Chapter Educational Benefits

What are Chapter Benefits? 
All veterans are separated into different categories (chapters) that define the class of benefits received. To identify the eligibility requirements and benefits, click the dropdown to the chapter in question.

These benefits include but are not limited to the following: post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33), Veterans Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31), Montgomery GI Bill: Active Duty (Chapter 30), Montgomery GI Bill: Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606), Dependents Educational Assistance (Chapter 35) and Department of Defense (DoD) TA.

How do I submit my request for enrollment certification? 
Continuing student veterans, service members and dependents who wish to be certified for V.A. Educational Benefits each term must request certification when they register. This will give us the opportunity to resolve any certification issues before they cause a payment delay.

Instructions are here: How to Request Enrollment Certification. This handout is designed to guide you through the process to verify your courses with Veterans Services. This process is required to receive any educational benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or Department of Defense.

If you are unable to access "Veteran Benefit" in your Student Center please contact our office. 

What courses will qualify for certification? 
You will ONLY be certified for courses required for your educational objective.
Pay close attention to “Unassigned” courses on your Academic Requirement Report. These may cause a delay and/or require additional information.

Pre-Majors: Only GEs and courses required to declare the major are eligible for certification.

Who is responsible for tuition and payments?
You are responsible for all tuition and fees.

You will be liable for any overpayment you receive from the VA and/or overpayments made to the university on your behalf.

Will I have to pay back the VA if I fail/withdraw from a course?
The VA will NOT pay for grades that do not count as earned credit, i.e., NC (no credit), RD (report delays), or W (withdrawal).

Earned credit includes: A, B, C, D, or F.

If there are situations beyond your control, you may provide a statement supporting your claim of mitigating circumstances.

How do I complete my monthly enrollment?
Students using the Post-9/11 GI Bill® and the Montgomery Selected Reserve GI Bill® are required to verify enrollment each month. To prevent delay of MHA (Monthly Housing Allowance)/kicker payments, please verify enrollment ASAP. If you need to verify your enrollment over the phone, opt into text verification, or enroll in email verification, you may call the Education Call Center (ECC) at 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551). You may also refer to the enrollment verification webpage for more information for Post-9/11 GI Bill® or Montgomery Selected Reserve GI Bill®. 

Do Chapter Educational Benefits cover Summer/Winter courses?
Chapter Benefits cover both summer and winter courses that align with the reported degree plan. 

How many courses are considered full-time? 
Spring/Fall semesters:
- Undergraduate Rate: 12 units
- Graduate Rate: 9 units

Summer:
- Undergraduate Rate: 
  6 Weeks requires 4 units or 12 Weeks requires 8 units

- Graduate Rate:
 6 Weeks requires 3 units or 12 Weeks requires 6 units

Winter:
- Undergraduate Rate: 
  2 Weeks requires 2 units or 4 Weeks requires 3 units

- Graduate Rate:
 2 Weeks requires 1 units or 4 Weeks requires 2 units

Are Study Abroad courses covered under a Chapter Benefit?
If you are considering a Study Abroad program, be sure to meet with staff in Veteran Services before completing the process.  Your benefits may NOT be applicable for the program.

How can I request to certify a course at a different campus?
If you would like to be certified for classes you are taking at another school, fill out the Request for Parent School Letter on BeachBoard.

The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) Program. This benefit provides education and training opportunities to dependents of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled with a VA rating of 100% due to a service-related condition, or who died while on Active Duty or as a result of a service-related condition.

Tuition & Fees:
- Eligible for Fee Deferment/Do Not Cancel Indicator which prevents you from being dropped from your courses.
- Only mandatory tuition and fees are covered.
Make sure to pay attention to payment deadlines after class registration.

Monthly Stipend: 
- Paid directly to student (Rates change each fiscal year).
- Percent of pay is determined by the student’s <¼, ¼, ½, ¾ or Full Time Training level.

The Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty (MGIB-AD) program, commonly known as Chapter 30 and provides up to 36 months of education benefits to eligible Veterans and Service members.

The Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR, Chapter 1606) provides up to 36 months of education benefits to members of the Selected Reserve.  

Tuition & Fees:
This chapter is not eligible for Fee Deferment/Do Not Cancel Indicators.
Make sure to pay attention to payment deadlines after class registration.
Making payment arrangements is your responsibility.

Monthly Stipend:
- Paid directly to student (Rates change each fiscal year) ​
- Percent of pay is determined by the student’s <1/4, ¼, ½, ¾ or Full Time Training level.
- You must verify enrollment each month to activate payment via the Web Automated Verification system Links to an external site. (called “WAVE”) or by phone by calling 877-823-2378.

