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fice
Southern Region
| VA Regional Office | Alabama | Louisiana | South Carolina |
| PO Box 54346 | Arkansas | Mississippi | Tennessee |
| Atlanta, GA | Florida | North Carolina | |
| 30308-0346 | Georgia | Puerto Rico |
Central Region
| VA Regional Office | Colorado | Kentucky | Nebraska |
| PO Box 66830 | Illinois | Michigan | North Dakota |
| St. Louis, MO | Indiana | Minnesota | South Dakota |
| 63166-6830 | Iowa | Missouri | Wisconsin |
| Kansas | Montana | Wyoming |
Western Region
| VA Regional Office | Alaska | New Mexico | Philippines |
| PO Box 8888 | Arizona | Nevada | Texas |
| Muskogee, OK | California | Oklahoma | Utah |
| 74402-8888 | Hawaii | Oregon | Washington |
| Idaho |
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WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU DISAGREE WITH A VA DECISION?
You may appeal VA decisions on education benefits. You must file an appeal within one year of the date you receive notice of a decision. Each notice of decision issued by VA contains your legal rights and appeal procedures. You may request a personal hearing on your claim.
If you need assistance in filing an appeal, contact the nearest VA regional office or a veterans service organization.
HOW DO YOU RECEIVE MONTHLY PAYMENTS?
After selecting a school and submitting your application to VA, ask the school certifying official to complete an enrollment certification. The school official will send the enrollment certification to the appropriate VA regional office. If you have basic eligibility for benefits, and your program or course are approved, VA will process your enrollment and issue payments based on your certified training time.
If you are in a degree program at a college or university, you will receive payment after the first of each month for your training during the preceding month.
If you are in a certificate or diploma program at a business, technical, or vocational school, you will not receive payment until you have completed a form to verify your attendance. You will receive a form each month, and you must complete and return it to the appropriate VA regional office. After processing, VA will release a check.
If you are in an apprenticeship or job training program, you will receive a form to report the hours worked each month. Sign the form and give it to the certifying official for the company or union. The certifying official must complete the form and send it to the appropriate VA regional office. After processing, VA will release a check.
If you are taking a correspondence course, you will receive a form each quarter on which you should show the number of lessons you completed that quarter, i.e., March, June, September, and December. Send the form to the school for certification of the number of lessons serviced during the quarter. The school will send the form to the appropriate VA regional office. After processing, VA will release a check. Payments are based upon the number of lessons serviced by the school.
The law prohibits schools from cashing VA checks under a power of attorney agreement.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A CHECK OR VERIFICATION FORM?
If you are taking courses leading to a college degree at a college or university, you should receive your check for each month by the fifth of the next month. If you do not, immediately contact the nearest VA office. Explain that you are receiving chapter 35 benefits and you have not received your check. The person answering the telephone will take the information and determine the status of the check.
If you are taking courses leading to a certificate or diploma from a business, technical, or vocational school, you should receive a verification form for each month by the fifth of the next month. If you do not, immediately contact the nearest VA office. Explain that you are receiving chapter 35 benefits and you have not received your verification form. The person answering the telephone will record the necessary information and forward it to the appropriate VA regional office for processing.
Whenever you contact VA, have your VA File number readily available.
If you are unable to attend full time, consider going part-time. Benefit rates for part-time training are less than the full-time rate. Likewise, the entitlement charge for part-time training is less than the charge for full-time training. For example, if you receive full time benefits for 12 months, the charge is 12 months. If you receive benefits for 12 months of one-half time, the charge is six months.
CAN YOU GET AN ADVANCE PAYMENT?
You may receive an advance payment for the initial month or partial month and the following month, if:
- You train at one-half time or more;
- The school agrees to handle advance payments;
- You request an advance payment in writing; and
- VA receives your enrollment certification at least 30 days before classes start.
VA will mail an advance payment check, made out to you, to the school for delivery to you at registration. VA cannot issue the check more than 30 days before classes start. Before you request an advance payment, ask the certifying official if your school has agreed to process advance payments. Your request for an advance payment must be on VA Form 22-1999, Enrollment Certification, or a sheet of paper attached to the enrollment certification.
If you receive an advance payment at registration, be sure that the appropriate school official certifies to VA that you received the check. If you reduce your enrollment or withdraw from all courses during the period covered by an advance payment, you will have an overpayment that VA is required to collect from you if you cash the check. If you think the amount of a VA check is incorrect, contact VA before cashing the check.
WHAT ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES?
CHANGE IN YOUR ENROLLMENT
If you change your enrollment, immediately tell the certifying official at your school. Request the certifying official to notify the appropriate VA regional office of the change. Also notify the appropriate VA regional office of the change yourself. If VA does not receive prompt notice of a change, you could be liable for an overpayment of benefits.
