Using VA Benefits: Steps & Important Info


Steps for New/Transfer Students, First-Time Users & Those Switching Chapters

  • Ch. 31 VR&E users only: upload something with your VR&E counselor's name/email since you don't get a COE. Also, your KU bookstore purchases require a different process than the rest of your benefits. Follow these steps for book purchases.

Once you complete step 2, we'll email your KU email when:

  • 1. We receive your KU request for benefits form

  • 2. An advisor verifies your classes count toward graduation

  • 3. We send your enrollment to the VA

  • Monitor your KU email in case we have any questions

Returning & Continuing Students

(Complete each semester if using the same VA benefit as before)

Complete this right before or after you enroll in your next semester to mitigate payment delays.

Note: If you are switching chapters (e.g. from Post-9/11 to Ch. 35 DEA), please follow the first 2 steps under "New & Transfer Students" above.

You'll get emails to your KU email when:

  • 1. We receive your KU request for benefits form

  • 2. An advisor verifies your classes count toward graduation

  • 3. We send your enrollment to the VA

  • Monitor your KU email in case we have any questions

Retroactive Requests

Use this form only for requests older than 9 months (*KU login required)

*If your KU login has expired/you don't remember it, visit KU's MyIdentity page and click on the green "password reset" button (**KU online ID needed)

**If you don't remember your KU online ID, visit KU's MyIdentity page and click on the green “Set up your Online ID” button (Student ID number and birth date needed)

Contact us if you need any help

Enrollment Status & Training Time

Are you part time or full time in the eyes of the VA (which may differ from how KU classifies you)?

VA benefits may vary if you're taking short classes and/or classes with different start/end dates

VA looks at your enrollment by day to determine whether you are a part-time or full-time student by their standards. This may differ from how KU classifies you.

All classes must meet a graduation requirement when VA considers your full-time/part-time status. It's vital to visit with your advisor every semester.

This information should only be used as a planning estimate. Individual circumstances may cause a deviation from the amounts listed. Contact us with any questions.

VA pays a monthly stipend to students, not to KU. Students are responsible for their KU bill. Current rates are in the GI Bill Comparison Tool.

Undergraduate Students

Courses with the same start/end dates:

Enrollment StatusFall & Spring HoursSummer Hours% of Benefit (approx.)
Full time12 or more6 or more100%
3/4 time9-114-575%
1/2 time6-8350%
<1/2 time, >1/4 time4-5*2**50%
1/4 time3 or less*1**25%

* If your enrollment status is less than 1/2 time, VA may pay you only up to the amount charged for tuition and fees.

Note for non-standard courses: For courses that don't run the full semester or have different start/end dates, VA will calculate a "Credit Hour Equivalency" (CHE). CHE can then be added to all other credit hours being taken to determine enrollment status. This may mean you're considered part time or full time at different points in a semester, depending on your course dates.

While VA calculates official amounts, you can use this formula to estimate your CHE:

  • 18 * number of credit hours / number of weeks the course is in session = Credit Hour Equivalency

Weeks by counting the total number of days the course is in session (looking at the course's start and end dates, not just the days you have class), dividing by 7 and rounding to the nearest whole number. For partial weeks, 3 days or less are rounded down and 4 days or more are rounded up.


Graduate Students

Graduate students' enrollment status is based on KU's academic policy: Full-Time Enrollment for Graduate Students. For courses with the same start/end dates, enrollment status is calculated by dividing the number of credit hours you are taking by the amount of credit hours to be considered full time in a semester. This percentage is rounded down to the nearest 25% to get your enrollment status:

Enrollment Status% of VA Benefit (approx.)
Full time100%
3/4 time75%
1/2 time50%
<1/2 time, >1/4 time*50%
1/4 time*25%

* If your enrollment status is less than 1/2 time, VA may pay only up to the amount charged for tuition and fees.

