Paying for College

Applying for Benefits

• Apply for Veteran’s benefits for yourself or a dependent.
  • The Veteran’s Administration (VA) determines eligibility and your benefit amount. Once you complete the application process and eligibility is determined you will receive a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA. Please provide a copy of the COE to the School Certifying Official (SCO) at the University.
    
  • Once you have been accepted to the University and registered for classes the SCO will certify your enrollment with the VA. Certification automatically take place 30 days prior to the start of classes. If you do not wish to use your benefits please notify the SCO in writing prior to the certification. The VA will not pay any benefits until your enrollment is certified by the University. 
• Apply for Federal Army Tuition Assistance.
  • Tuition Assistance (TA) Benefits are a unique, distinct source of financial aid available to eligible Service Members, and such institutions must identify TA as first payer, which means that TA is applied first to the tuition amount and may reduce other grants / scholarships specific for tuition. 
    
  • Eligibility is determined by the Army. Eligible Soldiers may receive up to $4500 in tuition assistance (TA) per fiscal year. It is the responsibility of the service member to seek approval from his or her ESO or Military Service.
    
    It is the responsibility of the soldier to enter his/her enrolled courses into Army Ignited no later than 7 days prior to the course start date. If courses are not entered at least 7 days prior the soldier is not eligible for TA for that semester. At the 20% mark of the semester the SCO will send an invoice to the Army for payment for all approved courses. Payments are sent directly to the University.
    
    Log into the Army IgnitED student portal to submit for funding. A CAC card will be needed to log in.
  • Students who drop a class and have requested Federal Tuition Assistance for the class will have the payment returned to the DOD on the following percentage:
    • Dropping before the drop deadline results in 100% refund
    • Dropping after the drop period but before the 60% mark of the class results in up to 60% refund.
    • Dropping after the 60% mark of the class results in no refund
  • When the school returns unearned TA money to the DOD, any resulting balance on your student account becomes a debt the student owes directly to the school.
    
• Apply for VSAC National Guard Tuition Assistance.
  
• Please complete the VSAC National Guard Tuition Benefit Program Certification form. You can obtain the form from the Education Officer Daniel Stewart. Sgt Stewart’s contact information is daniel.e.stewart18.mil@army.mil.
  
  • After the soldier applies for and is granted tuition assistance, VSAC will request enrollment confirmation from the University for the student. Monies received from VSAC will be sent directly to the University.
    
• It is recommended that in addition to applying for Military Benefits that you complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). 
  • FAFSA could cover any expenses not covered by the VA. Apply for the FAFSA.
    
• If you are a Vermont Resident it is recommended that you apply for Vermont grants and scholarships through VSAC.

Any expenses not covered by the military will be the responsibility of the student. This includes but it not limited to room / board, parking permits / fines etc.

Veterans Benefits and Transition Act

Pursuant to Section 103 of the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018, beginning August 1, 2019, for any student using Ch. 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill or Ch. 31 Veteran Readiness and Employment benefits, even if the VA has not yet paid tuition and fees, Vermont State University will not:

• prevent enrolling,
• assess a late penalty fee,
• require securing alternative or additional funding, or
• deny access to any school resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) that are available to other students that have paid.

However, Vermont State University will require that such students:

• produce the VA’s Certificate of Eligibility by the first day of class or VAF 28-1905 form for chapter 31 authorization purposes,
• provide any additional information needed to properly certify.

GI bill^® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. Government website.