1. How can I determine my veteran status?
  2. I am enrolled in school. When will I receive my benefits from VA?
  3. What if I am receiving Education benefits, am called up, and drop out of school without receiving credit?
  4. Are my education benefits taxable?
  5. Can I receive credit for military training?
  6. What's the earliest date I can use chapter 1607?
  7. How do I apply for Chapter 1607?
  8. What does the Veterans Center do?
  9. Will the VA pay for me to have a tutor?
  10. I went to school here a few years ago and then quit school, how do I return to UNT?
Back to Top

How can I determine my veteran status?

Veterans and active duty military personnel are considered automatically independent for federal need analysis purposes. However, the Veterans Administration and the US Department of Education use a different definition of veteran, leading to some confusion.

https://va.org/what-is-a-veteran-the-legal-definition/

Back to Top

I am enrolled in school. When will I receive my benefits from VA?

Once your school submits your enrollment information, it must be entered into the system by VA. Because VA is generally overwhelmed with enrollments at the start of each semester, it could take up to 6 weeks to process an enrollment during those times. Your patience is appreciated - we will process all of the enrollments in order by the date received.

If you are receiving benefits under MGIB-AD (Chapter 30) or MGIB-SR (Chapter 1606), you must also verify your enrollment at the end of each month in order to receive payment for that month. Benefits are paid after each month of school is completed. For instructions on how to verify your enrollment,

You will generally receive payment within two weeks of verifying your enrollment at the end of the month(or within one week if using Direct Deposit). If you don't receive payment in this timeframe, please contact VA using the Ask a Question tab, or by calling 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551).

Back to Top

What if I am receiving Education benefits, am called up, and drop out of school without receiving credit?

  • You are entitled to receive MGIB, MGIB-SR, VEAP, or DEA benefits through the date you dropped out of school.
  • If you were called up under title 10 (federal authority), we will restore the entitlement you were charged for the period that you received benefits when you send us a copy of your orders or DD-214 verifying service under title 10.

For example, if you were in school one month and had to drop out, you keep the money for that period and we will add back a month to your entitlement for you to use at a later time. If you were called up under title 32 (state authority), you don't receive the entitlement restoration benefit.

  • If you have been overpaid education benefits, we will postpone collection action if you are deployed to a combat area. However, once you return from a combat area, you may be responsible for any overpayment of benefits.
Back to Top

Can I receive credit for military training?

As a veteran, active-duty, or reserve status member of the US Army, Navy, or Marine Corps, depending on your basic active-duty service date/basic pay entry dates (BASD/BPED), you may be eligible to receive and Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript System (AARTS) or Sailor/Marine/American Council on Education Registry Transcript (SMART), available to you at no charge. AARTS and SMART transcripts are fully automated documents, endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE) and generated by the services, that provide an official list of military courses, occupations, and college-level exam scores completed during active duty that have been evaluated by ACE for college credit.

It is important for you to take advantage of these valuable tools that may add college credit to your program of study, at no cost to you! For more information see the following:

For ARMY Personnel:

AARTS Operations Center
415 McPherson Avenue
Ft. Leavenworth, KS 66027-1373

Phone: 866-297-4427
Commercial: (913)684-3269
DSN: 552-3269
Commercial FAX: (913)684-2011 or DSN FAX 552-2011
 

For NAVY and MARINE Personnel:

SMART Operations Center
NETPDTC,N2
6490 Saufley Field Road
Pensacola, FL 32509

Phone: 877-253-7122
E-mail: ncc@cnet.nav.mil
 

Back to Top

What's the earliest date I can use chapter 1607?

Chapter 1607 benefits may be paid before the date of enactment the law, which was October 28, 2004. Chapter 1607 benefits are potentially payable from December 9, 2001 (90 days after September 11, 2001) for persons who were serving on a contingency operation on September 11, 2001 and who were in school on December 9, 2001

Note: "Contingency operations" as defined in title 10 U.S. Code means "military operations that are designated by the Secretary of Defense as an operation in which members of the armed forces are or may become involved in military actions, operations or hostilities against an enemy of the United States or against opposing military force; or results in the call or order to, or retention on active duty of members of the uniformed services under section 688, 12301(a), 12302, 12304, 12305, or 12406 of 10 U.S.C., chapter 15 of 10 U.S.C., or any other provision of law during a war or during a national emergency declared by the President or Congress."

Back to Top

How do I apply for Chapter 1607?

VA Regional Processing Offices in Atlanta, St. Louis, Buffalo, and Muskogee are accepting applications and supporting documents for Chapter 1607 claims.

If you have never submitted an Education Claim to VA: Submit an Application for "Application for VA Education Benefits" (VA Form 22-1990) and submit any available documents such as your Discharge from Military Service (DD Form 214), copies of orders to active duty and anything else available as evidence of qualifying service. Annotate "Chapter 1607" prominently on all correspondence and documents. If you think you have eligibility under both MGIB-Selected Reserve and REAP, please state which benefit you want. Yes, I know it should be obvious but we are required by law to ask. The statement is as simple as "I request payment of REAP benefits."

If you have previously filed a claim for Education benefits: A new application form is not required. However, you should submit any available documents such as your Discharge from Military Service (DD Form 214), copies of orders to active duty and anything else available as evidence of qualifying service to help establish eligibility for this program. You should also submit a "Request For Change of Program or Place of Training" (VA form 22-1995) which should be annotated "1607." Annotate "Chapter 1607" prominently on all correspondence and documents. If you think you have eligibility under both MGIB-Selected Reserve and REAP, please state which benefit you want. Yes, I know it should be obvious but we are required by law to ask.

Back to Top

What does Student Veteran Services do?

The purpose of Student Veteran Services is to serve Veterans by easing the transition from military to college life. This is accomplished in a peer to peer format.

Back to Top

I'm already using my benefits at another school. How do I transfer them to UNT?

To change from one school or training program to another, individuals receiving benefits under MGIB-AD (Chapter 30), MGIB-SR (Chapter 1606), VEAP (Chapter 32) and REAP (Chapter 1607) will need to submit a VA Form 22-1995 "Request For Change of Program or Place of Training" to the Regional Processing Office serving your state.

Individuals receiving benefits under the Dependents Educational Assistance Program will need to submit VA Form 22-5495 instead of Form 22-1995.

Both forms can be submitted online using the VONAPP application

Back to Top

Will the VA pay for me to have a tutor?

Yes, tutorial assistance is available if you're receiving VA educational assistance at the half-time or higher rate and have a deficiency in a subject that makes tutoring necessary. You can be reimbursed up to $100 per month up to a maximum of $1200.

To apply for tutorial assistance you must complete VA Form 22-1990t, which can be found here. Your school certifying official and tutor must sign the form.

When the form is complete, please mail it to the VA Regional Processing Office that serves the state in which your school is located. Contact information can be found here

For additional help, please use the "Ask a Question" tab at the top of this page, or call 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551).

Back to Top

I went to school here a few years ago and then quit school, how do I return to UNT?

Go to AppyTexas.org, choose returning student, fill out Application for Returning Students. Using this application, you will not have to pay the application fee.