I am a new student. What do I need to do to establish my VA benefits at EWU?
Applying to the VA for your eligibility letter at VA Website is the first step. Once you receive your VA Eligibility Letter please submit to EWU Veterans Resource Center (VRC) by email veterans@ewu.edu or in person. There may be other items our office needs as well so contact EWU VRC for clarification. Referencing our Ten Steps to Enrollment check list can help with the processes at EWU too.
How do I use my benefits?
Following these simple steps will ensure first time and continued use of VA Benefits at EWU:
- Meeting with Academic Advisor: Before you register for classes each quarter, it’s important to meet with your academic advisor. They will help ensure you are selecting courses that align with your program requirements and any additional minors or certificates you may be pursuing.
- Class Schedule Submission to VRC Office: Send your class schedule via email to veterans@ewu.edu. This step is crucial because the VRC Office needs this information to certify your enrollment with the VA.
- Certification Requirements: Remember that only courses that are required to complete your program, including any minors or certificates, can be certified for VA benefits. This typically includes courses that fulfill Degree requirements, Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR), University Graduation Requirements (UGR), and General Education Requirements (GER).
- Deadline Awareness: Ensure you complete the submission of your schedule before each quarter starts. This timing is essential to avoid delays in receiving your VA Education Benefits.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your enrollment is properly certified, and you receive the benefits you are entitled to under the VA Education Benefits program. If you have any further questions or need clarification, it’s always a good idea to reach out directly to the VRC Office or your academic advisor for assistance.
Can I repeat a course?
Courses previously failed or for which the grade does not meet minimum requirements for graduation at EWU may be certified for VA purposes if they are repeated. If you repeat a course, you will need to ensure there is no additional paperwork required by EWU Records and Registration or your academic adviser. The VA will not pay for course repeats in order to improve GPA.
What if I make changes to my schedule?
If you make changes to your schedule by adding and/removing course(s), you need to notify EWU VRC office. Please submit an updated class schedule to VRC office. Even if the total number of credits remains the same you need to submit an updated schedule.
If you drop a course or need to withdraw from school after the drop period please contact the Veterans Resource Center as soon as possible. The drop or withdrawal could result in an overpayment of VA Benefits paid either to EWU or to the student. The VA will automatically grant a 6-credit hour exclusion the first time you drop/withdraw from courses while using benefits. This one-time exclusion cannot be granted if you complete the quarter and receive a non-punitive grade.
Mitigating circumstances are those beyond your control that prevent you from continuing to be enrolled or that cause you to reduce the number of credits. Please let us know if the below apply to your situation. Examples include:
- An illness or injury afflicting you during the enrollment period
- An illness or death in your immediate family
- An unavoidable change in your conditions of employment
- Unanticipated active-duty military service, including training
- Immediate family or financial obligations beyond your control that require you to suspend pursuit of your education to gain employment.
What happens after I submit my class schedule to VRC?
Once our SCOs have verified your program and course(s) with VA policy, they will submit your enrollment to VA. We use Degree Works to verify required courses align with your degree at EWU. If the SCO has any questions, they will reach out to you for clarification. You will receive a confirmation email from VA Enrollment Manager when this is complete. Typically this occurs within 30 days before the start of each quarter/semester/term.
Will my VA education benefits pay for every class that I want to take?
No. only courses that are required to complete your program, including any minors or certificates, can be certified for VA benefits. This typically includes courses that fulfill Degree requirements, Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR), University Graduation Requirements (UGR), and General Education Requirements (GER).
How do I verify my enrollment?
Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 benefits can verify their enrollment via text or phone call. Please reach out to the Education Call Center (ECC) at 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) to update your contact information if you have not received a text message to opt-in. This will ensure that you receive the latest email updates on monthly enrollment verification and are able to opt-in to enrollment verification by text message. Refer to VA website for more information Enrollment Verification – Education and Training (va.gov)
Chapter 30 and 1606 recipients are required to contact the VA on the last day of each month to verify their attendance. If you forget to call, your payment will be held. If the number of credits or enrollment status is incorrect when you are verifying your attendance, contact the EWU Veterans Resource Center Office with the correct information. Do not try to correct it through the VA website.
