Veterans Education Benefits
VA EDUCATION BENEFITS
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides education benefits to eligible service members, veterans, and certain dependents and survivors. You could qualify to receive financial support for undergraduate and graduate degrees, vocational and technical training, licensing and certification tests, apprenticeships, on-the-job training, and more. Information about VA education benefits is available at benefits.va.gov/gibill or call 1-888-442-4551.
Veterans and the dependents of veterans who are eligible to receive benefits will work with the Point University’s Office of Financial Aid.
Veteran Services is committed to providing direct assistance to you in receiving your educational benefits from the Department of Veteran Affairs. Although our main goal is the initiation and assured continuation of educational benefits, we are available to provide supportive services to veterans, national guardsmen, reservists, and eligible beneficiaries enrolled at Point University.
BENEFITS
Benefits
- GI Bill Hotline: 1(888) GI-Bill-1 (442-4551)
- GI Bill Comparison Tool – Learn about education programs and compare estimated benefits by school. This tool will help you make the most of your GI Bill Benefit.
- eBenefits – eBenefits is a joint VA/DoD web portal that provides resources and self-service capabilities to Veterans, Service members, and their families to research, access and manage their VA and military benefits and personal information.
- Apply for Education Benefits – Find out how to apply for VA education benefits here.
- GI Bill Information – This link will direct you to the Veterans Administration page concerning education and training options.
- ArmyIgnited – ArmyIgnited is the virtual gateway for all eligible Active Duty, National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers to request Tuition Assistance (TA) online, anytime, anywhere for classroom and distance learning. It allows soldiers to manage their education records including college classes, testing, on-duty classes and Army Education Counselor support.
Transfer of Eligibility
- milConnect – DoD Associates and Beneficiaries use this site to update personal information, like your entry in the DoD’s Global Address List (GAL), or to check health care coverage, transfer education benefits, and retrieve correspondence.
Military Transcripts
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If you intend to have your military transcripts evaluated and transferred for college credit, an official transcript must be submitted to the Admissions Office during the admission process. Once you have been admitted, the student will be notified of transferred credits at Student Orientation.
BENEFIT PROGRAMS
Post-9/11 GI Bill
Each type of benefit, such as tuition or books, has a maximum rate. Based on the length of your active service, you are entitled to a percentage of the maximum total benefit.
You may be eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits if you:
- Have at least 90 aggregate days of qualifying active service after September 10, 2001 or
- Were honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability after serving at least 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001
If you are in the Armed Forces, you may be able to transfer your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to your spouse and child(ren). Generally, you must use your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits within 15 years from your last period of active service of at least 90 days.
Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty
You may be eligible for MGIB-AD benefits while you are on or after you separate from active duty. At a minimum, you must have a high school diploma or GED. To receive benefits after separating, you must have received an honorable discharge. You generally have 10 years from your last date of separation from active duty to use your MGIB-AD benefits.
Yellow Ribbon Program
Reserve Educational Assistance Program
Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve
You may be eligible for MGIB-SR benefits if you have a 6-year obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve, complete your Initial Active Duty for Training, serve in a drilling unit and remain in good standing, and obtain a high school diploma or equivalency. The Guard and Reserves decide if you are eligible, while VA makes the payments for the program. Generally, your eligibility for MGIB-SR benefits ends on the day you leave the Selected Reserve.
You may be eligible for REAP benefits if you are a member of a reserve component and served on active duty after September 10, 2001, for at least 90 consecutive days under a contingency operation. “Contingency operation” includes the current Iraq and Afghanistan operations and may include other operations. The educational assistance allowance payable under REAP is a percentage of the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty rate based on the number of continuous days you served on active duty. Generally, you have 10 years from the day you leave the Selected Reserve or the day you leave the IRR to use your REAP benefits.
Post-Vietnam ERA Veterans
Benefit entitlement is 1 to 36 months depending on the number of contributions you made to VEAP. You have 10 years from your release from active duty to use your VEAP benefits. If you have not completely used your entitlement after 10 years, your remaining contributions will be automatically refunded.