Veteran Readiness and Employment, or VR&E also referred to as Chapter 31, provides services to eligible Service members and Veterans with service-connected disabilities.

In order to receive the benefit, your VR&E Counselor must provide the following PO/Authorizations:

1. Tuition & Fees Authorization
2. Books & Supplies Authorization

*We cannot start any processes until we have received the PO/Authorization for authorized services from your VR&E Counselor via Tungsten Network. Below you will find some information on the types of Authorizations.

Tuition & Fees:
- This chapter is eligible for Fee Deferment/Do Not Cancel Indicators. However, please make sure to pay attention to payment deadlines after class registration.
- Authorization is sent from VR&E directly to Veterans Services
- Authorization is required for certification and for billing purposes​.
- Paid directly to the school on behalf of the student.
- Parking semester/yearly plans may be included if authorized by the VR&E counselor. 
- Although a course, item/equipment may not be a mandatory fee, it may be included if authorized by the VR&E counselor. 

Books & Supplies:
- All required books and supplies are 100% covered and may be paid to the school on behalf of the student. Sent from VR&E directly to 49ers Bookstore.
- Instructions on how to obtain books & supplies can be found here.
- Highly recommend you obtain your Books & Supplies Authorization number from your VR&E counselor prior to contacting/going to the bookstore.​
- Our office does not have access to this authorization, so we are unable to provide the PO number.​

Monthly Stipend:
- Paid directly to student (Rates change each fiscal year).
- Pay is determined based on ½, ¾, or Full-Time enrollment, plus an additional amount for each dependent. ​

Impact on Financial Aid:
- No double dipping Financial Aid that is specific to tuition and fees, such as State University Grant, with VA funds. Other sources of funding will be utilized to cover tuition and fees before VA funds.
- Does not apply to Pell Grant or Loans as they are not limited to tuition and fees.

The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, or also known as Chapter 33, is the most comprehensive education benefits package since the original GI Bill was signed into law in 1944 by providing financial support for education and housing to eligible individuals.

Tuition & Fees:
- Eligible for Fee Deferment/Do Not Cancel Indicator which prevents you from being dropped from your courses.
- Only mandatory tuition and fees are covered.

Monthly Stipend:
- Paid directly to student (Rates change each fiscal year).
- Percent of pay is determined by the student’s <1/4, ¼, ½, ¾ or Full Time Training level.
- You must verify enrollment each month to activate payment in one of two ways:
  1. Text messaging through the VA when you "Opts-in"; you will receive a text message each month to verify enrollment
  2. Telephone by calling the Education Call Center (ECC) at 888-442-4551
  NOTE: If you do not verify for two consecutive months, the VA will withhold future MHA payments until you call the ECC.

Books & Supplies:
- Annual books and supplies stipend at $41.67 per unit, not to exceed $1,000 per year.

Dual Certification:
Two step certification process required by the VA to prevent over payment of tuition and fees
Step 1: Initial Certification - Submitted for units only and $0 tuition and fees to ensure students receive their housing allowance and books & supply stipend.
Step 2: Secondary Certification - Tuition and fees added after the end of the Add/Drop period.
Even though tuition and fees will not be added until a later time, you will not be dropped from your courses because you have a Do Not Cancel (DNC) Indicator on your account.

Impact on Financial Aid:
- No double dipping Financial Aid that is specific to tuition and fees, such as State University Grant, with VA funds. Other sources of funding will be utilized to cover tuition and fees before VA funds.
- Does not apply to Pell Grant or Loans as they are not limited to tuition and fees.

The dependent child, spouse or unmarried surviving spouse of a service-connected disabled or deceased veteran may be entitled to fee waiver benefits at any State of California Community College, California State University, or University of California campus.

To use the CalVet College Fee Waiver at CSULB:
- You must apply each academic year at a County Veterans Services Office. CSULB does not determine eligibility for the CalVet Fee Waiver.
- If found eligible, the County Veterans Services will provide you with an authorization or award letter. Submit a copy of your award letter to the CSULB Veterans Services Office for processing. Do not complete a Request for Enrollment Certification form unless you are also using Chapter 35 benefits.

Note: Students must submit their award letters at least one week before the Tuition Fee is due or they may be responsible for payment. Payments toward the Tuition Fee may be refunded once the award letter is processed.

Other important information about the CalVet Fee Waiver:
- The CalVet Fee Waiver covers mandatory systemwide fees, i.e. the Tuition Fee at CSULB. All other fees are the responsibility of the student.
- This fee waiver cannot be used for programs or courses taken through the College of Professional and Continuing Education, including winter and summer sessions, except for select programs offering State-Supported courses during the summer.
- You must be a California resident to use this fee waiver.