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Process for Veterans Affairs Education Benefits

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For VA Educational Benefits at Clayton State University, please follow the steps below.


Transfer Benefits to Spouse/Dependent (if applicable)

To transfer benefits to to a spouse and/or dependent, please select transfer my education benefit  and follow the prompts to complete the process. 

Please feel free to visit transferring benefits to spouse or dependent for more information about transferring benefits to a spouse/dependent. 

 

Step 1: Student Applies for VA Educational Benefits

Average processing time is 30 days.  After the Department of Veterans Affairs process the application, if approved, VA will send a Certificate of Eligibility to student via mail.  Please forward a copy to me, when you receive it. 


Step 2: Student Submits Required Documents to the Office Of Financial Aid

After you have applied to Clayton State University and applied for VA Educational benefits, please submit the following documents to the Office of Financial Aid.

  • Veterans Basic Data Sheet
  • Certificate of Eligibility or Eligibility Statement
  • Copy of Education Kicker, if applicable **An Education Kicker is part of the enlistment contract which increases the benefits rate.  The Education Kicker is also referred to as Army College Fund or Navy Sea College Fund
  • Primary School Letter, if student is a transient student

All documents can be submitted by any one of the following methods:

  • Email: veteransaffairs@clayton.edu
  • Fax: (678) 466-4189
  • Mail: 2000 Clayton State Blvd   Edgewater Hall, Room 105    Morrow, GA 30260
  • In-Office: Please submit to the Front Representative in the Office of Financial Aid (Edgewater Hall, Room 105)
  • Secured Drop Box: Located outside of the Office of Financial Aid

Step 3: Student Completes and Submits a Request for Enrollment Certification (Every Semester)

New Students: After you have been admitted into Clayton State University, you will register for Orientation.  Students usually register for their courses during Orientation.  

Current & Returning Students: During your allotted registration period, you will register for courses.  **Please be mindful that Veterans and Active Duty service members have priority registration.  To ensure that you have priority registration, please contact the Veterans Resource Center at Clayton State University. 

During Registration Each semester, after you have completed your schedule and do not expect to make any changes, please complete the VA Enrollment Certification Request Survey.  This survey link will be sent to your Clayton State email each week after registration, until you complete the survey or until the semester ends; whichever occurs first.  When the new link is sent, the old link expires. **Please be mindful that changes to the enrollment certifications (including changes to registration, schedule, attendance, charges, HOPE awards, waivers, major changes and such like) can result in overpayment/underpayments of VA Educational Benefits. 

If you do not submit a request, your enrollment certification will not be submitted, with the exception of Chapter 31: Veterans Readiness & Employment (VR&E) recipients. 

If you choose not to receive VA Educational Benefits for the current term, please complete the Request to Submit Enrollment Certification Survey and select that you do not want to submit your enrollment certification to VA.

For Chapter 31: Vocational Readiness & Employment Recipients only: Recipients will not receive the survey if we have an approval from your counselor for the current term.  Please send an email with your Laker ID when you are complete with your schedule and do not expect to make changes.  

New Process Beginning Fall 2021: Two Certification Requirement -For the Chapter 33: Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, initial enrollment certifications can be submitted prior to the No Show deadline with $0 Tuition and fee charges.  Then, within 30 days after the school's drop/add period, we will amend the enrollment certification to include Tuition & Fee charges.  This will typically occur after the No Show reinstatements are completed. 

  • Please understand how this change may affect Chapter 31: Post 9/11 GI Bill® recipients: Tuition and Fees are sent to the school later; therefore, the outstanding balance may be on the student's account longer.  Please understand that this may delay when the student receives the financial aid refund, if applicable.

Step 4: VA Coordinator Submits an Enrollment Certification for Required Courses

Prior to submitting the enrollment certification, the VA Coordinator will determine if courses are required for the completion of your degree program:

  • Review your schedule for the term and
  • Compare it with the requirements of your degree program and
  • Compare it with transcripts of the courses you have already completed

If courses or additional transcripts are added later, please notify the Veterans Affairs Coordinator, via email, as soon as possible.  

An Enrollment Certification will be submitted to VA for the required courses.  VA Benefits do not include non-required courses.  Non-required courses are:

  • Courses that are not listed as part of your program requirement (Please review Student Handbook/Curriculum Worksheet) **Please feel free to seek guidance from your academic advisor.
  • Requirements that have already been successfully satisfied, according to the program standards

If you have a minor, please be sure the Department has approved the minor and updated the information in the system to reflect the minor.  If not, courses required for the minor cannot be counted as required courses.  Chapter 31: VR&E Recipients are required to have prior approval before major changes or addition of minors.      

When registering, be mindful of the terms of your benefits.  If you are unsure, please review the summary of benefits on the Clayton State Veterans Affairs Website and/or www.benefits.va.gov/gibill

Changes to your Enrollment, Attendance, Charges, Financial Aid Awards (HOPE), Tuition Assistance, Majors/Minors, and such like can affect VA Educational Benefits. 


Step 5: Student Verifies Enrollment

After your enrollment certification is submitted, the Department of Veterans Affairs automatically sends an email notification to you that your enrollment certification has been submitted. 

On the SWAN, under the FINANCIAL AID link, you can view the total number of hours certified and the date it was submitted.  If your enrollment certification is adjusted, then the date will update according to the date the adjustment is submitted.  Your enrollment certification may not have been submitted if you do not see any information for the current term. 

Please notify the Veterans Affairs Coordinator via email if this information appears to be inaccurate.  The Department of Veterans Affairs use the enrollment certification to process your VA Educational Benefits. 

Students receiving the following VA Education Benefits are required to verify your enrollment:

  • Chapter 30: Montgomery GI Bill®
  • Chapter 1606: Montgomery GI Bill®-Reserves

Students receiving the benefits above can verify enrollment via:

Effective Spring 2022 semester: Chapter 33: Post 911 GI Bill® recipients are required to verify enrollment certification each month.  Failure to verify for two consecutive months will impact the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) and/or kicker payments.  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are encouraging students to sign up for text message verification.  This will provide students a simple and convenient verification option and ensure they receive MHA and/or kicker payments uninterrupted.  After December 17, 2021, all impacted students with a US mobile phone number on file will receive an opt-in text as their next enrollment period approaches. Note: Students who do not have a US mobile phone number on file with VA will not be able to use text verification. They will be automatically enrolled into email verification.

 

After these steps have been completed, Department of Veterans Affairs will begin to process your VA Education Benefits.

Please be mindful that changes to the enrollment certifications can result in overpayment/underpayments of VA Education Benefits.  Sometimes overpayments may result in the student owing either VA and/or the University additional funds.  Please be mindful of the final charges and the amounts paid on your behalf to determine if overpayments will exist. 

Please be sure to view the information provided regarding your VA Educational Benefit Type and Important Things to Remember   

Questions regarding payment information should be directed to VA Processing Center 1-888-442-4551.