National Call to Service
- On active duty in the Armed Forces
- In the Selected Reserve
- In the Individual Ready Reserve
- In Americorps, or another domestic national service program jointly designated by the Secretary of Defense and the head of such a program
If you meet the service requirements, you may select one of the following benefits:
- A cash bonus of $5,000
- Repayment of a qualifying student loan not to exceed $18,000
- Entitlement to an allowance equal to the 3-year monthly MGIB-AD rate for 12 months
- Entitlement to an allowance equal to 50% of the less-than-3-year monthly MGIB-AD rate for 36 months
VA only administers the education options. VA does not issue the cash bonus or repay student loans.
Survivors’ and Dependents’ Education Assistance
- A Veteran who died or is permanently and totally disabled as the result of a service-connected disability. The disability must arise from active service in the Armed Forces.
- A Veteran who died from any cause while such permanent and total service-connected disability existed.
- A Servicemember who died during active military service.
- A Servicemember missing in action or captured in the line of duty by a hostile force.
- A Servicemember forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign government or power.
- A Servicemember who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment for a service-connected permanent and total disability and is likely to be discharged for that disability.
The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits. If you are the child, you generally must use your benefits between the ages of 18 and 26. If you are the spouse, your benefits end 10 years from the date VA finds you eligible or from the date of death of your spouse.
A surviving spouse who meets the criteria below may be eligible for benefits for 20 years from the date of death:
- VA rated the Veteran permanently and totally disabled with an effective date within three years from discharge, or
- The Veteran died on active duty
APPLYING FOR BENEFITS
The veteran must go to www.gibill.va.gov to begin the application process through the VA.
STUDENT-VETERAN
Complete FORM 22-1990 if you have NEVER used your educational benefits.
RESTARTING or CHANGING TRAINING SITES? Complete Form 22-1995
SURVIVOR AND DEPENDENTS’ BENEFITS
Complete Form 22-5490 if you have NEVER used your educational benefits.
RESTARTING or CHANGING TRAINING SITES? Complete Form 22-5495
After applying for admission to the university, students should complete the Veterans Enrollment Data Sheet. This form is to be completed and returned to the Office of the Registrar. At minimum, a Certificate of Eligibility from the VA must accompany the Veterans Enrollment Data Sheet. The veteran will be notified if any other paperwork is required for their specific educational benefit. The student-veteran must supply the Certificate of Eligibility prior to the beginning of Early Registration each term.
VETERAN STUDENTS’ RESPONSIBILITIES
Veteran students must notify the VA Certifying Official of any of the following:
- Change of degree program
- Change of address
- Out more than three semesters
- Veteran does not want a semester certified
MONTHLY VERIFICATION
All students receiving Chapter 30, Chapter 1606, and Chapter 1607 benefits must verify their monthly enrollment on the last day of each month or after. The benefit (monetary award) will not be released by the VA until this is done. Enrollment verification can be accomplished by using the VA toll-free telephone number 1.877.823.2378 or the WAVE feature found on the VA website www.gibill.va.gov.
UNIVERSITY CHARGES
Students are responsible for paying all university bills. The student MUST adhere to published payment deadlines. Please check your account one week prior to the published payment deadline to confirm amount owed, if any, to Point University. The VA does not pay for mandatory meal plans.
Veterans and survivors/dependents receiving the following benefits – Chapter 30, Chapter 1606, Chapter 1607 and Chapter 35 – are responsible for paying all tuition and fees prior to the published payment deadline.
Veterans receiving Post 9/11 benefits must have a current Certificate of Eligibility on file in our office. Failure to provide the certificate will result in a delay of the certification of enrollment. Also, if the certificate is not on file, the veteran must pay full tuition by the payment deadline.
It normally takes the Atlanta VA processing center 6-8 weeks to process new educational claims, so please plan accordingly.