Veterans

This institution is approved to offer GI Bill ^® educational benefits by the Virginia State Approving Agency.

Veterans Educational Benefits

Certification for educational benefits is a service provided by the Registrar’s Office. Both the Registrar and Assistant Registrar serve as School Certifying Officials.

Students using benefits for the first time: Contact the Registrar’s Office at vacertifications@evms.edu to submit a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility, which you received from the Department of Veterans Affairs and you will be provided the link to complete the online Veteran Enrollment Request Form (VERF) after you have registered for all of your classes. Also, if you are a student who has previously used benefits for a different program at another school prior to attending EVMS or request to later change programs while attending EVMS, the applicable VA FORM 22-1995 or 22-5495, Change of Program/Place of Training Form may be required depending on your chapter and type of benefit.

Continuing students using benefits: Prior to the upcoming term’s registration, students will receive a reminder email from the Registrar with instructions on continuing the process. Reply to that email from your EVMS student email account each term to confirm continued enrollment in the benefit usage process. Students are required to complete the online Veteran Enrollment Request Form (VERF) each term they request certification. Students may also elect NOT to receive benefits for any given term. Students who do not complete the online Veteran Enrollment Request Form (VERF) or a non-response is taken as the student’s election not to receive benefits for the term in question.

Additionally, anytime a student makes changes to their enrollment, the online Veteran Enrollment Adjustment Form (VEAF) must be completed and submitted to the Registrar’s Office at vacertifications@evms.edu for processing so the appropriate changes can be reported to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014, U.S. Code, 38 U.S.C.367(c)

The following covered individuals shall be charged a rate of tuition not to exceed the in-state rate for tuition and fees purposes:

A Veteran using educational assistance under either chapter 30 (Montgomery G.I. Bill - Active Duty Program) or chapter 33 (Post-9/11 G.I. Bill), of title 38, United States Code, who lives in Virginia while attending a school located in Virginia (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of discharge or release from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits (38 U.S.C. § 3319) who lives in Virginia while attending a school located in Virginia (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the transferor’s discharge or release from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
Anyone described above while he or she remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same school. The person so described must have enrolled in the school prior to the expiration of the three year period following discharge or release as described above and must be using educational benefits under either chapter 30 or chapter 33 of title 38, United States Code.
Anyone using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C. § 3311(b)(9)) who lives in Virginia while attending a school located in Virginia (regardless of his/her formal State of residence).
Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits (38 U.S.C. § 3319) who lives in Virginia while attending a school located in Virginia (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and the transferor is a member of the uniformed service who is serving on active duty.

Title 38 U.S.C. 3679(c) is amended effective August 1, 2022 to include anyone using educational assistance under chapter 35 (Dependent Educational Assistance):

The following individuals shall be charged the in-state rate, or otherwise considered a resident, for tuition purposes:

A veteran using educational assistance under either Chapter 30 (Montgomery G.I. Bill® - Active Duty Program) or Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 G.I. Bill), of Title 38, United States Code, who lives in the Commonwealth of Virginia while attending a school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (regardless of their formal state of residence).
Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits who lives in the state where the IHL is located, and the transferor is a member of the uniformed service serving on active duty.
A spouse or child using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C. § 3311(b)(9) who lives in the Commonwealth of Virginia while attending a school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (regardless of their formal state of residence).
A spouse or child using benefits under Survivors’ and Dependents’ Education Assistance (Chapter 35) living in the Commonwealth of Virginia while attending a school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (regardless of their formal state of residence).
An individual using educational assistance under chapter 31, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) who lives in the Commonwealth of Virginia while attending a school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (regardless of their formal state of residence) effective for courses, semesters, or terms beginning after March 1, 2019.
Anyone described above remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same institution. Therefore, the described person must be enrolled in the institution and use educational benefits under Chapters 30, 31, 33 or 35 of Title 38, United States Code.

The policy shall be read to be amended as necessary to be compliant with the requirements of 38 U.S.C. 3679 as amended.

Note: All active duty service members or veterans who were honorably discharged more than 3 years before their enrollment at the institution may contact the Registrar’s Office for questions on in-state eligibility.

EVMS Veterans policy permits any covered individual to attend or participate in the course of education during the period beginning on the date on which the individual provides to our Registrar’s Office a copy of their Certificate Of Eligibility (COE) for entitlement to educational assistance under Chapter 31 or Chapter 33 (a “Certificate of Eligibility” can also include a “Statement of Benefits” obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) website also known as “eBenefits”, or a VAF 28-1905 form for Chapter 31 authorization of educational assistance) and ending on the earlier of the following dates:

The date on which payment from the VA is made to the institution.
Ninety days after the date the institution certified tuition and fees following the receipt of the certificate of eligibility.

In accordance with EVMS Accounts Receivable and Student Billing Policy, EVMS Veterans Policy is in agreement with VA Delayed Payment Compliance as of August 1, 2019, which ensures that our educational institution will not:

Impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees
Deny access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement of funding or payment from the VA under Chapters 31 or 33.

Note: Per EVMS Accounts Receivable and Student Billing Policy, because tuition is due in full on the first day of class, EVMS may require additional payment or impose a fee for the amount that is the difference between the amount of the student’s financial obligation and the amount of the VA education benefit disbursement if the amount of the VA education benefit disbursement does not cover the full tuition amount that is due.

Amended as part of Colonel John M. McHugh, section 3679 of title 38, United States Code

NOTE: A Covered Individual is any individual who is entitled to educational assistance under chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, or chapter 33, Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, or chapter 35, Dependents Education Assistance.

EVMS Veterans Policy permits any covered individual to attend or participate in the course of education during the period beginning on the date on which the individual provides to the educational institution a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under chapter 31, 33, or 35 (a “certificate of eligibility” can also include a “Statement of Benefits” obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) website - eBenefits, or a VAF 28-1905 form for chapter 31 authorization purposes) and ending on the earlier of the following dates:

The date on which payment from VA is made to the institution.
90 days after the date the institution certified tuition and fees following the receipt of the certificate of eligibility.

Per EVMS Student Accounts Receivable Policy, EVMS will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrows additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement funding from VA under chapter 31, 33, or 35.

Virginia State Approving Agency (SAA)

The Virginia State Approving Agency (SAA), is the approving authority of education and training programs for Virginia. Their office investigates complaints of GI Bill beneficiaries. While most complaints should initially follow the EVMS School Grievance Policy, if the situation cannot be resolved at or by EVMS, the beneficiary should contact the SAA via email at: saa@dvs.virginia.gov

Dual Objectives

A request for approval of dual objectives is required for students receiving VA benefits.

A program of education may lead to more than one educational, professional, or vocational objective if all objectives pursued are generally recognized as being reasonably related to a single career field. The objectives do not necessarily have to be on the same professional or technical level. For example, a student may want to concurrently pursue two different degrees or pursue a degree and a certificate.

A combination of two approved degree programs at the same school does not need additional approval; additional approval will be necessary in any other circumstance.

For approval of a dual objective, please make this request through the Registrar’s Office and also send the request by email to: vacertifications@evms.edu.
For graduate students, the school must submit its dual objective request during the second term (semester/quarter) of the student’s enrollment in graduate school.
The school registrar must certify the total hours for the first degree and the total additional credit hours needed to achieve and complete the dual objective.
All requests for approval of dual objectives must be signed and recommended by the Department Chair or Dean of the department, school or college involved in granting the dual objective.
The application for dual objective requests will be sent from the Registrar’s Office to the Virginia State Approving Agency (SAA). All approvals for dual objective requests are to be determined by the SAA.

GI Bill ^® is a registered trademark of the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Webs site at: https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/.