Note for non-standard courses: For courses that do not run the full semester or have different start/end dates, VA will calculate "Credit Hour Equivalency" (CHE). CHE can then be added to all other credit hours being taken to determine enrollment status. This may mean you're considered part time or full time at different points in a semester, depending on your course dates.

While VA calculates official amounts, you can use this formula to estimate your CHE:

  • 18 * number of credit hours / number of weeks the course is in session = Credit Hour Equivalency

Weeks are calculated by counting the total number of days the course is in session (looking at the course's start and end dates, not just the days you have class), dividing by 7 and rounding to the nearest whole number. For partial weeks, 3 days or less are rounded down and 4 days or more are rounded up.

The information below may not include all situations a student may find themselves in. Under Ch. 33, you should expect to receive tuition and mandatory fees reimbursement (paid directly to KU), as well as a monthly housing allowance and book & supplies stipend (paid directly to you).

All amounts are prorated by your length of service percentage, which is certified by the VA and can be found on your Certificate of Eligibility. If you have not yet received your Certificate of Eligibility, check out this chart to see what you may be eligible to receive.

Tuition & Fee Reimbursement

Tuition and fees will be paid up to the maximum in-state student rates per credit hour, regardless of enrollment status (full-time or part-time) and level (undergraduate or graduate).

Most out-of-state students are eligible to apply for the Armed Forces Residency Benefit to convert to in-state status, which is a better benefit than Yellow Ribbon. Those not living in Kansas while attending KU may be eligible for the Yellow Ribbon program to help offset the out-of-state/in-state costs.

Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA)

The VA pays MHA for the days you attended class, e.g. if your term starts in the middle of January, the payment you receive in the beginning of February will be prorated accordingly.

To calculate a full month of your MHA, multiply the following items together:

  1. Current MHA rate - Visit the GI Bill Comparison Tool and look for the appropriate MHA listed based on where you are taking a majority of your classes. Students not taking any on-campus courses or who are in an all-online program should answer "No" to the question in the left column, "Will you be taking any classes in person?" to get the rate for online students.
  2. Rate of pursuit percentage, rounded  - See tables below
  3. Length of service percentage - listed on your Certificate of Eligibility or on this eligibility chart.

To get an estimate of your daily MHA rate, divide the monthly MHA rate by 30 (for VA purposes, every month has 30 days).

Note: You may not get MHA stipends if you or your spouse is on active duty.

Books & Supplies Stipend

The books & supplies stipend is paid directly to you as a lump sum each semester. At 100% level it is calculated by multiplying $41.67 by the number of credit hours you are certified to take, but only up to $1000 (or 24 credit hours) per academic year starting in August and ending in July.

For Guard/Reservists and families whose benefit level is less than 100%, it's based on percentage (e.g. 50% benefit level = $41.67 x 50% = $20.84 per credit certified, up to 24 credits for the academic year).


Rate of Pursuit

Important note if taking a combination of short and full-term courses or courses with different start/end dates: VA looks at your enrollment by day, which may differ from how KU looks at your enrollment.

For example, if you're an undergrad in 12 credit hours and one of those classes is a 3-credit, 8-week course, while KU will consider you full time for the entire semester, VA will only consider you full time while that 8-week course is in session and will consider you 3/4 time the remainder of the semester and your MHA will be adjusted accordingly (see Student B example below). If you're in 15 credits and one of those is a 3-credit, 8-week course, you'll be considered full time the entire semester because you're still in 12 credits when that 8-week class is completed.

Undergraduate students

Round to the nearest 10% to get your MHA rate.

Enrolled in all
16-week courses with same start/end dates
Enrolled in all
8-week courses with same start/end dates
Enrolled in all
4-week courses
Rate of Pursuit
(approximate)
12 or more hours6 or more hours3 or more hours100%
 5 hours 93%
11 hours  92%
10 hours  83%
9 hours4 hours 75%
8 hours  67%
7 hours  58%
 3 hours 56%
6 hours  50%**
5 hours  42%**
 2 hours 38%**
4 hours  33%**
3 hours  25%**

**Only students whose rate of pursuit is greater than 50% will be eligible to receive the MHA.

Graduate students

Note: some graduate students' full-time status differ, including active duty military, GTAs, GRAs and GAs. Visit the KU policy library for more info.

