FAQ
Only the VA can determine your qualification for VA Educational Benefits. You must submit your application online to the VA and can be done in just a few steps:
- Apply online today if you know which benefit you want to use.
- Visit your nearest VA regional office to apply in person.
- Consult with the VA Certifying Official.
- Call 1-888-GI BILL-1 (888-442-4551) to have the application mailed to you.
After you apply, use VA’s interactive map to find out how quickly your regional office is processing education claims. Your education benefits are processed at Muskogee, OK.
Once you have applied for your education benefit through the VA’s Vets.gov system, you will need to provide the Veterans Services Office with the following documents:
- Confirmation page from Vets.gov application.
- DD-214 member 4 copy. This is the copy that shows your Type of Separation and your Character of Service at the bottom of the page.
- Program Plan.
- Request for Benefits.
The Veterans Services Office will process your Request for Benefits and certify your classes to the VA. Once the VA processes the certification, the VA will issue payment in accordance with your eligible chapter of benefits.
Yes, be sure to apply for your financial aid at http://www.fafsa.gov before the priority deadline each year to also be considered for grants and/or school scholarships. Please also visit PVCC’s Financial Aid page for more information.
- Program Plan. Academic advising can help determine the best fit for you.
- Copy of your DD-214 member 4 copy. This is the copy that shows your Type of Separation and your Character of Service on the bottom of the page.
- Official Transcripts. The VA requires that all previous courses from other institutions be evaluated and applied. This includes military transcripts.
The GI Bill can pay you for more than one degree. For example, it will pay you for a degree in Business and then for a second degree in Computer Science, or for an associates, bachelors, or master’s degree in the same field. Once you have a degree, you could pursue another one, provided you have remaining entitlement on your GI Bill.
During the enrollment process with the Veterans Services office you will be required to declare a Program of Study. Only the classes that are on the Program of Study checklist are eligible for payment by the VA.
The VA determines your rate of pursuit based on the amount of credits and the length of courses. Generally, 12 credit hours of classes that all begin in the first week of the semester and end in the last week of the semester will be full time; however, there are some exceptions to this rule. Please contact the Veteran Services Office with any questions regarding your rate of pursuit.
Payments are issued monthly in arrears. For example, you receive the November payment in December. For the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the tuition and fees are paid directly to the school, the book stipend is paid to you at the beginning of the term, and the housing allowance is paid to you at the end of each month.
It is the student’s responsibility to insure that the PVCC Veteran Services Office is immediately notified in the case that a student using VA Education Benefits withdrawals from a course. Any withdrawal from courses while using VA education benefits can result in a debt to the student in the amount of the payments the student and school received for that class. Mitigating circumstances can be reported with the appropriate documentation.
Each semester a student must complete a Request for Benefits Form and submit it to the PVCC Veteran Services Office. Only courses listed on the Request for Benefits will be submitted to the VA for payment. It is the student’s responsibility to inform the PVCC Veteran Services Office of changes to their enrollment.