Requirements and Applying for Chapter 31
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) is for veterans who have a service-connected disability. Interested applicants need to meet with a VA counselor to apply for Chapter 31 benefits, or apply online . The basic period of eligibility in which VR&E services may be used is 12 years from the date of separation from active military service or 12 years from the date the veteran was first notified by VA of a service-connected disability rating. Once the VA has determined a veteran's eligibility, the VA Counselor will send authorization to the Veteran Services Office to certify enrollment and set up the benefit with Grayson College.
-
Benefit Description
Recipients receive a monthly stipend from the VA and can receive up to 36 months of benefits. Recipients who combine this benefit with one or more other Chapter Benefits can receive up to 48 months of total benefits. The delimiting date for this benefit is 10 years from the last period of qualifying active duty service (at least 90 days in length). A recipient’s benefit amount is affected by their training time. VA Benefits will not be processed for courses which are not required for a student’s degree plan and may or may not be processed for repeated courses.
All payments are sent directly from the VA to the student (not to the school) viadirect deposit . Benefits are paid in arrears (after the training period). For example, a student receives payment for August at the beginning of September. Payments are prorated for any partial months of attendance (ex. August & December). Payment amounts do not include enrollment break periods (ex. Winter & Summer break). The monthly benefit amount paid is based on the length of service, category, and DoD put “Kickers” into the MGIB Fund (if applicable).
Recipients must verify enrollment at the end of each month by Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) or by Interactive Voice Response (IVR). Visit the WAVE website or call 877-823-2378. Failure to very enrollment will result in non-payment of the benefit.
For information regarding how to have non-resident tuition waived, exempted, or paid as a non-resident student, see the Non-resident Tuition, Waiver, Exemption, or Payment section of our website.
For financial aid purposes, the estimated housing expense in the estimated Cost of Attendance must be removed for any Active Duty Service Members with a FAFSA on file. This may result in a reduction of financial aid eligibility.
If you would like to transfer from Chapter 30 to Chapter 33 please contact our office for proper guidance.
Helpful Links
-
Recipients receive a monthly stipend from the VA and can receive up to 36 months of benefits. Recipients who combine this benefit with one or more other Chapter Benefits can receive up to 48 months of total benefits. A recipient’s benefit amount is affected by their training time. VA Benefits will not be processed for courses which are not required for a student’s degree plan and may or may not be processed for repeated courses.
All payments are sent directly from the VA to the student (not to the school) viadirect deposit. Benefits are paid in arrears (after the training period). For example, a student receives payment for August at the beginning of September. Payments are prorated for any partial months of attendance (ex. August & December). Payment amounts do not include enrollment break periods (ex. Winter & Summer break). Amount of the monthly rate is dependent upon how long the member was active. It can be 40%, 60%, or 80% of the Chapter 30 monthly rate.
Recipients must verify enrollment at the end of each month by Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) or by Interactive Voice Response (IVR). Visit the WAVE website or call 877-823-2378. Failure to verify enrollment will result in non-payment of the benefit.
For information regarding how to have non-resident tuition waived, exempted, or paid as a non-resident student, see the Non-resident Tuition, Waiver, Exemption, or Payment section of our website. The Department of Defense has announced it will not authorize Tuition Assistance for classes for which a service member is also receiving VA Chapter 1606 or 1607 benefits.
-
Benefit Description
Recipients receive a monthly stipend from the VA and can receive up to 36 months benefits. Recipients who combine this benefit with one or more other Chapter Benefits can receive up to 48 months of total benefits. A recipient’s benefit amount is affected by their training time. VA Benefits will not be processed for courses which are not required for a student’s degree plan and may or may not be processed for repeated courses.
All payments are sent directly from the VA to the student (not to the school) viadirect deposit. Benefits are paid in arrears (after the training period). For example, a student receives payment for August at the beginning of September. Payments are prorated for any partial months of attendance (ex. August & December). Payment amounts do not include enrollment break periods (ex. Winter & Summer break).
Recipients must verify enrollment at the end of each month by Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) or by Interactive Voice Response (IVR). Visit the WAVE website or call 877-823-2378. Failure to verify enrollment will result in non-payment of the benefit.
For information regarding how to have non-resident tuition waived, exempted, or paid as a non-resident student, see the Non-resident Tuition, Waiver, Exemption, or Payment section of our website. The Department of Defense has announced it will not authorize Tuition Assistance for classes for which a service member is also receiving VA Chapter 1606 or 1607 benefits.
