Chapter 33: Post 9/11 GI Bill Veterans 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. 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill Veterans Benefits at WesternU More information on education and training benefits through Ch. 33 benefits can be found on the following webpage: Post-9/11 Veterans Education Benefits. GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Any veteran who served any active-duty time after 9/11/2001 may be eligible to receive Chapter 33 benefits. 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.

Depending on your situation, Chapter 33 benefits can include: (1) payment of tuition and fees, (2) a monthly housing allowance, (3) a stipend for books and supplies, and (4) a Yellow Ribbon Program benefit. Chapter 33 differs from other education chapters in that each type of payment is issued separately, with some payments made directly to the school and others directly to the student.

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 cannot waive your admission deposit. Students utilizing Chapter 33 benefits will be required to pay their admission deposit.
• 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.

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

• The tuition and fees payment is paid directly to the school on behalf of the student when the school’s enrollment certification is processed.
• The tuition and fees payment is prorated if you do not receive 100% VA education benefits. It is also limited to the private institution of higher learning cap.
• Tuition and fees normally arrive at the University 4-6 weeks after they were certified to the VA.
• More information regarding Chapter 33 benefits information is available online

Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA)

• You may be eligible for money to help pay for your housing while enrolled. If you’re eligible for monthly housing allowance (MHA), the VA will pay you the allowance at the end of each month.
• Students must self-verify their enrollment with the VA at the end of each month to continue receiving their MHA
• The VA will pay you a percentage of the full monthly housing allowance (called a “prorated payment”) based on the following two factors:
  • The percentage of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits you’re eligible for, and
  • How many credits you’re taking or how many clock hours you’re scheduled to attend per week
• You’re not eligible for an MHA payment if any of these are true:
  • You’re on active duty, or
  • You’re a spouse using transferred benefits while the Veteran is on active duty, or
  • You’re in school half time or less than half time, or
  • You’re taking correspondence training or flight training, or
  • You’re on break from school.

Books and Supplies Stipend

• The books and supplies stipend is a lump sum payment (each semester or term attended) paid directly to you when the school’s enrollment certification is processed.
• The stipend is prorated by your length of service percentage.
• Active duty students are not eligible for the stipend.
• The books and supplies stipend pays $41.67 per credit certified, up to $500 per term and $1,000 per academic year. The VA academic year runs from August – July.

Yellow Ribbon Program

• The Yellow Ribbon Program was established by the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. This program allows institutions of higher learning (such as colleges, universities, and other degree- granting schools) in the United States to voluntarily enter into an agreement with VA to fund tuition and fee expenses that exceed the tuition and fee amounts payable under the Post-9/11 GI Bill®.
• Western University of Health Sciences is a participating Yellow Ribbon institution.
• Eligible students will receive $2,000.00 per academic year towards tuition and fee expenses that exceed the amounts payable under the Post-9/11 GI Bill®.
• The VA will then match the $2,000 on top of what they are already paying out, per academic year.
• Please view the Yellow Ribbon Programfor additional information on eligibility requirements.

Getting Started

• If you have received a notification from the Department of Veterans Affairs that you are eligible to receive educational benefits, submit the following document to the School Certifying Official: Certificate of Eligibility
• If you have used your educational benefits at another university prior to enrolling at WesternU, please also complete and submit the following request to the Department of Veterans Affairs: Change of Program/Place of Training
• Once you have submitted the appropriate documents to the School Certifying Official and have registered for classes, your certification of enrollment will be submitted to the VA electronically. Please allow at least 4-6 weeks for your benefits to be processed by the VA. Questions regarding this process can be directed to our school certifying official, Crystal Latimore, at clatimore@westernu.edu

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”.