U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Revision 5.0 (5th Edition) (See revisions page 8)

Table of Contents

PREFACE ..................................................................................................................................... 7

REVISIONS ..............................................................................................................................8

CONTACT INFORMATION.......................................................................................................9

REGIONAL PROCESSING OFFICES.................................................................................10 CHIEF, EDUCATION LIAISON OFFICER (CELO)..............................................................11 IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS ......................................................................................... 12 EDUCATION CALL CENTER ............................................................................................. 12 CALL CENTER INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS ............................................................... 13 INTERNET RESOURCES...................................................................................................... 14 INTERNET INQUIRIES.......................................................................................................15

SCHOOL AND STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES ..................................................................... 17

SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITIES ........................................................................................... 18 Responsibilities for Reporting.............................................................................................. 18 VA-ONCE .......................................................................................................................19 Signing Up for VA-ONCE .................................................................................................... 20 Reporting Fees to Institutions .......................................................................................... 20 School Certifying Official Training .................................................................................... 20 85/15 Rule ......................................................................................................................21

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES ......................................................................................... 21 Applications ..................................................................................................................... 21 Change of Address and Direct Deposit.............................................................................21 eBenefits ......................................................................................................................... 21 Student Verification of Enrollment....................................................................................22 Licensing and Certification Tests ..................................................................................... 22 National Tests .................................................................................................................24

EDUCATION BENEFIT PROGRAMS ........................................................................................ 24

COMPARISON OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS..................................................................... 26 EDUCATION RATES..........................................................................................................27 POST-9/11 GI BILL.............................................................................................................28

Education and Training Available Under Chapter 33 ........................................................ 30 Chapter 33 Benefit Payments .......................................................................................... 30 Tuition and Fees .............................................................................................................30 Monthly Housing Allowance ............................................................................................ 31 Rate of Pursuit and the Monthly Housing Allowance........................................................31 Distance Learning and Housing Allowance......................................................................32 Books and Supplies Stipend............................................................................................32 Yellow Ribbon Program...................................................................................................33 Kickers and Additional Contributions ............................................................................... 33 Licensing and Certification Tests ..................................................................................... 34 National Tests .................................................................................................................34 Rural Benefit ...................................................................................................................34 Vocational Flight..............................................................................................................34 Transfer of Entitlement........................................................................................................ 34 Fry Scholarship ...............................................................................................................35 BENEFIT PAYMENTS ........................................................................................................36 MONTGOMERY GI BILL - ACTIVE DUTY .......................................................................... 37 Chapter 30 Kickers and Additional Contributions ............................................................. 37

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DEPENDENTS' EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE ................................................................. 38 MONTGOMERY GI BILL - SELECTED RESERVE ............................................................... 39 RESERVE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ...................................................... 39 VETERANS' EDUCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.......................................................... 40 VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION.......................................................................................40 ENTITLEMENT CHARGES.................................................................................................... 41

THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS .......................................................................................... 43

SUBMITTING ENROLLMENT CERTIFICATIONS ............................................................. 44 Original Applications ...................................................................................................... 44 Change of Program or Place of Training ......................................................................... 44 Chapters 30, 32, 35, 1606, and 1607 Enrollment Certifications ........................................ 44 Chapter 33 Enrollment Certifications .............................................................................. 44 Enrollment Changes under Post 9/11 after Tuition and Fees are Reported .................... 45 Type of Training.............................................................................................................46 Name of Program .............................................................................................................. 46 Undeclared Major ..........................................................................................................46 Non-Matriculated Students ............................................................................................ 46 Guest Student ...............................................................................................................46 Course Applicability ........................................................................................................... 47 Audited Courses ............................................................................................................47 Repeating Courses........................................................................................................47 Courses Required for Admission to the Next Level of Training .......................................... 47 Remedial and Deficiency Courses .................................................................................. 48 Practical Training ...........................................................................................................48 Student Teaching...........................................................................................................48 Other Practical Training.................................................................................................. 48 Rounding Out ................................................................................................................49 Course Substitutions......................................................................................................49

PRIOR CREDIT .................................................................................................................... 49 Military Education and Training Resources ....................................................................... 50 The ACE Military Guide..................................................................................................50 Military Transcripts.........................................................................................................50

CHANGE OF PROGRAM.................................................................................................. 50 ENROLLMENT PERIODS .................................................................................................... 50

What Beginning Date Must a School Report to VA?.......................................................51 Certifying Enrollment Periods in VA-ONCE.....................................................................51 CERTIFYING CREDIT.......................................................................................................... 51 Chapter 33 ....................................................................................................................51

Undergraduate............................................................................................................ 52 Graduate ....................................................................................................................52 Resident Training and Independent Study .................................................................. 52 Undergraduate Resident Training ............................................................................... 53 Graduate Resident Training ........................................................................................ 53 Independent Study ..................................................................................................... 53 Any course (including a hybrid or blended) ................................................................. 53 Certifying Credit (Chapters 30, 32, 35, 1606, and 1607).................................................53 Undergraduate............................................................................................................ 53 Graduate ....................................................................................................................54 RATE OF PURSUIT AND TRAINING TIME ....................................................................... 54 Undergraduate ..............................................................................................................54 Graduate .......................................................................................................................55 Non-College Degree Institutions..................................................................................... 55

