Benefits Certification Process: I am ...

I. Attending UND and have never received Veterans Education Benefits

1. Please review the criteria for each Education Benefit (listed on the right) and complete the appropriate application for your needs.
2. Return the application to the UND Veteran and Military Services office with a copy of your DD214.
3. The Department of Veterans Affairs will process your application.
4. If you qualify, you will receive a Certificate of Eligibility, indicating the type of benefit(s), number of months remaining, and the benefit(s) expiration date.
5. The Veteran Certifying Official at UND will prepare an enrollment certification based on the number of credits you are registered for and submit the certification to the DVA.
6. Processing may take 6-10 weeks before payment authorization.

II. Attending UND and previously received benefits at another school

1. Complete a 22-1995 form (Request for Change of Program or Place of Training).
2. Return the application to the UND Veteran and Military Services office.
3. If you qualify, you will receive a Certificate of Eligibility, indicating the type of benefit(s), number of months remaining, and the benefit(s) expiration date.
4. The Veteran Certifying Official at UND will prepare an enrollment certification based on the number of credits you are registered for and submit the certification to the DVA.
5. Processing may take 6-10 weeks before payment authorization.

III. Changing my student status

All students receiving educational benefits are required by law to keep the UND Veteran Certifying Official informed of the following:

• UND VA Enrollment Worksheet (LINK) - must be filled out each semester after you register
• Enrollment Status
• Any credit changes or withdrawals
• Change in degree or program
• Address changes
• Change in dependents

Military Activation of UND Students

As a student called to active military duty, the Veteran Certifying Official at UND is here to assist you with your transition and ensure your educational and financial aid needs are addressed. Your first step is to contact the Veteran Certifying Official, and to fax her a copy of your orders (contact info on right).

Correspondence and Online Students

While you are deployed you may want to consider taking online or correspondence courses:

• Certificate programs through Continuing Education do not qulify for the GI Bill.
• Active duty can get paid for one certifcate program through Tuition Assistance (TA).
• Courses offered are listed on through Online and Distance Education
• As long as your courses are for college credit and work toward completion of your degree, you can collect VA education benefits for those courses.
• For the 9-month open enrollment courses, VA payments are made for a 9 month time frame starting the date you sign up for the course. Payment for tuition is divided by 9-months.
• View general information about financial aid for online and correspondence.

Deployed Military FAQs

As the survivor or dependent of a veteran or military personnel, you are able to apply for educational benefits to financially assist your education at UND.

1. Complete the Application for Survivors and Dependents Education Assistance through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
2. The Department of Veterans Affairs will process your application.
3. If you qualify, you will receive a Certificate of Eligibility, indicating the type of benefit(s), number of months remaining, and the benefit(s) expiration date.
4. The Veteran Certifying Official at UND will prepare an enrollment certification based on the number of credits you are registered for and submit the certification to the DVA.
5. Processing may take 6-10 weeks before payment authorization.

Campus Aid and Loan Eligibility

As of July 2009, financial aid offices exclude your veteran education benefits when determining eligibility for student loans and campus-based aid. However, you will still see your benefits on CampusConnection as financial aid awards and anticipated aid for a term.

North Dakota Century Code Waivers are still counted as a resource when determining financial aid eligibility, which includes:

• Dependents of resident veterans who were killed in action, died of service-related causes, were prisoners of war or declared missing in action.
• Survivors of firefighters, emergency medical services personnel or peace officers who died as a direct result of injuries received in the performance of official duties.

Grant Eligibility

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) provides maximum Federal Pell Grant eligibility for a student whose parent or guardian was a member of the Armed Forces and died as a result of performing military service in Iraq or Afghanistan after September 11, 2001, provided the child was under 24 years old or was enrolled in college at the time of the death.

All other Pell Grant eligibility requirements remain the same. The Department of Education will work with the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to identify affected students.

For those not eligible for a Pell Grant due to income, Higher Education Technical Amendments provide a comparable grant of the same size at the maximum Pell awards. Students will be eligible for more than $20,000 in grants over four years of college.