Round to the nearest 10% to get your MHA rate.

Enrolled in all
16-week courses with same start/end dates
Enrolled in all
8-week courses with same start/end dates
Enrolled in all
4-week courses
Rate of Pursuit
(approximate)
9 or more hours4 or more hours3 or more hours100%
 3 hours 75%
6 hours  66%
3 hours  33%**

**Only students whose rate of pursuit is greater than 50% will be eligible to receive the MHA.

Note for non-standard courses: For courses have different start/end dates outside of the traditional full-semester dates, VA calculates "Credit Hour Equivalency" (CHE). The CHE for multiple courses can be added together to determine rate of pursuit (aka full-time or part-time status). This may mean VA considers you part time at different times in a semester.

While VA calculates official amounts, you can use this formula to estimate your course's CHE:

  • 18 * number of credit hours / number of weeks the course is in session = Credit Hour Equivalency

Calculate weeks by counting the total number of days the course is in session (how many days between the start and end dates). Then divide by 7 and round to the nearest whole number. For partial weeks, 3 days or less are rounded down and 4 days or more are rounded up.


Examples of how benefits may vary based on RoP

For all examples below, assume the courses count toward graduation.

Student A:

  • Undergraduate or Graduate: Undergraduate
  • Semester: Fall semester (e.g. Aug. 23 to Dec. 15)
  • # of hours: 12 on campus, but one, 3-credit class does not start until Oct. 15

They can expect VA to pay the following:

  • In-state tuition/fees made in 2 payments – one for 9 credit hours and one for 3-credit hours
  • Housing allowance (MHA):
    • 80% of MHA per month from Aug. 23 to Oct. 14 (75% is the rate of pursuit based on the chart above, but it gets rounded to 80% for MHA). 
    • Full MHA per month from Oct. 15 to end of semester
  • 2 books and supplies stipend payments - one for $375 (for 9 credits) and a second payment of $125 closer to Oct. 15 ($41.67 per credit hour)

 

Student B:

  • Undergraduate or Graduate: Undergraduate
  • Semester: Spring semester
  • # of hours enrolled: 6 credits from Jan. 18 to May 15

They can expect $0 MHA per month because their rate of pursuit is less than 51%.

 

Student C

  • Undergraduate or Graduate: Undergraduate
  • Semester: Summer semester
  • # of hours enrolled: 3 credits from June 5-29 and 3 credits from June 5 to July 28

They can expect to receive the following:

  • Full MHA from June 5 to June 29, because their rate of pursuit (RoP) is greater than 100%
  • 60% of MHA from June 30 to July 28, because their RoP is 56%
    • From June 30 to July 28, they will not be using a full day of VA benefits each day since they are not full time (e.g. a student with a 50% RoP uses 1/2 day of benefits each day vs. a full day).

Guest students

Seeking a degree at another school but taking a class at KU? You are considered a "guest student." The institution where you are seeking a degree is your "parent" school.

Guest students should do the following:

VA Benefits Overview

Read more about the Forever GI Bill.

In addition to the benefits below, students using their VA education benefits may apply for VA Work Study in the Military-Affiliated Student Center (part-time student employment) for the semester they are receiving them. Contact us if you're interested in VA Work Study.

Undergraduate students may have up to two majors and one minor.

To see if your KU program is eligible for VA education benefits, please go to the WEAMS public site and click the following links:

  • Under institution name, click "University of Kansas"
  • Near the top, click on "Programs"
  • Under program types, click on "Institution of Higher Learning"

If you do not see your program listed, please contact us before enrolling.