Eligibility Requirements
Member must have an obligation to serve for a period of not less than 6 years after June 30, 1985, have a high school diploma or equivalent, have completed Initial Active Duty Training (ADT), and be participating satisfactorily in the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. Benefit entitlement ends 14 years from the date of eligibility for the program, or on the day personnel leaves the Selected Reserve. If the reservist is mobilized, their eligibility may be extended for the amount of time mobilized plus four months.
Helpful Links
-
Benefit Description
Recipients receive a monthly stipend from the VA. Dependents’ Educational Assistance provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents or certain veterans. A recipient’s benefit amount is affected by their training time. VA Benefits will not be processed for courses which are not required for a student’s degree plan and may or may not be processed for repeated courses.
All payments are sent directly from the VA to the student (not to the school) viadirect deposit. Benefits are paid in arrears (after the training period). For example, a student receives payment for August at the beginning of September. Payment amounts do not include enrollment break periods (ex. Winter & Summer break). Payment amounts do not include enrollment break periods (ex. Winter & Summer break).
For information regarding how to have non-resident tuition waived, exempted, or paid as a non-resident student, see the Non-resident Tuition, Waiver, Exemption, or Payment section of our website.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible you must be a spouse, son or daughter (including stepchild or adopted child) of a:- Veteran who is permanently and totally disabled as the result of, or dies of, a service-connected disability. The disability must arise out of or be aggravated by active duty.
- Veteran with a permanent and total service-connected disability who dies from any cause.
- Service member who is missing in action or is captured in line of duty and is currently being held by a hostile force.
- Service member who is currently being forcibly detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government or power.
- A recipient may generally receive benefits under this program from age 18 to 26 (eight years). If you are eligible as a child of a veteran, your marital status does not affect your eligibility for DEA.
Helpful Links
-
Eligibility
All four service branches and the U.S. Coast Guard offer financial assistance for voluntary, off-duty education programs in support of service members’ personal and professional goals. The program is open to officers, warrant officers and enlisted active-duty service personnel. In addition, members of the National Guard and Reserve Components may be eligible for TA based on their service eligibility. To be eligible for TA, an enlisted service member must have enough time remaining in service to complete the course for which he or she has applied. After the completion of a course, an officer using TA must fulfill a service obligation that runs parallel with – not in addition to – any existing service obligation.
Coverage amounts and monetary limits
The Tuition Assistance Program may fund up to 100% of your college tuition and certain fees with the following limits
- Not to exceed $250 per semester credit hour or $166 per quarter credit hour
- Not to exceed $4,500 per fiscal year, Oct. 1 through Sept. 30
Tuition assistance versus the Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits
While the TA program is offered by the services, the Department of Veterans Affairs administers a variety of education benefit programs. Some of the VA programs, such as the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008, also known as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, can work well with the TA program, as it can supplement fees not covered by TA. In addition, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® funds are available to you after you leave the military. If your service ended before Jan. 1, 2013, you have 15 years to use this benefit. If your service ended on or after Jan. 1, 2013, the benefit won’t expire. The TA program is a benefit that is available only while you’re in the service.
Tuition assistance benefits and restrictions
Tuition assistance will cover the following expenses:
- Tuition
- Course-specific fees such as laboratory fee or online course fee
- NOTE: All fees must directly relate to the specific course enrollment of the service member.
Tuition assistance will not cover the following expenses:
- Books and course materials
- Flight training fees
- Taking the same course twice
- Continuing education units, or CEUs
Keep in mind that TA will not fund your college courses, and you will have to reimburse any funds already paid, if any of the following situations occur:
- Leaving the service before the course ends
- Quitting the course for reasons other than personal illness, military transfer or mission requirements
- Failing the course
Application process
Each military branch has its own TA application form and procedures. To find out how to get started, visit your local installation education center, go online to a virtual education center or click on the following links for each service branch:
Prior to your course enrollment, you may be required to develop an education plan or complete TA orientation. Be sure to keep the following important information in mind when you apply:
- Military tuition assistance may only be used to pursue degree programs at colleges and universities in the United States that are regionally or nationally accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S Department of Education. A quick way to check the accreditation of a school is by visiting the Department of Education.
- Your service’s education center must approve your military tuition assistance before you enroll in a course.
Return of Funds
Military Tuition Assistance is awarded to service members under the assumption that they will complete the entire period of enrollment for which the assistance is awarded. When a Service member “officially” and/or “unofficially” withdraws (stops attending classes – last date of attendance will be the last date of activity within a course), they may no longer be eligible for the full amount of tuition assistance that they were originally scheduled to receive. Once the last date of attendance has been determined, the university will recalculate the Service member’s TA eligibility based on the following formula:
Number of Days Completed (term)/Total Days of the Term = Percent of TA earned
The amount of TA earned is determined on a prorated basis. For example, if a student completed 30% of the course, they earned 30% of the TA funds awarded. The remainder of the unearned funds (70%) would be returned to the TA program. Calculated unearned TA funds will be returned by the Institution to the Military Service and not to the service member. The calculation of the return of funds may result in the service member owing a balance to the Institution. This return of funds calculation aligns with the return of unearned student financial aid rules applicable to Federal Student Aid rules as required under HEA, Section 484B and 34CFR 668.22.