NOTE: Employees of schools who process VA forms are not VA employees.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS
Promptly notify the appropriate VA regional office of any change in your address. Send your complete new address, including the ZIP Code.
CHANGE IN MARITAL STATUS
If you are a spouse you must report any of the following changes in marital status which may affect your eligibility:
- Separation from the veteran;
- Divorce from the veteran; or
- Remarriage following the death of the veteran.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU CHANGE YOUR ENROLLMENT?
If you withdraw from one or more, but not all, of your courses after the end of the school's drop period, VA will take one of the following actions:
- Reduce your benefits at the end of the month of withdrawal, if you are in a college degree program.
- Reduce your benefits on the date of withdrawal, if you are not in a college degree program.
If you withdraw from all courses, VA will stop your benefits effective the date of withdrawal.
If you withdraw from a course after the end of your school's drop period, you may have to repay all benefits for the course unless you can show that the change was due to mitigating circumstances.
VA defines "mitigating circumstances" as unavoidable and unexpected events that directly interfere with your pursuit of a course and are beyond your control.
Examples of reasons VA may accept are:
- Extended illness;
- Severe illness or death in your immediate family;
- Unscheduled changes in your employment; and
- Lack of child care.
Examples of reasons VA may not accept are:
- Withdrawal to avoid a failing grade;
- Dislike of the instructor; and
- Too many courses attempted.
NOTE: VA may ask you to furnish evidence to support your reason for a change. If a serious injury or illness caused the change, obtain a statement from your doctor. If a change in employment caused the change, obtain a statement from your employer.
The first time you withdraw from courses up to six credit hours, VA will "excuse" the withdrawal and pay benefits for the period attended. Remember, this only applies to your first withdrawal.
If you receive a grade that does not count toward graduation, you may have to repay all benefits for the course. You should check your school's grading policy with the registrar or the office handling VA paperwork. The school may have "non-punitive grades." VA defines "non-punitive grades" as those not used to compute graduation requirements. Common examples are:
- An "I" grade for an incomplete which is not made up during the time period required by the school or within one year from receipt;
- A "W" grade for withdrawing;
- An "AU" grade for auditing; or
- Any grade the school does not use to compute the GPA (grade point average) or its equivalent.
If you receive non-punitive grades, the school will notify VA. Upon receipt of the notice, VA may reduce or stop benefits. You may not have to repay the benefits if you can show that the grades were due to mitigating circumstances.
HOW CAN YOU PREVENT OVERPAYMENTS?
An overpayment is a benefit payment that is more than the amount to which you are entitled. If you promptly notify VA of changes affecting your benefits, you can prevent overpayments.
In addition, use reasonable judgment when you accept and cash a check. Carefully read all letters from VA about the monthly rates and effective dates of your benefits. If you think the amount of a VA check is incorrect, contact VA before cashing the check. Return any checks for the wrong amount to VA.
If you cash a check for the wrong amount, you will be liable for repayment of any resulting overpayment.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU HAVE AN OVERPAYMENT?
VA is required to take prompt and aggressive action to recover overpayments. You have the right to request a waiver of the overpayment or verification that the amount is correct. If an overpayment is not repaid or waived, VA may add interest and collection fees to your debt. VA may also take one or more of the following actions to collect the debt:
- Withhold future benefits to apply to your debt.
- Refer your debt to a private collection agency.
- Recover the debt from your Federal income tax refund.
- Recover the debt from your salary if you are a Federal employee.
- File a lawsuit in Federal court to collect the debt.
- Withhold approval of a VA home loan guarantee.
For forms and information, one or more of the following offices or representatives can assist you:
- Any VA regional office.
- Any VA office or Vet Center.
- Local representatives of veterans organizations.
- American Embassies or Consulates, if you reside in a foreign country (except the Republic of the Philippines).
Consult a telephone directory under United States Government, Department of Veterans Affairs or Veterans Administration, for the telephone number of the office nearest you. Toll-free telephone service is available in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands. Call 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442 -4551). If you do not have access to this number, call 1-800-827-1000, or for the hearing impaired call 1-800-829-4833.
VA supervisory personnel occasionally monitor telephone calls. They do this to ensure that the public receives accurate information and courteous responses. The person monitoring a call does not keep a record of the caller's name, address, file number, or telephone number.
You can also reach us on the World Wide Web (Internet). VA Education Service maintains a Home Page on the Web. You can get information about education benefit programs and send us questions about your claim for education benefits. The Home Page address is:
Follow the prompts under the "Claim Inquiry" option on the main menu to inquire about your claim for education benefits.
To obtain information on other forms of assistance, contact the financial aid office at your school.
RESCISSION: VA Pamphlet 22-73-3 dated July 1997
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You do not need to report changes of units or components.
