How to Apply for and Maintain Your VA Education Benefits

GENERAL: The purpose of this webpage is to:

  • Assist you in processing your initial application for VA Educational Benefits and completing the actions required for enrollment certification.
  • Assist you in completing the administrative actions necessary to ensure you receive your monthly VA Educational payments.

The WSU Office of Veterans Affairs is committed to assisting you in achieving your educational goals while at WSU.

Please feel free to contact us at 509-335-1234 or veterans@wsu.edu for assistance with all VA programs and WSU related inquiries.

Transitioning from the military to a university setting can be challenging.  Please consider enrolling in the Veterans Transition Seminar.

STEP 1:

     Determine in which VA Educational Program (i.e. "Chapter") you are eligible to participate.

STEP 2:

     Decide on a specific program of study and officially apply to Washington State University. If you have less than 60 cumulative semester credit hours you may enter your program of study as "BA-Undeclared in the VA Forms noted below. If you have 60 cumulative credits or more you must enter a specific program offered by WSU.

NOTE: The WSU VA Office will only certify enrollment in classes that a required to obtain a degree in your specific program of study. If for example you choose Mechanical Engineering as your program of study and enroll in 12 credits but 3 of the credits are not required for a Mechanical Engineering degree then you will be certified for 9 credits. This will result in a reduction in your monthly education benefit payments.

STEP 3:

FIRST TIME (NEW) APPLICANTS - (meet one or more of the criteria below):

     A. Are applying for VA Educational Benefits for the first time.

     B. Are switching from another GI Bill program to the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

     C. Are transferring Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to your dependents.

 

          1. Procedures for first time (new) applicants under Chapter 33, 30, 32, 1606 or 1607:

               a. If you are applying for Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 GI) bill you can apply online via VONAPP (preferred method) or you can complete a hard copy VA Form 22-1990 or if VA Form 22-1990e (if transferring Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to your dependents) and fax or mail to the VA Regional Office in Muskogee, OK.

NOTE:  if you are transferring benefits to your dependents under the Post 9/11 GI Bill, you must first obtain Department of Defense (DOD) Approval before you submit the VA Form 22-1990e to the VA. To obtain DOD approval go Transfer of Entitlement (TEB).

               b. If you are applying for Chapter 30, 1606, 1607, or 32 you can submit an application online via VONAPP or you can complete a hard copy VA Form 22-1990. You can also come to the WSU VA Office and complete the application or mail the completed Form to the WSU VA Office for processing.

NOTE: If you mail or fax the above listed documents directly to the VA Regional Office (preferred) then you must fax, mail or deliver a copy of all documents to the WSU VA Office.

          2. Procedures for first time (new) applicants under Chapter 35: You must complete the VA Form 22-5490 on-line at VONAPP or download the VA Form 22-5490 and mail it to the VA Regional Office in Muskogee, OK. You can come to the WSU VA Office and complete the application or mail the completed Form to the WSU VA Office for processing.

 

RETURNING APPLICANTS - (meet one or more of the criteria below):

     A. Previously applied for GI Bill benefits and were approved by the VA.

     B. Received GI Bill previously benefits but not at WSU-Pullman.

     C. Approved for GI Bill benefits by the VA but have never used them.

 

          1. Returning applicants under Chapter 33, 30, 32, 1606, 1607: You must complete the VA Form 22-1995 and mail, fax, or deliver the Form to the WSU VA Office. In addition to the VA Form 22-1995 provide

  • Certificate of Eligibility from the VA or original VA application (VA Form 22-1990) if available.

          2. Returning applicants under Chapter 35: You must complete the VA Form 22-5495 and mail, fax, or deliver the Form to the WSU VA Office. In addition to the VA Form 22-1995 provide:

  • Certificate of Eligibility from the VA or original VA application (VA Form 22-5495) if available.

NOTE:  If you previously attended WSU-Pullman and received VA Educational Benefits, but your last date of attendance was more than a year ago, you need to submit a VA Form 22-1995 or 22-5495 (as applicable) to the WSU VA Office.

NOTE:  For enrollment certification purposes your class schedule will be evaluated against the program of study you selected on your original application (22-1990 / 22-5490) or the most recent copy of the 22-1995 / 22-5495 on file. It is your responsibility to notify the VA Coordinator of changes in program. Failure to do so will result in a delay of payments.

STEP 4:

          1. You must complete an Enrollment Certification Request prior to the start of you first semester at WSU; as well as prior to each subsequent semester or term that you wish to use a VA benefit.  The Enrollment Certification Request must be signed by your academic advisor.  New students will have access to their advisor during their summer Alive! orientation session.  The Enrollment Certification Request needs to be returned to the WSU Office of Veterans Affairs, once completed.

NOTE: If you do not submit an Enrollment Certification Request the WSU VA Office will not certify your enrollment with the VA, and you will not receive your monthly educational benefit payment.

 

STEP 5:

Provide the WSU Office of Veterans Affairs a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility.  If you are applying for a new benefit this will be mailed to you, from the VA, in response to you submitting the 22-1990, 22-1990e, or 22-5490.  If you previously used your education benefit this will be mailed to you in response to you submitting the 22-1995 or 22-5495.

The WSU Office of Veterans Affairs will not report your enrollment to the VA, and you will therefore not receive any stipend and/or tuition payments, prior to receiving a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility

Please plan ahead.  It can take the VA 3 to 4 weeks or more to process your benefit application and mail the Certificate of Eligibility.

STEP 6:

As a veteran you may be eligible for a partial tuition. For additional information go to Tuition Waivers. Please note that you may only use the veterans waiver for undergraduate or graduate work, but not both. Recipients of the Survivor Education Assistance Program (Chapter 35) you may be eligible for a 100% tuition waiver. For additional information go to Tuition Waivers.

NOTES:

  1. If you mail the documents directly to the VA Regional Office the mailing address is VA Regional Office, PO BOX 8888, Muskogee, OK 74402.
  2. The fax number to the VA Regional Office is 1-918-781-7863. (Preferred method).
  3. As noted above mail copies of all documents to the WSU VA Office at Office of Veterans Affairs, PO BOX 641035, Pullman, WA 99164-1035. The WSU VA Office is located in the WSU Veterans Center, Holland Library, Room 120BA.
  4. The fax to the WSU VA Office is 509-335-9429. The telephone number is 509-335-1234.
  5. The VA Regional Office will process your enrollment application in 6 - 8 weeks (all processing times are subject to change). They will send you an letter which which will outline your entitlements under the specific educational program in which you are enrolled. The letter is commonly referred to as a "Certificate of Eligibility".
  6. Once you are registered for classes and the class list is available through the WSU Information System, the WSU VA Office will certify your enrollment with the VA for those classes which apply towards your specific program of study. Please inform the WSU VA Office when you are registered for classes.
  7. You will receive your monthly education benefit payments only if your application has been approved by the VA Regional Office AND the WSU VA Office has certified your enrollment with the VA.
  8. If you are a Post 9/11 GI Bill recipient, the VA will pay your tuition approximately 5-9 weeks after the start of the term. WSU will not require you to pay tuition, but please note that WSU will apply all or part of your financial aid award to your outstanding tuition balance on the first day of the term, so please be prepared financially for that process. Once your tuiiton payment is made by the VA, any excess funds on your student account will be refunded to you.
  9. If you are a Post 9/11 GI Bill recipient and you are required to attend a mandatory orientation at WSU, ensure you request New Student Programs defer the mandatory orientation fee to your student accoutn so the VA will pay the fee.
  10. An excellent resource is the Department of Veterans Affairs Questions & Answers website. You can search archived Q&A or ask a question via email.