Service members who withdraw after the 60% point in the semester will have earned all Military TA funds.
Students receiving TA funds and contemplating a complete withdrawal from the Institution are asked to contact Veteran Services Office.
8 Week Course Returned Funds Week Withdrawn Max Percentage Earned Max Percentage Returned to TA Before Week 1 0% 100% Week 1 13% 87% Week 2 25% 75% Week 3 38% 62% Week 4 50% 50% Week 5 63% 40% if 60% or greater earned;
0% if 61% or lower earned
Week 6-8 N/A 0% 16 Week Course Returned Funds Week Withdrawn Max Percentage Earned Max Percentage Returned to TA Before Week 1 0% 100% Week 1 6% 94% Week 2 13% 87% Week 3 19% 81% Week 4 25% 75% Week 5 31% 69% Week 6 38% 62% Week 7 44% 56% Week 8 50% 50% Week 9 56% 44% Week 10 63% 40% if 60% or greater earned;
0% if 61% or lower earned
Week 11-16 N/A 0% -
- If the student is a dependent, then the veteran must transfer the benefit to their dependent.
- Student must then be admitted to Grayson College.
- Student completes the Application for Benefits on the VA website.
- Email veterans@grayson.edu and request to apply for VA Chapter Benefits. Please note that requests to apply for benefits for next Fall will not be accepted until after March 1st. In your email, please provide the following information:
- Name
- UIN
- The semester you wish to use VA Chapter Benefits
- Whether you are a veteran, dependent of a veteran, or an active duty service member
- The Chapter Benefit you wish to receive (Chapter 33, Chapter 30, Chapter 31, etc.)
- If you are transferring to Texas A&M from another school and have used VA Chapter Benefits previously.
- Submit each of the requested documents to the Veteran Services Office via fax, mail, or in-person. For security reasons, our office cannot accept documents via email.
- The Intent to register/Request for Certification form for VA Chapter Benefits will be processed after:
- All required documentation has been received.
- The student has registered for all of their courses for the semester in question.
- VA Chapter Benefit payments for tuition and fees will apply to the student’s billing account after bills have been generated by Student Business Services for the semester in question.
-
Students must electronically renew their VA Chapter Benefits each semester.
- Register for your courses at Grayson College for the semester you wish to renew VA Chapter Benefits.
- Submit the Intent to Register/Request for Certification Form
- The Intent to Register/ Request for Certification form for VA Chapter Benefits will be processed after:
- The Request for Certification Form has been received.
- The student has registered for all of their courses for the semester in question.
- VA Chapter Benefit payments for tuition and fees will apply to the student’s billing account after bills have been generated by Student Business Services for the semester in question.
-
Grayson College students taking courses at other institutions can receive VA Chapter Benefits for those courses as long as they are required for the student’s degree plan. To receive VA Chapter Benefits at the other institution, do the following:
- Contact the other institution’s veteran services office and submit the required VA documentation to that institution.
- Fill out the Grayson College Request for Primary Institution Letter (PIL)Form and then submit this form to the Veteran Services Office via , fax, mail, or in person. This form can also be found on the Forms page. The other institution may require additional documentation.
- The Veteran Services Office will then confirm that the courses you are taking are required for your degree plan and then submit your form to the other institution.
- The other institution will then certify your VA Chapter Benefits for those courses.
-
Students can sign up for direct deposit on the VA website.
-
The Veteran Services Office recommends that all students receiving veteran benefits register for eBenefits through the VA in order to easily access critical veteran benefit documents. Students who have already applied for veteran benefits can register for eBenefits on the eBenefit website. Please visit ebenefits.va.gov for more information.
We recommend that students sign up for a Basic Account as it enters them into the VA’s larger registration system and then sign up for a Premium Account (which gives them full access to all benefits available in eBenefits). There is no charge for signing up for the Premium Account. The VA recommends that students allow 30-90 minutes to complete the enrollment process.
General Information Regarding eBenefits
All Chapters can access eBenefits and Veterans can sponsor their dependents and give them access to eBenefits. Veterans can get the following (and more) from eBenefits:
- DD214
- Military Medical Personnel file
- Payment History
- Description of Benefit Amounts remaining (Certificate of Eligibility)