Using VA Benefits: Steps & Important Info

• Post-9/11 GI Bill users: get a copy of your Statement of Benefits if you have already applied for your benefits and received a COE before.
• All other GI Bill/VA benefits users: Click the "Ask a Question" button (login required) on the GI Bill website and submit a query for the VA to mail copy of your COE. Or call the GI Bill hotline at 888-442-4551 to request a copy.
• If you have never applied for benefits and received a COE before, visit the VA's website to apply.

Submitting your COE

• Students will upload their COE when they complete the New KU Request for Benefits form. Students only need to submit a COE the first time they are using a VA benefit.

The VA will send you a letter each semester regarding the amount of entitlement you used and the amount remaining.

• Chapter 31 (VR&E): check with your VR&E counselor.
• Chapter 33: check your Post-9/11 GI Bill Statement of Benefits on the VA's website.
• All other chapters: Use the Ask VA tool or call the GI Bill hotline at 888-442-4551 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CDT.

• Minors/Majors: Yes, the GI Bill will cover additional majors and minors. Effective Fall 2024, we received updated information from our Education Liaison Representative that VA doesn't limit the number of majors/minors a student can have.
• Certificate program: 
  • Undergraduate certificate programs are not approved for the GI Bill, unfortunately. Certificate program courses must meet some other KU graduation requirement in order for the VA to approve the courses.
  • Graduate certificate program: If your program is listed in WEAMS, VA will cover it. If it is not in WEAMS, contact us.

Only classes that meet a graduation requirement for your degree program, minor, dual degree, or dual major, can be reported to the VA for the purpose of determining your rate of pursuit (full-time status). Speak with your advisor to make sure your course fits some sort of graduation requirement (e.g. in your major, KU Core goals, junior/senior hours, etc.).

The VA will not pay for repeat courses unless you received an “F” OR must pass with a certain grade in order to move forward in your program.

Part of it depends on when you submit your KU request for benefits. On average, it takes KU 10-14 business days to send your info to VA (peak times, i.e. August & January, may take longer). VA has 30 days from that point to process your paperwork and will notify you once it's complete. You should then receive your monthly stipend at the beginning of the next month for the time you were in classes the previous month(s).

VA typically pays around the first of every month for the previous month. For example, around Sept. 1 (though it could be a few days later) you’ll get a payment for the days you were in classes in August. For VA purposes, each month has 30 days so you can calculate prorated amounts by dividing your monthly stipend by 30 and multiplying by number of days school is in session (e.g. if classes being Aug. 20 and BAH is $1494, your BAH for August would be $498). Visit the GI Bill Comparison Tool to see your specific rates.

When you complete your Using VA Benefits web form for the semester, we push your deadline back to Dec. 15 (fall), May 15 (spring), Aug. 15 (summer), giving you/the VA until the end of the semester to pay your tuition and fees.

You will still receive e-bills each month, but KU Enroll & Pay will always show your actual due date. 

If you get a late fee, it likely means you did not complete your VA request for the semester. Contact us with questions.

Ch. 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill users: We first tell the VA just the credit hours you're enrolled in to get your book stipend/housing allowance going. A second certification will occur after the add/drop period with your tuition and fees, as required by law. This means it will take longer for the VA to pay your tuition/fees - that's why we push your deadline back.

Ch. 31 VR&E users: VA should pay everything on your Enroll & Pay account, except bookstore charges. Bookstore charges require a separate purchasing process. If you see bookstore charges on your Enroll & Pay account, contact us. 

Other VA benefits users: The VA will pay nothing on your KU Enroll & Pay account. You are responsible for paying your entire bill. 

Contact us by Dec. 1/May 1 if you still have charges on your account that you feel should not be there.

First, when you complete your KU request for VA benefits each semester, we push your KU tuition/fees deadline back to Dec. 15 (fall), May 15 (spring), Aug. 15 (summer). You will still get e-bills, but Enroll & Pay will always show your actual due date.

Ch. 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill & Ch. 31 VR&E users: Did you complete your KU request for VA benefits? If so, we first tell the VA just your credit hours to get your book stipend and/or housing allowance going. We will report the tuition a bit later, as required by law. This means it may take longer for the VA to pay your tuition/fees.  

Contact us by Dec. 1 (fall)/May 1 (spring)/Aug. 1 (summer) if you still have charges on your KU account that you feel should not be on there.

Other VA benefits users: VA will pay nothing on your KU Enroll & Pay account. You are responsible for paying your entire bill. 

Students must be enrolled full time in term-long classes to receive full GI Bill benefits, as your benefits are charged by day. This means short-term and non-standard courses can affect your full-time status and your benefits (e.g. housing allowance if you're using the Post-9/11 GI Bill). 