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Summer Terms and Non-Standard Enrollment Periods..................................................55 Equivalent credit hours (Non-33 Undergraduate) ............................................................ 56 Rate of Pursuit (Chapter 33 Non-Standard terms)...........................................................57 Equivalency Tables (Chapter 30, 32, 35, 1606, and 1607) ............................................. 57 SUPPLEMENTAL AND CONCURRENT ENROLLMENTS ................................................ 59 If You're the "Primary" School ........................................................................................... 59 If You're the "Secondary" School....................................................................................59 Sample Primary School Letter........................................................................................60 YELLOW RIBBON PROGRAM............................................................................................. 60 Who is Eligible?.............................................................................................................62 Who is Not Eligible? ......................................................................................................62 Yellow Ribbon and VA-ONCE ........................................................................................... 62 ADVANCE PAYMENT.......................................................................................................64 CERTIFYING TUITION AND FEES ................................................................................... 65 Tuition and Fees (Chapter 33)........................................................................................... 65 Tuition and Fees (Chapters 30, 32, 35, 1606, and 1607)..................................................66 Flat Rate Tuition Schools (Chapter 33) ........................................................................... 66

CHANGE IN ENROLLMENT PROCESS ................................................................................. 71

AMEND, ADJUST, AND TERMINATE ............................................................................... 72 Last Date of Attendance/Effective Date .......................................................................... 72

REDUCTIONS AND WITHDRAWALS...............................................................................72 Reduction and Withdrawals (Chapter 33) ......................................................................... 72 Reductions and Withdrawals (Chapters 30, 32, 35, 1606, and 1607) .............................. 73 Adjustment and Terminations On or Before the First Day of Term (Chapter 33)............. 73 Adjustments................................................................................................................ 73 Terminations............................................................................................................... 73 Adjustments During Drop Period....................................................................................74 Adjustments After Drop Period ...................................................................................... 74 Non-punitive Grades......................................................................................................74 Punitive Grades.............................................................................................................74 Mitigating Circumstances.................................................................................................. 75 6-Credit Hour Exclusion .................................................................................................... 75

NON-PUNITIVE GRADES- END OF TERM ...................................................................... 76 INCOMPLETE GRADES ..................................................................................................76 ACADEMIC PROBATION ................................................................................................. 77 VA COUNSELING SERVICES..........................................................................................77 UNSATISFACTORY PROGRESS, CONDUCT AND ATTENDANCE ................................. 78

Termination for Unsatisfactory Progress ........................................................................ 79 Recertification of VA Claimant .......................................................................................... 80 Progress Records..........................................................................................................80 GRADUATION...................................................................................................................... 80

MISCELLANEOUS PAYMENT ISSUES ................................................................................. 81

ACCELERATED PAYMENT ............................................................................................. 82 Acceleration Basics .......................................................................................................82 Certifying Accelerated Payment........................................................................................ 82

COOPERATIVE TRAINING .............................................................................................. 83 Chapters 30, 32, 33, 35, 1606, and 1607 ....................................................................... 83 Alternating Co-op .............................................................................................................. 83 Parallel Co-op ...............................................................................................................83 Rules for Cooperative Training ......................................................................................84

DUAL MAJORS, MINORS, AND DUAL OBJECTIVES ...................................................... 84

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Dual Major......................................................................................................................... 84 Minor ................................................................................................................................. 84 ROTC Programs ...........................................................................................................84 Dual Objectives .............................................................................................................85 INCARCERATED CLAIMANTS (FELONY CONVICTIONS)................................................ 85 STUDY ABROAD .............................................................................................................85 TUITION ASSISTANCE ....................................................................................................... 86 Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve Service Member Status Definitions ................ 86 Chapter 33 Recipients ................................................................................................... 87 Chapter 30 Recipients ................................................................................................... 87 Chapter 1606 and 1607 Recipients................................................................................87 Certifying Students Receiving Tuition Assistance .......................................................... 87 TUTORIAL ASSISTANCE .................................................................................................... 88 Chapters 30, 32, 33, 35, and 1606 ................................................................................ 88 Overview ....................................................................................................................... 88 Eligibility ........................................................................................................................ 89 School Certification ....................................................................................................... 89 VET REP LISTING ...........................................................................................................90 WORK-STUDY .................................................................................................................91 Who is Eligible for the Work Study Program?.................................................................91 What Type of Work Does a Work Study Student Do?....................................................... 91

SCHOOL FISCAL ISSUES, STUDENT OVERPAYMENTS, AND DEBT COLLECTION ........... 92

CHAPTER 33 FISCAL ISSUES............................................................................................ 93 Debts and Over-Payments ............................................................................................ 93

