CH 31: Veteran Readiness & Employment (VRE) Benefits

Western University of Health Sciences has approval from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to certify students eligible to receive VA educational benefits. The School Certifying Officials that are located on the Pomona, California campus assist all students who receive VA educational benefits. We cannot assist you with determining your eligibility for benefits. To determine if you are eligible, please contact the Department of Veterans Affairs directly.

Western University of Health Sciences (Pomona, CA) has approval from the California State Approving Agency for Veterans Education (CSAAVE) and Western University of Health Sciences (Lebanon, OR) has approval from the Approving Agency for Veterans Education (ODVASAA).

This page is dedicated to students using Ch. 31 Veteran Readiness & Employment benefits at WesternU. Please see links below for information for new students with next steps on using your benefit at WesternU, what to expect, the certification process, and important information about your WesternU student bill. If you cannot find your answer on this page, please reach out to our school certifying official, Crystal Latimore, clatimore@westernu.edu.

New Students

Welcome to WesternU! We look forward to working with you to ensure smooth processing of your VA educational benefits. Please see below for next steps:

• Please note that we are able to waive your admission deposit. In order to have your admission deposit waived, please contact clatimore@westernu.edu who will initiate the process.
• Complete class registration by submitting the appropriate placeholder code for your program during fall registration. If you have questions regarding registration, please contact the Office of the Registrar, registrar@westernu.edu, or 909-469-5491.
• Health insurance coverage is required for all full-time WesternU students. If you will not be utilizing the university-sponsored Aetna Student Health Insurance plan, please submit a waiver by the posted deadline (more information can be found on the Office of the Registrar’s website). If you wish to be enrolled in the Aetna Student Health insurance plan through WesternU, your premium will be covered via VA funding.
• Complete required immunization requirements. Failure to complete this will result in a registration hold, which may lead to registration late fees.
• If requested, provide an education plan to our school certifying official, Crystal Latimore, clatimore@westernu.edu, who will work with your college’s Student Affairs professional to complete and return back to you. It is your responsibility to return the education plan to your VR&E counselor. Not all VR&E counselors will request an education plan – please be sure to check prior to requesting processing.
• Have your VR&E counselor submit your authorization form to WesternU through the Tungsten portal.
  • Tungsten Information for Invoicing:
    • Western University of Health Sciences
    • Tax ID# 95-3127273
    • Facility Code: 31919105
    • Email: registrar@westernu.edu

Your VR&E Authorization

• Your PO Authorization lists what you are approved to be certified for during the term. Your authorization for textbook and supplies purchases is sent directly to our school certifying official, Crystal Latimore.
• You will be able to begin purchasing from the Campus Store approximately 2 weeks prior to the start of classes.
• Your PO will note what you will be allowed to purchase.
• Should you need any additional materials not mentioned on your PO, please contact our school certifying official, Crystal Latimore, at clatimore@westernu.edu.

What to Expect

• VA Certifications through Enrollment Manager for the academic year are submitted on a rolling basis, consistent with your program’s registration periods.
• You will receive an email from the VA when your certification has been submitted.
• The very first subsistence allowance from the VA may take up to two months to deposit into your account and then it will come regularly at the beginning of each month. Please plan accordingly.

Tuition and Fees

• Your VR&E counselor must submit your approved PO and you must register for classes in order to have VA benefits applied to your account.
• Contingent upon the date range associated with your most current PO on file with your School Certifying Official, your VR&E counselor may need to submit multiple POs throughout the academic year. It is your responsibility to ensure that your VR&E counselor is submitting updated POs as needed. Your school certifying official will not reach out on your behalf to request the updated PO from your VR&E counselor.

Billing

• Billing statements are available online through CashNet which can be accessed through the MyPortal (https://my.westernu.edu).
• Anticipated VA aid will show on billing statements as “VA – CH31 Voc Rehab”.
  • Please be aware that bill-to-agency credits are calculated based on a student’s enrollment and entitlement; adjustments may be necessary due to registration changes or the actual dollar amount that is sent by the VA. Students are responsible for notifying the school certifying official, Crystal Latimore, if or when any changes are made to their benefit eligibility.
• Chapter 31 students are entitled to full coverage of tuition and mandatory fees.
• The VA will not cover any other optional fees or fines.

Payment

• Balances resulting from aid adjustments due to registration or entitlement changes are the student’s responsibility to pay.
• Students are required to adhere to all payment due dates for any out-of-pocket expenses. Please contact registrar@westernu.edu with billing discrepancies questions.

Refund Policy

• Students who withdraw or take a leave of absence from the University on or after the first day of the semester must comply with the official WesternU policies, as reported in the University Catalog, in order to be eligible for a refund.
• Pro-rated charges due to a withdrawal or leave of absence may not match VA tuition payments. Students will be responsible for balances not covered by the VA.

Holds

• Students with unpaid balances will not be subject to holds/ late fees, with the exception of registration late fees.
• Contact your school certifying official, Crystal Latimore, clatimore@westernu.edu, with any questions regarding holds/ late fees.

Financial Aid

• Financial aid refunds will only be processed for overpayments of refundable aid.
• Students receiving additional financial aid should consult with a financial aid counselor to understand their award packages.
• Financial aid funds that are disbursed to student accounts prior to the receipt of VA funding will be disbursed directly to you. Your balance will remain on your account until your VA funding is received.

Switching Chapter 33 to Chapter 31

We sometimes have students who switch from Chapter 33 to Chapter 31 while at WesternU. The first step is to meet with a VR&E Counselor.

• Provide an education plan to your VR&E counselor. An education plan can be obtained via VR&E counselor and then submitted to your school certifying official, Crystal Latimore, clatimore@westernu.edu, who will work with your college’s Student Affairs professional to complete and return back to you. It is your responsibility to return the education plan to your VR&E counselor.
• Have your counselor submit your PO Authorization form through the Tungsten portal to be sent to WesternU.
• We strongly recommend that you begin this process the term PRIOR to your Post 9/11 benefits expiring. Please note, however, you can apply for Chapter 31 benefits after your Chapter 33 benefits have exhausted.

Student Responsibilities

• In order to comply with the laws governing the Department of Veterans Affairs benefits, it is your responsibility as a student to notify the School Certifying Official of any change in status with the University, which may include when you:

• • Add or drop a class or classes
  • Break enrollment due to an LOA or Suspension
  • Withdraw from the University
  • Repeat a course

• Only courses that are required for your degree program are eligible for certification.

Allowing Veterans to Attend or Participate in Courses Pending VA Payment

• Section 103 of Public Law (PL) 115-407, ‘Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018,’ amends Title 38 US Code 3679 by adding a new subsection (e) that requires disapproval of courses of education, beginning August 1, 2019, at any educational institution that does not have a policy in place that will allow an individual to attend or participate in a course of education, pending VA payment, providing the individual submits a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under Chapter 31 or 33.

Pending Payment Compliance

• In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679(e), Western University of Health Sciences adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post-9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from VA.  Western University of Health Sciences will not:

• • Prevent your enrollment;
  • Assess a late penalty fee you;
  • Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding;
  • Deny the student access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.

• However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:
• Produce the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by the first day of class;
• Provide a written request to be certified;
• Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Want to know more about YOUR VA benefits? You can now follow the Veterans Benefits Administration on Facebook , Twitter and YouTube

Western University of Health Sciences has agreed to the Executive Order 13607

“Principles of Excellence for Educational Institutions Serving Service Members, Veterans, Spouses, and Other Family Members”.