UMUC Europe - Veterans Education Benefits

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UMUC Europe - Veterans Education Benefits

Veterans Benefits

If you are an active-duty servicemember or veteran, you may be eligible for veterans education benefits. This site gives specific information on the application, certification, and payment processes that you must go through and become familiar with in order to receive VA education benefits.

We are here to help you! Please contact the UMUC Europe VA office if you have any questions before, during, or after the application and certification processes. You are also encouraged to visit your local education center or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Web site at www.gibill.va.gov to learn about eligibility requirements and other important information.

Applying for VA Benefits

If you are a first-time applicant (active duty or veteran), you must complete VA Form 22-1990 (Application for VA Education Benefits).

Note: Submiting the Veterans Online Application" (VONAPP) electronically can delay processing of your benefits.

Active-duty servicemembers must have this form signed by their education services officer (ESO).

Veterans must also submit a copy of their DD-214.

After completing, mail the VA 22-1990 (and DD-214 if a veteran) to either the VA regional office in Buffalo, NY or the UMUC Europe VA office in Heidelberg, Germany (see contact information at bottom).

Change of Program or Place of Training

If you have previously used VA benefits at either another university or another UMUC institution (UMUC Asia or UMUC Stateside), and have not changed status, you must complete VA Form 22-1995 (Request for Change of Program or Place of Training).

Note: Submiting the Veterans Online Application" (VONAPP) electronically can delay processing of your benefits.

Active-duty servicemembers must have this form signed by their ESO.

After completing, mail the VA 22-1995 to either the VA regional office in Buffalo, NY or the UMUC Europe VA office in Heidelberg, Germany (see contact information at bottom).

Requesting Certification of VA Benefits

If you wish to use VA education benefits, you must follow these instructions each registration period (Fall, Spring, Summer) to request certification of enrollments with UMUC:

Log in to MyUMUC
Click on Student Portal on the left menu
Click on MyAcademics > Veterans Benefits > Apply for Veterans Benefits
Select the term for which you would like to apply VA benefits
Fill out the short certification form
Click on Save and Submit

Once submitted, the certification form will notify the UMUC VA office of the intent to use VA benefits for the current term. This form is not sent to the VA office in Buffalo.

The Certification Process

UMUC Europe acts as a certifying agent for the VA. Once the UMUC Europe VA office in Heidelberg, Germany receives your certification form through MyUMUC and course payment, the staff can forward VA form 22-1999 (Enrollment Certification) to the VA regional office in Buffalo, NY. The primary responsibility of the university is to certify active enrollment of VA students; it is not to make decisions on individual claims.

Note: Viewing Certification Status
You can view the status of requests in the MyUMUC portal under "View My Veterans Benefits". Once UMUC Europe has received the certification form, the status of requests will change from "Pending" to "Received". Once certification has been completed by UMUC Europe and submitted to the VA in Buffalo, the status will change to "Submitted" and you will be able to see the date of submission.

Adjusting Veterans Benefits

If you add a course to the current term, you must complete the "Adjust Veterans Benefits" request in the MyUMUC portal. This will inform the UMUC Europe VA office of additional enrollments.

Any cancellations, drops, or withdrawals made to enrollments will be automatically processed and reported to the VA. No action is necessary on the your part. However, please note that, if a payment has already been received, the you may be required to reimburse the VA for any adjustment that results in an overpayment.

Payments

VA payments are made by the Department of Veterans Affairs directly to you and are calculated in accordance with federal regulations. Education benefits are paid according to how the VA views both the nature of the courses and the course load you are taking. You should check with the UMUC Europe VA office in Heidelberg, Germany regarding how VA benefits are paid for special format classes, such as distance education and seminars, as these payments may differ.

If you are receiving education benefits under the GI Bill (Chapter 30), you must verify your monthly enrollments online via the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) at www.gibill.va.gov in order to release monthly payments. You may verify only after the VA has processed the certification, which may take 6-8 weeks after they have received it from the UMUC Europe VA office.