Undergraduate certificate programs: Currently, no undergraduate certificate programs are eligible for VA education benefits at KU Lawrence and Edwards campuses. However, you may take courses that count toward certificate requirements if the course also fulfills another graduation requirement. Please visit with your advisor to make sure each of your courses count towards graduation, and be sure to let them know you are a GI Bill user.

Graduate certificate programs: Several are approved for VA education benefits. Visit the WEAMS public site to verify that your program is approved before enrolling.

Eligibility

  • Active duty servicemember or veteran with an honorable discharge who enrolled and pay $100 per month for 12 months.
  • At least 2 years of active duty.
  • Must fall into one of four service categories.

Benefits

  • Up to 36 months.
  • Depend on the following factors:
    1. Length of service.
    2. Type of educational or training program.
    3. Whether you qualify for a college fund or kicker.
    4. If/how much you paid into the $600 Buy-Up program.
  • Can be converted to Ch. 33.
  • May be eligible for additional 12 months of Ch. 33 after exhausting all of Ch. 30.
  • The VA will pay students based on enrollment status (full-time, part-time). View current rates. For trainees on active duty, payment is limited to reimbursement of tuition and fees for the training taken.
  • Does not pay tuition/fees, housing or books.
  • Recipients must report school attendance each month by logging into WAVE or by calling (877) 823-2378.

For more information on Ch. 30, visit the VA benefits website.

Also using military tuition assistance? Go to our Tuition Assistance page for more information.

Eligibility

  • Veterans who have received, or will receive, a discharge that is "other than dishonorable."
  • Have a service-related disability rating of at least 10% or a VA disability rating of 20% or more.
  • Are in need of vocational rehabilitation due to disability and employment handicap. 
  • Veterans must apply and be approved for this program. Approval process can take several months or more.

Benefits

  • Dedicated VA counselor who can help you along your educational journey.
  • Tuition/fees, books, supplies paid at the 100% rate.
  • Monthly allowance.

Eligibility

Servicemember or veteran with an honorable discharge with:

  • At least 90 days of aggregated active duty service after 9/10/01
  • Discharged with service-connected disability after 30 days
  • Purple Heart recipient awarded on or after 09/11/01, regardless of time spent on active duty.

Family members who have received transferred benefits while servicemember was on active duty.

Benefits

  • Up to 36 months of education benefits. (Based on length of active duty service).
  • Full tuition & mandatory course fees are paid directly to the school for all public university in-state students (classes must count toward a student's degree to be eligible for payment).
    • Students living in Kansas while attend KU are eligible for in-state tuition via Armed Forces Residency. (No need for Yellow Ribbon Program)
    • Students living in Missouri while attending KU may be eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program. (Students living in Kansas do not need Yellow Ribbon)
  • A monthly housing allowance (MHA) directly to you (even if you live in on-campus housing). View current housing rates.
    • Does NOT pay KU housing/dining, parking, etc. charges to the school; students must pay those.
  • 100% online students receive half of the MHA national average, which is less than the on-campus rate.
  • An annual books & supplies stipend (up to $1,000) to you. Paid out each semester at $41.67 per credit hour enrolled until you hit the max ($1,000) rate.
    • Does NOT pay bookstore charges to KU. Students must pay those.

For more information on Ch. 33, visit the VA benefits website.

Eligibility

  • Spouses and children of veterans who died, or are permanently and totally disabled, as a result of service.
  • Children may use benefits between the ages of 18 and 26.
  • Spouses - visit the Ch. 35 site for latest criteria.

Benefits

  • 36 months for those who first use benefits on or after Aug. 1, 2018.
  • Monthly stipend paid directly to the student. View current Ch. 35 payment rates.
  • Does not pay tuition/fees, housing, or books. Student responsible for paying everything.
  • Students living in Kansas while attend KU are eligible for in-state tuition via Armed Forces Residency.

For more information on Ch. 35, visit the VA benefits website.

