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Apply for Military Education BenefitsGI Bill® Comparison Tool
The Department of Veterans Affairs, military branches, and the School Certifying Official (SCO) closely monitor each military-connected student’s enrollment status and academic program. Admission procedures for veterans and other eligible persons are the same as for all students. Students receiving military education benefits at UNK have the following responsibilities:
As a recipient of educational benefits:
Notify Military and Veterans Services by emailing skarkala@unk.edu if the following changes occur in your enrollment status:
Reminders:
It is the student’s responsibility to formally withdraw, drop, or add classes in MyBlue.
Contact Military and Veterans Services if you are actively drilling and will miss class due to military requirements or if you are on active duty and your classes have been interrupted.
VA education benefits are not payable for:
Apply for benefits at https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/
There are four eligibility categories with the most common being those individuals who 1) entered active duty on or after July 1, 1985 and 2) contributed $100 a month for 12 months and have an honorable discharge. For additional information, see www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/mgib_ad.asp.
Verification
Chapter 30, 33, or 1606 students are responsible for verifying their own enrollment at the end of each month. You must do this to get your benefit check using WAVE, http://www.gibill.va.gov/wave, by contacting the VA Education Call Center at 888-442-4551, or by text message.
Online: Connect to the VA’s website: www.gibill.va.gov/wave and enter your first name, last name, Social Security Number, and password. Click on the link, Verify Monthly Enrollment Status. Check to see your registration status
For Undergraduate Students:
Full time enrollment is 12 hours or more
¾ time enrollments is 11 to 9 hours
½ time enrollment is 8 to 6 hours
Less than half time enrollment is 5 or fewer hour
For Graduate Students:
Full time enrollment is 9 hours or more
¾ time enrollment is 8 to 6 hours
½ time enrollment is 5 to 4 hours
Note 1: UNK Veterans Services will not change your hours if you still fall within a certain enrollment level. (Example: If you are ¾ time at 10 hours and drop a 1 hour class, we will not change your status as you are still ¾ time.)
Note 2: If the WAVE has you listed at full enrollment and you are actually ¾ enrollment, DO NOT MAKE CHANGES. DO NOT VERIFY. Contact the UNK Veterans Services Office. If you make changes on the WAVE, your payments will be stopped.
Phone: If your enrollment has not changed during the month, contact the VA Education Call Center by phone at 888-442-4551.
VR & E counselors advise students to register with UNK Disability Services. Students with disabilities are provided accommodations on an individualized, collaborative, and flexible basis. However, it is the responsibility of students with disabilities to request accommodations. Accommodations should be requested at the beginning of each academic year and at any time additional accommodations are needed. The DSS staff will need time to review all requests. For additional information, see https://www.va.gov/careers-employment/vocational-rehabilitation/
Apply for benefits at https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® is an education benefit program for individuals who served on active duty for at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001 or were discharged with a service-related disability after 30 continuous days. Under this chapter, effective August 1, 2009, eligible participants (veterans, service members, and dependents) pursuing a VA approved training program may receive the following benefits at a percentage based on the length of active duty service:
Specific Questions about eligibility for VA benefits should be addressed to the VA. For additional information, see www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_gibill.asp.
Verification
Chapter 30, 33, or 1606 students are responsible for verifying their own enrollment at the end of each month. You must do this to get your benefit check using WAVE, http://www.gibill.va.gov/wave, by contacting the VA Education Call Center at 888-442-4551, or by text message.
UNK is a participant in the Yellow Ribbon program. The program is a part of the Post-9/11 GI Bill® and applies to out of state students who are 100% eligible for the benefit. For eligible students, the Yellow Ribbon program covers the difference between in state tuition and out of state tuition, leaving no out of pocket cost for the student. For more information, contact Military and Veterans Services or see https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/yellow_ribbon.asp
Apply for benefits at https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/
This program is for 1) dependents or spouses of veterans who have died or are totally and permanently disabled as the result of a service connected disability or died while evaluated as having a total and permanent disability, or 2) dependents or spouse of a person who is listed as a POW or MIA. For additional information, see www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/survivor_dependent_assistance.asp.
If your parent or spouse died in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001, while serving in one of the Armed Forces, or was a member of the Selected Reserve who died from a service-connected disability, you may qualify for this benefit.
See more information on the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Fry Scholarship)
Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD)
If you served at least 2 years on active duty, find out if you qualify for benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty program.
Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)
If you’re a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, or Air National Guard, find out if you qualify for education benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve program.
Apply for benefits at https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/
Verification
Chapter 30, 33, or 1606 students are responsible for verifying their own enrollment at the end of each month. You must do this to get your benefit check using WAVE, http://www.gibill.va.gov/wave, by contacting the VA Education Call Center at 888-442-4551, or by text message.