Note: UMUC Europe is not eligible for the VA's Advanced Payment Program.

Undergraduate Training Time Table

s.h

15 wks

14 wks

13 wks

12 wks

11 wks

10 wks

9 wks

8 wks

7 wks

6 wks

5 wks

4 wks

3 wks

2 wks

1 wk

full

3/4

full

3/4

full

3/4

full

1/2

3/4

full

1/2

3/4

full

1/2

3/4

full

>1/2

1/2

3/4

full

>1/2

1/2

3/4

full

1/4

>1/2

1/2

3/4

full

1/4

>1/2

1/2

3/4

full

1/4

>1/2

1/2

3/4

full

NOTE: >1/2 indicates less than 1/2

Graduate Training Time Table

s.h	8- week on-site (face-to-face) session	10-11 week online (distance education) session
s.h
6	full	full
3	3/4	1/2
NOTE: Payment of benefits is not allowed for non-credit graduate courses (e.g. UCSP 611)

This applies to all graduate degrees and certificates.

VA Students from Other Institutions

If you are not pursuing a UMUC degree, but who wish to receive VA benefits for UMUC Europe courses, you must request written permission (a parent-school letter) for each course from your degree-granting school before enrolling. The parent-school letter must be submitted to the UMUC Europe VA office in Heidelberg, Germany with the appropriate VA application and any necessary documentation.

Student Responsibilities

If you are receiving VA benefits, you are expected to follow all regulations and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs while attending UMUC Europe. At UMUC, all regulations of the US Department of Veterans Affairs are enforced. You should be aware of the following requirements:

You are expected to make satisfactory progress toward a degree or certificate; you must comply with the academic standards of UMUC Europe.
You must report all changes in enrollment, including drops, adds, withdrawals, and changes to audit. Such actions may affect payments to you or lead to a requirement that you reimburse unauthorized payments already received.
You must report all changes to your degree program or Official Evaluation by submitting VA form 22-1995 (Request for Change of Program or Place of Training) to the UMUC Europe VA office in Heidelberg, Germany.
If you register for a course and then not attend, or cease to attend without officially withdrawing, you may be misusing federal funds, which may be punishable by law.
Payment of benefits will be disallowed for repeating a course for which transfer credit has been rated or for which a grade that meets minimum requirements for the degree has been earned.
Payment of benefits will be disallowed for any course that is not a requirement in your degree or certificate program.
You must keep in close contact with the Office of Evaluations in Heidelberg, Germany to ensure your official evaluation is completed within the VA's mandated two-term period.

Official Evaluation Requirement

VA Regulations require that all VA students declare a major field of study and have an official evaluation of all prior academic course work and military training. This evaluation must be completed within two terms of your first VA enrollment. The Department of Veterans Affairs may seek reimbursement of benefits paid if you have received benefits for enrollments without having received an official evaluation after two terms. You may request an official evaluation by submitting the Application for an Official Evaluation.

Documents required for an official evaluation include:

CLEP, USAFI/DANTES, Excelsior College Exams (ECEP— formerly RCEP, ACT/PEP), or other test results, as appropriate
Official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended–the form Transcript Request (UMAA-002) (pdf 22 KB) is available here.
Appropriate military documents

All records of previous educational experiences must be sent directly from each issuing institution (or other source, in the case of military documents) to:

Registrar's Office---Transcripts
University of Maryland University College
3501 University Boulevard East
Adelphi, MD 20783-8075 USA

VA Chapters/Programs Available to UMUC Europe Students

With your veterans benefits, you can move one step closer to reaching your highest educational goals. You could qualify for benefits that help you afford your education, including tuition assistance, an annual stipend for books and supplies, payments to cover loans, and more. UMUC Europe makes it easy to determine which benefit program is best for you. Read below to learn about eligibility requirements and specific benefits for each of the available programs.