CHANGE IN DEPENDENCY
If you receive chapter 30 benefits and one-half of the chapter 34 rate (based on Category 2 eligibility), your allowance may include an additional amount for dependents. Dependents include your spouse, natural children, adopted children, stepchildren, and dependent parents. You must report any change affecting your dependents.
Examples of changes you must report are:
- Marriage;
- Divorce or separation from a spouse;
- Birth of a child;
- Termination of custody of an adopted child or stepchild;
- Marriage of a child;
- Enrollment in or withdrawal from school of a child between the ages of 18 and 23; and
- Death of a dependent.
VA requires documentary proof to establish dependents. The preferred evidence is a copy of the public or church record of a marriage or birth.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU CHANGE YOUR ENROLLMENT?
If you withdraw from one or more of your courses after the end of the school's drop period, VA will reduce or stop your benefits on the date of reduction or withdrawal.
If you withdraw from a course after the end of the drop period, you may have to repay all benefits for the course unless you can show that the change was due to mitigating circumstances.
VA defines "mitigating circumstances" as unavoidable and unexpected events that directly interfere with your pursuit of a course and are beyond your control.
Examples of reasons VA may accept are:
- Extended illness;
- Severe illness or death in your immediate family;
- Unscheduled changes in your employment; and
- Lack of child care.
Examples of reasons VA may not accept are:
- Withdrawal to avoid a failing grade;
- Dislike of the instructor; and
- Too many courses attempted.
NOTE: VA may ask you to furnish evidence to support your reason for a change. If a serious injury or illness caused the change, obtain a statement from your doctor. If a change in employment caused the change, obtain a statement from your employer.
The first time you withdraw from up to six credit hours, VA will "excuse" the withdrawal and pay benefits for the period attended. Remember, this only applies to your first withdrawal.
If you receive a grade that does not count toward graduation, you may have to repay all benefits for the course. You should check your school's grading policy with the registrar or the office handling VA paperwork. The school may have "non-punitive grades." VA defines "non-punitive grades" as those not used to compute graduation requirements. Common examples are:
- An "I" grade for an incomplete which is not made up during the time period required by the school or within one year from receipt;
- A "W" grade for withdrawing;
- An "AU" grade for auditing; or
- Any grade the school does not use to compute the GPA (grade point average) or its equivalent.
If you receive a non-punitive grade, the school will notify VA. Upon receipt of the notice, VA may reduce or stop benefits. You may not have to repay the benefits if you can show that the grades were due to mitigating circumstances.
HOW CAN YOU PREVENT OVERPAYMENTS?
An overpayment is an incorrect benefit payment that is more than the amount to which you are entitled. If you promptly notify VA of changes affecting your benefits, you can prevent or reduce overpayments.
In addition, you should use reasonable judgment when you accept and cash a check. Carefully read all letters from VA about the monthly rates and effective dates of your benefits. If you think the amount of a VA check is wrong, contact VA before cashing the check. Return any checks for the wrong amount to VA.
If you cash a check for the wrong amount, you will be liable for repayment of any resulting overpayment.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU HAVE AN OVERPAYMENT?
VA must take prompt and aggressive action to recover overpayments. You have the right to request a waiver of the overpayment or verification that the amount is correct. If an overpayment is not repaid or waived, VA may add interest and collection fees to your debt. VA may also take one or more of the following actions to collect the debt:
- Withhold future benefits to apply to your debt.
- Refer your debt to a private collection agency.
- Recover the debt from your Federal income tax refund.
- Recover the debt from your salary if you are a Federal employee.
- File a lawsuit in Federal court to collect the debt.
- Withhold approval of a VA home loan guarantee.
For forms and information, one or more of the following offices or representatives can assist you:
- Any VA regional office.
- Any VA office or Vet Center.
- Local representatives of veterans organizations.
- Education Services Officers at military posts or installations, for persons on active duty.
- American embassies or consulates, if you reside in a foreign country (except the Republic of the Philippines).
Consult a telephone directory under United States Government, Department of Veterans Affairs, for the telephone number of the office nearest you. Toll-free telephone service is available in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands. Call 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442 -4551). If you do not have access to this number, call 1-800-827-1000, or for the hearing impaired call 1-800-829-4833.
VA supervisory personnel occasionally monitor telephone calls. They do this to ensure that the public receives accurate information and courteous responses. The person monitoring a call does not keep a record of the caller's name, address, file number, or telephone number.
You can also reach us on the World Wide Web (Internet). VA Education Service maintains a Home Page on the Web. You can get information about education benefit programs and send us questions about your claim for education benefits. The Home Page address is:
http://www.va.gov/ education/
Follow the prompts under the "Claim Inquiry" option on the main menu to inquire about your claim for education benefits.
To obtain information on other sources of assistance, contact the financial aid office at your school.
RESCISSION: VA Pamphlet 22-90-2, dated February 1998
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