Eligibility

  • Servicemembers and veterans eligible for any VA educational benefit
  • Spouses/dependents eligible for Post-9/11 VA education benefits
  • Free service - does not cause you to use any of your other GI Bill benefits

Services include

  • Major/career path selection: Guidance in selecting a major/career path compatible with your interests, aptitudes, abilities
  • Benefits awareness: Information on other VA benefits, e.g. disability compensation, Veterans Readiness & Employment
  • Benefits coaching: Maximizing VA benefits and/or other resources to achieve education and career goals
  • Personalized support: Academic or adjustment counseling and personalized support to help remove any barriers to success

To receive this benefit

Eligibility

  • Provides Ch. 33 benefits for children and spouses of service members who died in the line of duty after 9/10/11.
  • Spouses have the benefit until they remarry.

Benefits

  • 36 months of education benefits
  • Full tuition & fees are paid directly to the school for all public university in-state students.
    • Students living in Kansas while attend KU are eligible for in-state tuition via Armed Forces Residency. (No need for Yellow Ribbon Program).
    • Students living in Missouri while attending KU may be eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
  • A monthly housing allowance directly to you. View current housing rates.
  • 100% online students receive half of the BAH national average.
  • An annual books & supplies stipend (up to $1,000) to you. Paid out each semester at $41.67 per credit hour enrolled until you hit the max ($1,000) rate.

For more information on the Fry Scholarship, visit the VA benefits website.

Eligibility

  • Guard/Reservists with a six-year obligation in the Selected Reserve who are actively drilling.
  • Eligibility for the program normally ends the day you leave the Selected Reserve.
  • You get the DD Form 2384-1, Notice of Basic Eligibility, when you become eligible for the program from your unit. Your unit will also code your eligibility into the DoD personnel system so VA may verify your eligibility.

Benefits

  • Up to 36 months.
  • Monthly stipend paid directly to student. View current payment rates.
  • Does not pay tuition/fees, housing or books.
  • Recipients must report school attendance each month by logging into WAVE or calling (877) 823-2378.

For more information on Ch. 1606, visit the VA benefits website.

The Edith Nourse Rogers Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) Scholarship allows some eligible Veterans and Fry Scholarship recipients in high-demand fields to extend their Post-9/11 GI Bill or Fry Scholarship.  

Eligibility   

  • Some Ch. 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill student or Fry Scholars with 6 months or less of your benefits left who are 

  • Enrolled in one of the following programs 

    • Undergraduate in approved STEM degree program or qualifying dual-degree program 
    • Earned a post-secondary degree in an approved STEM degree field and 

      • Are seeking a teaching certification 

      • In a covered clinical training program for healthcare professionals 

    • Note: Cannot use this scholarship for graduate degree programs at this time 

  • Full eligibility details, including approved STEM programs, is available on the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship website. You can also watch the VA's Q&A video on the scholarship for frequently asked questions about the benefits.

 

Benefits

  • May be eligible for up to nine months (or $30,000, whichever occurs first) of additional Ch. 33 benefits.

 

To apply for this benefit: 

GI Bill Frequently Asked Questions

  • 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.
  • Minor: Yes, the GI Bill will cover all of the classes for one minor. Students may change minors before they complete all the requirements for the minor, but cannot have more than one minor at a time.
  • Students can also have up to 2 majors AND one minor.
  • Certificate program:
    • Undergraduate certificate programs are not approved for the GI Bill, unfortunately. The certificate program courses must meet some other 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.

When you complete your Using VA Benefits webforms 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.

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.

Contact us by Dec. 1/May 1 if you still have charges on your account.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Yes, but if you plan to live in Kansas while attending KU, you will not need Yellow Ribbon. Apply for in-state tuition rates per the Armed Forces Residency Benefit instead.

Yellow Ribbon is only available for Post-9/11 GI Bill users at the 100% benefit level per the VA.

If you are using Post-9/11 GI Bill, pay out-of-state tuition and live in Missouri while attending classes at KU, please complete the Yellow Ribbon Application each semester you have benefits.

Need Assistance?

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