For example, undergraduate students must be in 12 credits that run the whole semester. If you are only in 12 credits and one of those courses starts later (e.g. October), you will be part time until that course starts. If you're in 15 credits and one of the 3 credit hour courses starts later, there is no issue since you're in 12 credits for the entire semester. 

Before you enroll in short classes, contact us to learn how short courses might affect your benefits. Or see the "Enrollment Status and Training Time" section on this web page for more details.

Withdrawing from a class, especially outside the 100% refund window, can result in you owing KU and/or the VA money. This is regardless of which VA benefit you are using.

Contact us before dropping a class to understand the potential financial implications.

If you have mitigating circumstances, let us know BEFORE you drop the class so that we can inform the VA. If you don't let us know VA will mail you a letter explaining they were notified about your drop. They may ask you to submit any mitigating circumstances that led to the drop. In response, you’ll need to mail the reasons to your Regional Processing Office or send them using the “Submit a Question” button on VA's website. VA will notify you by letter if your reasons are accepted and the amount of any final benefit debt. VA also automatically grants mitigating circumstances for up to 6 credits the first time, and only the first time, you drop classes.

You may still owe money, though, even if VA grants you mitigating circumstances.

The VA requires certain users to verify their enrollments at the end of each month for the time they were in classes. Visit the VA's website to learn more and to verify your enrollment. 

Visit the GI Bill Comparison Tool for specific information.

It depends on whether you are getting restricted aid or unrestricted aid. Visit our aid page for more information.

Post-9/11 GI Bill users: to receive that money while waiting on the VA to pay your tuition and fees, complete the VA Educational Benefits - Early Release of Funds* form each semester. *A link to this form is included in the KU request for VA benefits form you complete each semester.

You can update your direct deposit information in your VA.gov profile. You'll need your bank's routing number and account number to make the updates.

For steps on setting up or updating your KU direct deposit information in Enroll & Pay, visit Student Accounts & Receivables.

It depends.

Veterans using the Post-9/11 GI Bill and this is the first VA benefit you have used: Yes, VA should pay for the entire term for all classes that started while you still had benefits left.

Veterans who combined benefits (e.g., used 36 months of the Montgomery GI Bill and 12 months of the Post-9/11 GI Bill) and will exceed your 48th month during the semester: VA will only make payments for tuition and BAH up to the last day of that 48th month.

Spouses and dependents using Post-9/11 GI Bill: the VA will stop payments on the last day of your benefits (and prorate the tuition/BAH), unless you are the very last family member to use the very last day of benefits. If you're the last family member, VA should pay for the entire term for all classes that started while you still had benefits left.

Ch. 35 DEA and Ch. 1606 MGIB-SR students: VA typically stops paying the day you run out of benefits.

If you are switching your VA benefits program, complete a "New KU Request for Benefits" instead of a "Continued Request" and upload your new Certificate of Eligibility.

If you qualify for multiple benefits you can only use one at a time, but you can switch which one is active between semesters.

To change benefits you can request a new COE through the VA.

**There is one exception. Students eligible for Ch. 35 benefits under two parents may use both at the same time. If you elect concurrent payments, you will receive double the rate but be charged double the entitlement for each semester you are certified. To use both Ch. 35 benefits:

1. Apply for the COE for Ch. 35 under both parents. Choose 1 parent’s SSN to enter for the veteran’s SSN.
2. Once you get the COE, call VA (888-442-4551) to indicate that you want to use both benefits at the same time. VA annotates your record of this (called a work order).  This is so when the school enters enrollment, VA will see to process concurrent payments under CH35.  Request has to come from you to the VA (the school is not involved with this part).
3. Continue to use the same parent’s SSN info you used before completing the KU continued request for benefits each semester. When we send enrollment info to VA, VA will see the work order and process concurrent enrollment/payment under both parents.

Yes, but most KU students do not need Yellow Ribbon.

The VA's Yellow Ribbon program is only for Ch. 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill users at the 100% benefit level paying out-of-state tuition who do not meet the Armed Forces Residency Benefit (AFRB) criteria.

• Living in Kansas (on or off campus) while going to KU? Apply for in-state tuition rates per AFRB instead of Yellow Ribbon. 
• Using Post-9/11 GI Bill at 100% benefit level, living another state while going to KU AND paying out-of-state tuition? Please complete the Yellow Ribbon Application each academic year.
• Online students in a flat-rate program? You do not need Yellow Ribbon or AFRB.
• Non-Ch. 33 user? VA's Yellow Ribbon is not an option for you, but AFRB may be. 

Note for KUMC students only: KUMC does not currently offer Yellow Ribbon, but does offer AFRB. Visit their Military Residency page to learn more.