Educational Benefits Programs for Veterans

Owned by Joel Martin (Deactivated)
Last updated: Apr 01, 2024 by Kay Knierim
4 min read

In order to receive your educational benefits from the VA, you will need to submit a Certificate of Eligibility to the School Certifying Official, Kay Knierim, (kknierim@spu.edu) upon your enrollment at the university. For questions about your eligibility for benefits or to request a COE, please visit the VA website here.

As of Spring Quarter 2019, students who are receiving benefits from the VA are required to request to be certified each quarter they are enrolled and wish to receive benefits. To request to be certified, students will need to complete the online VA Certification Request form which can be found in the Banner Student Registration and Schedules menu once a person is set up in our system as a student receiving VA Benefits. Students can complete the online form as soon as they are registered for courses, however, quarterly reminders will be sent out to remind students to fill out the online form by a particular deadline. 

Any questions or concerns can be directed to the School Certifying Official at kknierim@spu.edu. The VA Certification Request form should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete, but students should take their time and read carefully to ensure that they have answered every question accurately and that their schedule is in compliance with VA regulations.

CHAPTER 1601 (MGIB-SR)

The Chapter 1601 program provides education benefits to veterans of the selected reserve:

  • Army Reserve
  • Navy Reserve
  • Marine Corps Reserve
  • Air Force Reserve
  • Army National Guard
  • Air National Guard

Eligibility is conditional on current drilling status and a minimum six-year obligation. Eligibility for the program generally ends the day you leave the selected reserve, but exceptions exist.

See the VA MGIB-SR website for specific details. Complete DD Form 2384-1 (available from your unit) and have your unit code your eligibility into the DoD system, complete VA Form 22-1990 and submit it to the regional VA benefits office.

YELLOW RIBBON PROGRAM

Seattle Pacific University is also pleased and honored to participate in the Yellow Ribbon program. This program is a voluntary agreement with Veterans Affairs (VA) to fund tuition and fee expenses that exceed the VA’s set reimbursement rate.

This program is a supplement to the Post 9/11 GI Bill® that helps veterans bridge the gap at private universities between the post-9/11 tuition benefits and the actual cost of tuition and fees. See the VA GI Bill website for details regarding your eligibility to the program.

Veterans who have been discharged from the military and qualify for Chapter 33 with 100 percent entitlement are eligible to participate in the Yellow Ribbon program. At SPU, the Yellow Ribbon program provides undergraduate students up to $14,000 additional tuition dollars per year ($7,000 from SPU and $7,000 matching funds from the VA).

All SPU-funded sources of gift assistance (such as merit scholarships) awarded to each eligible undergraduate recipient count toward meeting the University’s Yellow Ribbon program commitment.

Once the Post 9/11 GI Bill reimbursement rate has been exhausted for the academic year, SPU and the VA will split the remaining balance of tuition and fees (each contributing 50 percent of the remaining amount as a match up to a maximum of $7,000).

Participating colleges and universities review their Yellow-Ribbon commitment each year. Therefore, SPU’s participation level may vary in future years.

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 Web site at: www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

CHAPTER 30 (MGIB-AD)

The Montgomery GI-Bill provides education benefits to veterans with at least two years of active duty service. With few exceptions, veterans have 10 years to use these benefits after honorable discharge.

Benefits cover up to 36 months of continuous, full-time education, and distribute a monthly stipend directly to the student based on a number of criteria, including length of service, type of training/education being pursued, amount contributed to the fund during service, eligibility category, and optional participation in the $600 Buy-Up program (“Kicker”). The student is responsible for ensuring tuition is paid.

CHAPTER 31 (VETERAN READINESS AND EMPLOYMENT)

Eligibility and entitlement requirements for this program are dependent on approval from the department of Veterans Affairs. Eligibility criteria include:

  • Both a VA disability rating and an employment handicap.
  • A discharge from the service other than dishonorable.
  • VA Disability rating > 10 percent, or a memorandum rating of > 20 percent from the VA.
  • A completed and approved VR&E application (available online at VONAPP).

Eligibility for this program does not necessarily mean entitlement. See the VA Veteran Readiness and Employment website for details.

CHAPTER 33 (POST 9/11 GI BILL)

Specific eligibility requirements for this program can be found within the VA Post-9/11 GI Bill pamphlet. This program pays for up to 36 months of continuous full-time education. Benefits may include up to — but not necessarily all of — the following:

  • Tuition paid directly to the educational institution
  • Monthly housing allowance

This allowance is calculated based on the zip code of the institution. Use this BAH calculator to calculate the current BAH. Enter 98119 for the zip code and E-5 for pay grade.

  • Annual book stipend

The VA pays up to $1,000 per year for books and supplies. The stipend is paid proportionately over the year according to enrollment.

  • A one-time rural benefit payment

CHAPTER 35 (DEA)

This GI Bill chapter is exclusively available to children or spouses of veterans whom are either rated by the VA as permanently and completely disabled due to a service-connected condition, or who died on either active duty or due to a service-related condition.

Details regarding eligibility can be found in the DEA pamphlet or on the VA’s Chapter 35 (DEA) website.

ARMY IGNITED 2.0 (NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH SPU)

Seattle Pacific University does not currently participate in Army IgnitED 2.0.

WASHINGTON TUITION WAIVER (NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH SPU)

As a private institution that does not receive State funding, Seattle Pacific does not participate in the Washington Tuition Waiver program.