- Verify by phone: 1-877-823-2378
- Verify online: WAVE system
If you are using STEM scholarship you can verify your attendance using STEM text. Please see the VA’s PDF about the STEM Text for more details.
Can I take courses at another school – Parent School Letter?
If you decide to take classes at another institution we need to send the other institution a Parent School Letter. You will need to submit your class schedule of that school to EWU VRC for the SCO to review for transferability. Once verification occurs, the SCO will send a Parent School Letter to the SCO at the other school.
What is “rounding out”, and how does it work?
The practice of “rounding out” provides eligible students in their last quarter with the option to take additional classes to bring their course load to full-time and receive a full-time monthly housing/stipend payment. During your last quarter for your degree program, you can add additional courses such as additional electives in order to be enrolled at full time status. The additional course(s) need to be part of the program curriculum and cannot have been previously completed. You can only use the round out option once for your degree program.
How are tuition and fee payments handled with Post 9/11 GI Bill®?
For Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits, they cover resident tuition and mandatory fees up to your entitlement percentage. Examples of non-mandatory fees are late payment fee and schedule change fee.
We certify enrollments in a two step process. Initially we will only certify your credits, and not report any tuition and fees. After tuition due date (few weeks into the quarter) the certification is amended to reflect tuition and fees. As such your tuition will be paid by the VA to EWU after the tuition deadline. Any late fees assessed will be reversed once VA funds are received provided there are no additional charges pending the student is responsible for. This is part of the normal certifying procedure.
If you are paying non-resident tuition you are responsible for the difference between the resident rate covered by the VA, and the non-resident rate you are paying.
If my GI Bill® exhausts during the quarter, will the VA pay the entire quarter?
For Veteran Students using benefits for quarter or semester based program, VA will extend benefits to the end of the term. This means if a student has at least one day of benefits to start the academic term but does not have enough days of benefits to pay for the entire term, VA will nonetheless pay benefits for the entire term.
For Dependents (transfer of entitlement), benefits will stop on the day the student exhaust their remaining entitlement. If you are a dependent, there is no exceeding the allotted amount they had to use of the Post 9/11 GI Bill®, and payments will stop mid quarter or semester if your eligibility is exhausted.
What is the STEM Edith Nourse Rogers Scholarship?
Through the STEM Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship, Post-9/11 GI Bill® students who have exhausted or are about to exhaust their entitlement may be eligible for nine months (up to $30,000) of additional benefits. Review this approved degree list for a complete list of eligible STEM fields. Priority for the Rogers STEM Scholarship will be given to individuals who are entitled to 100% of Post-9/11 GI Bill® Benefits and who require the most credit hours. for more information or to apply, visit VA website Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship
I’m Not a Resident of WA State, can I qualify for In State Tuition?
If you are a veteran who recently separated from active duty, a member on active duty, a member of the national guard or you are the dependent of one of these people you may be eligible to be considered a resident for tuition and fee purposes. Please reference our VRC Waivers website to choose the application that fits your situation. EWU VRC Waivers
How much monthly housing allowance (MHA) can I get?
Your MHA is the same as the monthly military Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for an E-5 with dependents. It may vary depending on enrollment level, online classes and campus location. To see any of these rates, you can go to VA website, search for Eastern Washington University and see EWU’s rates. GI Bill® Comparison tool.
- VA pays MHA for enrollments over half time or at 51% or more.
- UG: Full time: 12+ credits; 3/4 time: 9-11 credits; 1/2 time: 6-8 credits; less than 1/2: 5 and below
- GRAD: Full time: 8 or more credits; 3/4 time: 6-7 credits; 1/2 time: 4-5 credits; less than 1/2: 4 and below
- Accelerated GRAD: Full time: 4 credits; 3/4 time: 3 credits; 1/2 time: 2 credits
- If you’re taking all online classes MHA is paid at the national online rate.
- MHA is paid per campus location – where you physically attend most of your classes. EWU has extension campuses where MHA is paid at a higher rate.
Monthly housing stipends are zip code based and prorated based on student full-time status. NOTE: To receive ones full housing stipend as a chapter 33 or 31 you must be enrolled in at least one Face-to-Face class.
