VA Education Benefit Programs

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Available Benefits and Eligibility
Eligible service members may receive up to 36 months of education benefits. The monthly benefit paid to you is based on the type of training you take, length of your service, your category, any college fund eligibility, and if you contributed to the $600 buy-up program. You usually have 10 years to use your MGIB benefits, but the time limit can be fewer or more years depending on the situation.

You may be eligible if you have an honorable discharge, AND you have a high school diploma or GED or in some cases 12 hours of college credit, AND you meet the requirements of one of the categories below:

• Entered active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985
• Had military pay reduced by $100 a month for first 12 months
• Continuously served for three years or two years, if that is what you first enlisted for, or if you entered the Selected Reserve within a year of leaving active duty and served four years (the 2 by 4 program).

Documentation Required for Chapter 30 Certification

• DD214 (That lists Character of Service)
• VA Eligibility or Certificate of Eligibility
• Military Transcripts
• Annual Certification Request for Military Benefits (Veteran Services Forms)

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Eligibility

If you have at least 90 days of aggregate active duty service after Sept. 10, 2001, and are still on active duty, or if you are an honorably discharged veteran or were discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days, you may be eligible for this VA-administered program. The program has a few specific components, outlined below.

• Transfer of Entitlement Option
• Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship for the children of service members who died in the line of duty after Sept. 10, 2001.

Benefits and Eligibility

For approved programs, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® provides up to 36 months of education benefits, generally payable for 15 years following your release from active duty. Institutions of higher learning participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program may make additional funds available for your education program without an additional charge to your GI Bill® entitlement. The following payments may also be available:

• Monthly housing allowance
• Annual books and supplies stipend
• One-time rural benefit payment

Other Factors to Consider

• Full tuition and fees are paid directly to the school for all public school in-state students.
• For those attending private or foreign schools, tuition and fees are capped at the national maximum rate. Learn more here.

Documentation Required for Chapter 33 Certification

• VA Eligibility Letter (Certificate of Eligibility)
• DD214 (That lists “Character of Service”)
• Military Transcripts (JST)
• Annual Certification Request for Military Benefits (See Forms Page)

Available Benefits and Eligibility
The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Program is authorized by Congress under Title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 31. It is sometimes referred to as the Chapter 31 Program. The VR&E Program assists veterans with service-connected disabilities to prepare for, find, and keep suitable jobs. For veterans with service-connected disabilities so severe that they cannot immediately consider work, VR&E offers services to improve their ability to live as independently as possible.

Active Duty Service Members are eligible if they:

• Expect to receive an honorable discharge upon separation from active duty
• Obtain a VA memorandum rating or Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) rating of 20% or more
• Apply for VR&E services

Veterans are eligible if they:

• Have received, or will receive, an honorable or other than dishonorable discharge
• Have a VA service-connected disability rating of 10% with a serious employment handicap or 20% or more with an employment handicap
• Apply for VR&E services

BASIC PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY
The law generally provides for a 12-year basic period of eligibility in which services may be used. The 12-year period begins on the latter of these dates:

• Date of separation from active military duty or
• Date the veteran was first notified of a service-connected disability rating

Documentation Required for Chapter 31 Certification

• VA Form 28-1900

Your appointed VR&E counselor will provide the Authorization and Certification of Entrance or Reentrance into Rehabilitation and Certification of Status

• Annual Certification Request for Military Benefits (See Veteran Services Forms)
• DD214 (That lists Character of Service)
• Military Transcript

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

The MGIB-SR program provides education and training benefits to eligible members of the Selected Reserve, including 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. Eligibility for this program is determined by the Selected Reserve components and Veterans Affairs (VA) makes the payments.

Eligibility

To qualify, you must meet the following requirements:

• Have a six-year obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve signed after June 30, 1985. If you are an officer, you must have agreed to serve six years in addition to your original obligation. For some types of training, it is necessary to have a six-year commitment that begins after Sept. 30, 1990.
• Complete your initial active duty for training (IADT).
• Meet the requirement to receive a high school diploma or equivalency certificate before completing IADT. You may not use 12 hours toward a college degree to meet this requirement.
• Remain in good standing while serving in an active Selected Reserve unit. You will also retain MGIB-SR eligibility if you were discharged from Selected Reserve service due to a disability that was not caused by misconduct. Your eligibility period may be extended if you are ordered to active duty.

Apply

Follow these steps to become eligible and apply:

1. 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.
2. Then make sure your selected program is approved for VA training. If you are unsure, VA will inform you and the school or company about the requirements.
3. Obtain and complete VA Form 22-1990 (Application for Education Benefits). Send it to the VA regional office with jurisdiction over the state where you will train.
4. If you started training, take your application and your Notice of Basic Eligibility to your school or employer. Ask them to complete VA Form 22-1999 not available online Enrollment Certification, and send all the forms to VA.

Documentation Required for Chapter 1606 Certification

• VA Eligibility Letter (Certificate of Eligibility)
• Military Transcripts (JST)
• Annual Certification Request for Military Benefits (See Veteran Services Forms)

Eligibility

The Chapter 35 Program provides up to 45 months of entitlement for eligible spouses and dependent children to go to school and learn a career. The program provides a means to get a post-secondary education either as a traditional student in a classroom setting, or through one of many online options. Typical types of courses covered are:

• College programs resulting in a degree
• Trade, technical, licensure or certification training
• On-the-job training/apprenticeships
• Correspondence courses
• Cooperative training
• Overseas programs (leading toward a college degree).

Qualification Requirements

To qualify as a surviving spouse or dependent child, the sponsor – meaning the veteran – must be VA-rated as totally and permanently disabled (100%) as a result of a service-connected event, or by the passing of the disabled veteran. However, the requirements also extend to service members listed as missing in action, a prisoner of war, or held captive by a foreign power. The definition of a surviving spouse is straightforward, however, what constitutes a dependent child may not be. To qualify for the program, you are considered a dependent if you are under the age of 27 and:

• a biological child of the military member,
• adopted through the courts system or,
• a legally adopted step-child.

Application Procedures

Submit VA Form 22-5490 from the eBenefits website or download the form, fill it out, and mail it to the VA Regional Office in Muskogee, Ok. The information is on the form.

Documentation Required for Chapter 35 Certification

• VA Eligibility Letter (Certificate of Eligibility) must be addressed to the student.
• Annual Certification Request for Military Benefits (See Veteran Services Forms)