Chapter 30 - Montgomery GI Bill (pdf 47KB)
Chapter 32 - Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) (pdf 60KB)
Chapter 33 - Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act
Chapter 35 - Survivors and Dependents Benefits (pdf 62KB)
Chapter 1606 - Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserves (pdf 33KB)
Chapter 1607 - Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) (pdf 43KB)

Important Notice to UMUC Europe VA Students

Please read the following benefit comparison chart regarding the Post-9/11 Chapter 33 benefits. This page will help you decide if the new program will be beneficial to you. Due to our unique situation overseas, the Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill may be the better program choice for you. Once you apply to the Post-9/11 Chapter 33 program, the decision is irrevocable.

Chapter 33 -- Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act

The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 provides benefits to individuals who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001. These individuals must have served at least 90 aggregate days or have been discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days.

Under this bill, veterans may receive benefits for training they pursue on or after August 1, 2009. Benefits are not available for training pursued prior to that date. Eligible training includes undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs pursued at a university or college that is authorized to grant an associate's degree or higher.

Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits

This bill provides up to 36 months of education benefits. Benefits are generally payable for 15 years following your release from active duty. Payments are based on the amount of service you completed after September 10, 2001. You will receive a larger benefit if you served more active duty or mobilization time.

If you are eligible for benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you may receive a(n):

Payment for tuition and fees sent directly to your university or college
Monthly housing allowance*
Annual book stipend of $1,000*
One-time rural benefit payment of $500

Maximum benefits are earned if you served an aggregate of 36 months or more on active duty service or after 30 days of continuous service if you were discharged for a service-connected disability after September 10, 2001. If you served between 90 days and 36 months of aggregate active duty service, you will be eligible for a percentage of the maximum benefits.

*Note: The housing allowance and books and supplies stipend are not payable if you are on active duty, enrolled as a half-time student or less, or enrolled in distance learning.

Choosing Your GI Bill Benefits

If you meet the eligibility requirements for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, as well as other GI Bills, such as the Montgomery GI Bill, you will be required to choose which benefit you wish to receive. For some individuals, your choice may be irrevocable. The Post-9/11 GI Bill may provide a better benefits package in terms of eligibility criteria, period of eligibility, and financial value in comparison to existing educational benefit programs that remain in effect. However, the best program for you, if you are eligible for multiple educational benefit programs, will depend on your individual circumstance. Please review the eligibility requirements that apply for specific benefits and compare these benefits to those offered under other GI Bills for more information.

For More Information

For assistance and questions, contact a UMUC Europe Veterans Affairs Advisor (contact information below). For more details about the bill, visit the GI Bill Web site.

Tuition Assistance Top-Up

Service persons eligible for chapter 30, 33 and approved for Tuition Assistance are eligible for Top-Up. This VA program pays in tandem for the difference not covered by TA. Requesting Top-Up benefits is handled directly between the student and the VA. Requesting certification of enrollments through your MyUMUC Student portal is not necessary.

If you have not previously applied for your Montgomery GI Bill benefits you’ll need to:

Complete DVA form 22-1990.
Have the education service officer sign item #20A of the form.
Indicate "Top-Up" on the application form in item #1A under the Montgomery GI Bill Active duty Educational Assistance Program block.
Attach your completed and signed tuition assistance authorization form to the 22-1990.
Send the 22-1990 and the tuition assistance form to the Buffalo Regional Office, (see address below)

If you have already applied for Montgomery GI Bill benefits then remember to send your TA authorization form, directly to the VA (see address below) with the words “Top-Up” indicated on the request.

If you are eligible for Chapter 33 and for Tuitions Assistance and not all tuition costs are covered, you will receive a bill from UMUC Europe for the amount of tuition not covered by these programs. When you recieve the bill, please contact our student accounts office and inform them of your intent to use Top-Up.

Note* for more information regarding Top-UP please see: http://www.gibill.va.gov/pamphlets/tatu.htm