How do I pay Housing and Dining Meal Plan, or my rent?
The monthly housing stipend is paid directly to you by the VA. This means you are responsible for paying rent or any housing or meal plan charges at EWU you have depending on your situation. If you do have room and board through EWU and need to set up a payment plan, contact EWU Student Financial Services to discuss.
I’m a Veteran, Do I Receive Priority Registration?
Veterans, National Guard, Reserves and Spouses using VA Benefits will receive priority registration. Please review the EWU Academic Calendar for complete registration dates.
How do I use Tuition Assistance?
Tuition Assistance programs are DoD branch specific and must be worked out between the service member pursuing the benefits and their respective Education Center and Education Counselor. Our office has no oversight regarding your Tuition Assistance benefits or approval. When you receive a Tuition Assistance Authorization form, please submit to the VRC and we will make sure that it is applied to your student account. You are responsible for the portion of tuition that TA does not cover. Excess TA cannot be refunded to students per university policy. For more details about using TA, please see Military One Source Tuition Assistance .
Do a qualify for a tuition waiver?
Veterans: Tuition waiver covers roughly half of tuition costs. Tuition waiver does not apply for summer quarter. Waiver does not apply if receiving third party assistance, such as chapter 33, 31 or tuition assistance.
Dependents: Tuition waiver covers tuition and course fees only. Funds are available on a limited basis and distributed first come, first serve within the priority deadline established for the quarter.
Application can be made on a yearly basis or quarterly basis. Applications will not be awarded retroactive or past the published deadlines (on application). Click here for application and information on each waiver.
When will I be paid my monthly stipend from the VA?
The VA typically pays on the first of every month for the previous month and anywhere from the 1st to the 5th of the month. For example, on October 1st you’ll get a check for the month of September. Payments are prorated, meaning checks will be less during months we aren’t in school from beginning to end (August, December, January and May).
Why haven’t I received my stipend yet?
– Have you properly established your benefit…If you are a dependent, has your sponsor formerly transferred the benefit to you (Post 9/11 GI Bill), Have you applied for the benefit through the VA and received a certificate of eligibility from the VA? Have you submitted your class schedule to EWU VRC office, thereby notifying us of your intentions to use your benefit?
– For chapters 30, 1606 and 1607, has your monthly enrollment certification been accomplished through WAVE or through the verification hotline at 1 (877) 823‑2378?
– Has enough time passed since the EWU VRC certified your enrollment? Two to eight weeks is the typical time-frame. Longer processing times occur at the beginning of each term because of increased workloads.
Can I use financial aid and VA benefits?
Yes! In fact, we encourage students to file your FAFSA (link is external) to see what financial aid you may be eligible for; financial aid may and can be helpful. VA benefits are no longer included in the calculations of financial aid awards. VA benefits aren’t always enough to cover the cost associated with being a student (books, living expenses, etc.). There are financial aid counselors available to help you determine what would be beneficial for you to accept from the financial aid package you are offered. Grants and scholarships are “free” money, but loans are debt that you do pay back. EWU Financial Aid Office is in Sutton Hall, 1st Floor. Their website is at: EWU Financial Aid
I have question/concerns about specific payments made to me by the VA. Who should I contact?
You can call the VA Education Call Center (ECC) at 888-442-4551. They are in Muskogee, OK and in the Central Time Zone.
What if I am a Non-Degree Seeking (non-admitted) Student?
As a non-matriculated (not yet degree-seeking) student, you can use VA education benefits for up to two quarters. The courses you are taking must satisfy either prerequisites or degree requirements for the program for which you intend to achieve.
To apply at EWU as non-degree seeking (non-admitted) should reference our website at https://www.ewu.edu/apply/non-degree/
What is FERPA?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. In order for us to release any information to another person, such as a spouse or parent, we need permission to release information on file. This can be done via EWU Records and Registration website.
How can I find out how many months of education benefits I have remaining?
If you already applied for and were awarded VA education benefits, the VA sends students a Statement of Benefits each time your school certifies enrollment. This letter should show you how much of your benefits you’ve used and how much you have left to use.