Online: Connect to the VA’s website: www.gibill.va.gov/wave and enter your first name, last name, Social Security Number, and password. Click on the link, Verify Monthly Enrollment Status. Check to see your registration status
For Undergraduate Students:
Full time enrollment is 12 hours or more
¾ time enrollments is 11 to 9 hours
½ time enrollment is 8 to 6 hours
Less than half time enrollment is 5 or fewer hours
For Graduate Students:
Full time enrollment is 9 hours or more
¾ time enrollment is 8 to 6 hours
½ time enrollment is 5 to 4 hours
Note 1: UNK Veterans Services will not change your hours if you still fall within a certain enrollment level. (Example: If you are ¾ time at 10 hours and drop a 1 hour class, we will not change your status as you are still ¾ time.)
Note 2: If the WAVE has you listed at full enrollment and you are actually ¾ enrollment, DO NOT MAKE CHANGES. DO NOT VERIFY. Contact the UNK Veterans Services Office. If you make changes on the WAVE, your payments will be stopped.
Phone: If your enrollment has not changed during the month, contact the VA Regional Processing Office by phone at 1-877-823-2378.
IMPORTANT: If you are planning to use military tuition assistance from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, or Coast Guard, make sure you obtain approval from your branch Educational Services Officer (ESO) or military education counselor before enrolling at UNK.
Tuition Assistance is a Department of Defense program. The program is not administered or monitored by the VA. Tuition Assistance rules vary by branch of service and even vary between different units within the same branch of service depending on whether the unit is active, reserve, or National Guard. Questions regarding Tuition Assistance should be directed to Veteran Services. To apply for tuition assistance, click on the link below to your corresponding branch.
Tuition Assistance (TA) DECIDE is a new tool developed by the Department of Defense to allow Service members interested in using TA benefits to access essential information including average TA costs, course completion, graduation and estimated tuition and fee amounts for the 2,600+ approved schools eligible for TA. Click on the link for information about UNK.
Military Tuition Assistance is a U.S. Department of Defense program. Tuition Assistance rules vary by branch of service and even vary between different units within the same branch depending on whether the unit is active, reserve, or National Guard. Tuition Assistance funds are applied to tuition cost only.
Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire term for which the assistance is awarded. When a student withdraws (officially or unofficially), the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of TA funds originally awarded. To comply with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) policy, UNK is required to return any unearned TA funds on a proportional basis through the 60% portion of the term for which the funds were provided. If a service member stops attending due to a military service obligation, UNK will work with the affected service member to identify solutions that will not result in a student debt for the returned portion.
A student’s official withdrawal date is used to calculate the earned percentage of TA. In the event that a student fails to earn a passing grade in at least one class, s/he will be evaluated at the end of the term to determine if s/he withdrew unofficially (never attends or stopped attending class) by using the last date of attendance that is reported by the instructors when grades are submitted.
If a student withdraws prior to completing at least 60% of the term, 100% of the TA is returned to the Military branch. The student will owe UNK the amount of TA returned. Once the student has attended at least 60% of the term, the student is considered to have earned 100% of the TA approved for the term.
Schedule of Return of Unearned TA Funds
16-week Course Withdraw
An individual’s branch of service may offer the College Fund (also known as a “kicker”) as part of an enlistment or reenlistment contract, or for other reasons they determine. The College Fund is an additional amount of money that increases an individual’s basic monthly benefit and is included in his or her VA payment.
Each service branch (not VA) determines who receives the College Fund and the amount received. It may be necessary to send VA a copy of your College Fund contract to ensure the correct amount is added to your monthly benefit. Typically, College Fund contracts are found within your enlistment contract. Contact your military unit or the National Archives to get a copy.
A maximum of 4 semester credit hours is awarded for Basic Training upon receipt of the official military transcript.
Additional semester credit hours may be awarded for additional military education. For more information see the American Council on Education Military Guide.
Army, Coast Guard, Navy, and Marine service members, reservists, guard, and veterans can obtain the Joint Services Transcript.
Air Force Active Duty, Guard and Reservists or retired or separated Air Force members may obtain their transcripts from the Community College of the Air Force.
In February 2015, the Nebraska Legislature passed a law mandating that veterans and their families that are enrolled in a public college or university or intend to be a Nebraska resident, within three years of separating, will be considered student residents.
Slip law: Legislative Bill 109 Full Text
information how to quality for residency and how to submit the online application can be found at: https://catalog.unk.edu/undergraduate/admissions/residence-classification-tuition-purposes/
eBenefits is a collaboration between the VA and the Department of Defense. It is a web portal that provides Service Members, Veterans, their families, and authorized caregivers with a single sign-on, central access point to clinical and benefits information. See more at https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/.
