If you have not used your benefits before, you will complete an 22-5495 Application for VA Benefits. Students who have used benefits before will file the Change of Program or Place of Training, 22-1995. Be sure to send your VONAPP signature page directly to the US Department of Veteran Affairs (USDVA) St. Louis Office, to avoid a delay in payment.

After filing your paperwork, please submit a copy of your DD-214 and a Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE) to the Office of Student Services so we may certify your registration.

After your registration has been certified, the process may take up to three months before receiving your first check. We recommend registering early for all your courses each semester to speed the process along.

Please remember that any veterans education benefits you receive must be reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you have specific questions, please contact the USDVA St. Louis Office toll-free at 1-888-442-4551 or go to their web site.

To verify enrollment, go to the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) or call 1-877-823-2378.

Chapter 30, 1607, and 1606 recipients: Once you are certified for your benefits, you must verify your enrollment with the VA at the end of each month before you will receive your payment.

You may qualify if you:

• entered active duty for the first time on or after July 1, 1985.
• participated in the pay reduction program (pay reduced by $100 per month for the first 12 months).
• served honorably for at least two years.

A monthly stipend for personal use will be sent directly to you. You will receive a full benefit for full-time enrollment; the benefit will be reduced for part-time enrollment. Current payment rates and other information can be found by visiting http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/rates.htm

Generally, benefits must be used within 10 years following your release from active duty.

You may qualify if you:

• are a Reservist or National Guard member who signed a six-year obligation on or after July 1, 1985.
• completed initial active duty training.
• are in good standing with your drilling Selected Reserve unit.

A monthly stipend for personal use will be sent directly to you. You will receive a full benefit for full-time enrollment; the benefit will be reduced for part-time enrollment. Current payment rates and other information can be found by visiting http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/rates.htm

If you served in a critical military field, you may qualify for a kicker by the Department of Defense. Contact your unit to find out if you qualify for the kicker.

Your benefits must be used while actively drilling with a National Guard/Reserve unit. Once you leave the National Guard/Reserves, your education benefit ends.

You may qualify if you:

• are a Reservist or National Guard member.
• served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, for at least 90 consecutive days.

A monthly stipend for personal use will be sent directly to you. You will receive a full benefit for full-time enrollment; the benefit will be reduced for part-time enrollment. Current payment rates and other information can be found by visiting http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/rates.htm

If you were eligible for a kicker under Chapter 1606, you will continue to receive the kicker through Chapter 1607.

Benefits must be used while actively drilling with the National Guard/Reserve unit. Once you leave the National Guard/Reserves, your education benefit ends.

You may be eligible if you are the spouse or dependent of a veteran who:

• is totally and permanently disabled from a service-related injury.
• died due to a service-related injury.

A monthly stipend for personal use will be sent to directly to you either. You will receive a full benefit for full-time enrollment; the benefit will be reduced for part-time enrollment

Generally, spouses must use this benefit within 10 years from the date their eligibility was determined by USDVA. Children must use the benefit between ages of 18-26.

You may qualify if you:

• served after September 16, 1940.
• have a service-connected disability rated at least 20 percent disabling by the USDVA.
• need vocational rehabilitation to overcome an employment handicap.
  

Benefits cover tuition, mandatory fees, books, supplies for a period of time determined by a VA counselor in the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program. Payments are sent directly to the University and applied to your student tuition account. You may also receive a monthly stipend.

Application requirements:
You must meet with a VA counselor to apply for Chapter 31 benefits. Once the VA counselor determines your eligibility, he or she will send a payment authorization to the Office of Student Services.

You may qualify if you:

• have served an aggregate of 36 months of active duty service, or have been discharged for a service-connected disability after 30 days of continuous service.

This program will pay up to $4500 per Army fiscal year (Oct-Oct) towards tuition expenses including student fees.

This benefit may be used in conjunction with the GI Bill and State Tuition Reimbursement, however can only be combined with State Tuition Reimbursement to equal up to 100% of tuition charges.

The Federal Tuition Assistance program has a finite budget and is paid on a first come first serve basis, so it is important to apply early.

The benefit is paid directly to the University at the beginning of each semester. You are required to earn a “C” or better in your classes, or in the event of a class taken pass/fail you must “pass.” Failure to earn at least “C” or “pass” may result in repayment of FTA.

To apply for this benefit, go to the Virtual Armory web site.

Rules change frequently in this program depending on the availability of funds. Please check with your unit for updates!