For Post 9/11GI Bill® recipients, you can go online to VA website to view a statement of benefits: Check your GI Bill Statement of Benefits
What do I do if I receive a Debt Letter from the VA?
Notify the VRC that you have received a debt letter as soon as you are able. The school will pay back the VA the Debt and depending on the reason the debt was generate (for example a withdrawal after the 100% payback date) then you may have to pay the University for the debt they covered.
How do I apply for Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) benefits?
If you have a service-connected disability that limits your ability to work or prevents you from working, Veteran Readiness and Employment (formerly called Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment) can help. This program—also known as Chapter 31 or VR&E—helps you explore employment options and address training needs. In some cases, your family members may also qualify for certain benefits. Visit https://www.va.gov/careers-employment/vocational-rehabilitation/
Will the GI Bill® pay for me to study abroad?
The VA will not pay for students to study abroad unless study abroad is explicitly required for the degree program (which is rare). EWU instructional costs may be covered depending on your VA education benefit. The VA does not cover fees associated with foreign study, unless it is mandatory for your degree program. The VA will not pay any costs related to travel or third-party charges (for example: travel insurance, study abroad application fees, etc.).
The ability to use your VA benefits while pursuing a study abroad program is very limited. Please make sure to check with our office before enrolling in a study abroad program.
How Do I Get My Military Transcripts?
You will need to visit the respective DoD website below to request official transcripts be sent to: EWU Admissions 304 Sutton Hall, Cheney, WA 99004.
- JST (Joint Service Transcript) – Army, Navy & Marine Corps members.
- CCAF (Community College of the Air Force) – Air Force, Reserve and Air National Guard members.
- Coast Guard Institute – Coast Guard members.
When do I have to declare a major?
Once you reach 90 credits, you will be required to declare a major. Refer to EWU Records and Registration website for directions on how to do this.
- If you’re still investigating majors, consider:
- Review EWU’s academic programs
- Talk with your CAAR advisor
- Connect with the Career Center to connect your interests to a career
- Contact the academic department.
- Fill out a Major Declaration Form.
Do I need to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress?
The Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy applies to all EWU students and defines the minimum standards needed to receive federal, state, and institutional financial aid. Per federal regulation, the policy applies whether or not aid is received during the term being evaluated. Not meeting SAP count impact your financial aid. This SAP policy does not impact VA Education Benefits.
Will the VA Pay for Failed Grades and NP Grades?
If a student fails a course the VA will not penalize the student for the F. If a student is at risk of failing a course or is considering withdrawing from a course, they should discuss with the VRC staff as there might be additional options available to students who are needing assistance and changes in the course load may affect the entitlement you receive from the VA. If you elect to take a NP (no Pass) then the VA will NOT cover the class and you will receive a debt however, you will receive that entitlement back.
If you don’t attend class, you are not entitled to benefits. If a student stops attending a class they must drop officially with the college and report the drop to the VRC staff. This is a student responsibility—not ours. Federal law requires that students report any change in enrollment status, which might affect their VA education benefits to the school and the VA. When there is an overpayment, the VA will ask for repayment of the overpaid benefits.
The VRC staff monitors student enrollment and updated enrollment statuses are regularly sent to the VA. When adding or dropping classes, the student must report the drop or add directly to the VRC Staff.
What happens if I do a Former Quarter Drop?
Eastern Washington University understands that you may face a variety of challenges and obstacles while attending the University. The Exceptional Circumstance Withdrawal provides students with a method to petition for a grade earned in a former quarter to be changed to a Withdraw (W). A grade of W does not impact your cumulative GPA or academic standing.
If you complete a Exceptional Circumstance Withdrawal (ECW) with the Registrar’s office, let the Veterans Resource Center Office know so they can monitor the status and determine reporting requirements with the VA. The VA will not cover tuition for W grades, and the ECW could result in tuition overpayment to the school and debt incurred.
Does the VA pay for Graduation?
If you are using the Post 9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) or VR&E (Chapter 31), we can ask for reimbursement under these benefits for the graduation application fee. The VA does not pay for the actual costs to participate in EWU commencement ceremony (i.e. cost of Cap and Gown). Once you apply for graduation, let the VRC office know so we can ask for reimbursement from the VA.