SCHOOL OVERPAYMENTS ............................................................................................ 94 How does Treasury Offset Program (TOP) work for school debts? ................................... 94 How can a school dispute a debt? .................................................................................. 94

LOST CHECKS............................................................................................................... 101 STUDENT OVERPAYMENTS.........................................................................................101

Committee on Waivers and Compromises....................................................................102 Student Debt Collection Timeline ................................................................................. 103

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION......................................................................................110

COMPLIANCE SURVEYS...............................................................................................111 REVIEW OF SCHOOL RECORDS BY VA AND SAA ......................................................... 111 COMMON REPORTING ERRORS AND PITFALLS ........................................................ 112

General Issues ............................................................................................................ 112 Enrollment Certification Issues .................................................................................... 113 Changes in Enrollment Issues ..................................................................................... 113 Content and Organization of VA Student Folders ........................................................ 113 FORMS ............................................................................................................................... 114 RETENTION OF VA RECORDS......................................................................................... 114 EXECUTIVE ORDER 13607 AND PRINCIPLES OF EXCELLENCE................................ 114

Appendix A: VA OBJECTIVE AND COURSE CODE Listings .............................................. 117

VA Objective Codes (IHLs only) ......................................................................................... 117 VA Course Codes ? Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL).................................................. 118 VA Course Codes ? Non-College Degree at Institutions of Higher Learning (NAI) .......................118 VA Course Codes ? Non-College Degree (NCD, not at an IHL) ......................................... 119 VA Course Codes ? Flight .................................................................................................. 119 VA Course Codes ? Other...............................................................................................119

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Appendix B: Statement of Assurance of Compliance with 85/15 Enrollment Ratios ..... 120 Appendix C: References ..................................................................................................... 122 GLOSSARY AND ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................... 123 INDEX ...................................................................................................................................131

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PREFACE

This Handbook is written for VA Certifying Officials and anyone at a school involved with certification of beneficiaries of VA education benefits. This Handbook is a collaboration of the four Regional Processing Offices and Education Service and is intended to be the official source of information for VA Certifying Officials.

Certification instructions in this handbook are based on the use of VA-ONCE and include general information about the program. VA-ONCE is a VA Internet based application for certifying students. Detailed information about VA-ONCE is available at

As of August 1, 2012, VA-ONCE electronic certification will be required for all programs of education except on-the-job training, apprenticeship training, and correspondence training.

There are a number of additional resources that are also available on the School Certifying Officials webpage, including Online Training For New Certifying Officials. The web-based training course is strongly recommended for new VA Certifying Officials and is also useful as refresher training for existing VA Certifying Officials.



This Handbook is hyperlinked. You may click on any hyperlink or Table of Contents entry and you will go to that topic. Click on an Internet address or a cross-reference and you'll go to that page on the Internet or in the Handbook.

The Handbook can be downloaded as a PDF from this hyperlink. SCO Handbook

The Handbook's revision date is on the bottom of the cover page and there is a chronological list of revisions on page 7. Periodically check the Handbook on the Internet. If there's an updated version, download and replace the copy you have.

If you have questions about VA policies and procedures or about completing VA Forms, contact your Education Liaison Representative (ELR). You can locate your ELR on the GI Bill? Website via the following hyperlink Education Liaison Representatives

If you have questions about VA Education benefits, please visit our website at or call the number listed below.

If you have a specific inquiry about a student, please call the number listed below or use the "Ask a Question" feature at the GI Bill website.

TOLL FREE EDUCATION NUMBER FOR THE EDUCATION CALL CENTER (THIS CALL CENTER HANDLES ALL EDUCATION CALLS)

1-888-442-4551

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DATE

REVISIONS

09/18/2015 Modified Names in Jurisdiction Map from Regions to RPOs 09/18/2015 Modified Information on Reporting Fees to Institutions 09/18/2015 Added Information on the 85/15 Rule 09/18/2015 Added Entitlement Charge for National Test 09/18/2015 Include information on 37 USC 403(b)(6) for Monthly Housing

Allowance 09/18/2015 Added Information on Special Restorative Training 09/18/2015 Modified Enrollment Changes after Tuition and Fees are Reported 09/18/2015 Clarification on Repeating Courses 09/18/2015 Modified Rounding Out to Include Example 09/18/2015 Clarification Prior Credit 09/18/2015

Updated Information on Chapter 30 and "Top-up"

09/18/2015 VA-ONCE Distance Learning Field (Dist) for All Benefits 09/18/2015 Added An Example of Yellow Ribbon Accounting 09/18/2015 Added Information on the Remote Survey Option 09/18/2015 Added Executive Order 13607, Principles of Excellence,

CareerScope?, Feedback System, GI Bill? Comparison Tool and GI Bill? Trademark Terms of Use 09/18/2015 Added Appendix B: Statement of Assurance on 85/15 Ratio 09/18/2015 Added Appendix C: References 09/18/2015 Deleted Information on VRAP Program 09/18/2015 Inserted Trademark symbol GI Bill?

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