Post 9/11 GI Bill® General Guidance
Request Enrollment Verification
Post 9/11 GI Bill®-eligible students that wish to utilize benefits while they attend Longwood University please contact [email protected] to initiate/request “enrollment certification”.
“Veterans Benefits” (All Chapters) is available from Longwood University’s Office of the Registrar.
Documentation
When available from the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs, student/family should provide to Longwood University copies of:
- Application for VA Educational Benefits – VA Form 22-1990
- Post 9/11 GI Bill® Certificate of Eligibility (COE) issued in student’s name.
For quickest processing V.A. documentation may be scanned and emailed to [email protected].
V.A. forms may also be submitted, in person, to Office of the Registrar, Brock Hall, Suite 112.
Veteran’s Access, Choice, and Accountability Act (“Veteran’s Choice Act”)
Residence
Veterans Choice Act may also apply to other veterans programs, such as Chapter 30 and Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship.
Regardless of a formal state of residence, under certain predefined circumstances, an eligible student (Veteran or other Individual with transferred benefits) may potentially qualify for Virginia, In-state “Tuition” rate while: (1) physically residing within the Commonwealth, and (2) utilizing Chapter 33 benefits.
ALL students: Out-of-State (OS) or In-state (IS)
Students may be approved for varying levels of Post 9/11 GI Bill® funding ranging from 40% to 100%. Post 9/11 GI Bill® will pay only In-state (IS) equivalent cost.
Qualified for IS RATE
If a particular student qualifies for IS rate under the Veterans Choice Act, then Longwood will charge reduced (IS) Tuition-Fee rate.
Not Qualified for IS RATE
If an OS student does NOT qualify for a reduced rate under the Veterans Choice Act, then Longwood will bill the student for any “cost difference” (ex. OS vs. IS rate). This is true even when/if a student qualifies for 100% GI Bill® funding.
Guidelines
Specific guidelines are established/defined by the US Department of Veterans Affairs and State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).
Contact
Please contact [email protected] with questions and/or request eligibility review.
Apply for Estimated Advanced (Placeholder) Tuition-Fee Credit
Post 9/11 GI Bill® recipients/beneficiaries have the option to pay their semester/term tuition-fee costs “up front” (in which case, Longwood will, later, process reimbursement = after V.A. payment is received)
OR
Eligible students may apply for an estimated “advanced” (placeholder) Tuition-Fee credit
Payment Deadlines
Applying for estimated, advanced (placeholder) credit will delay semester/term/enrollment period payment due date for particular portion/percentage of “Tuition-Fee” costs Longwood University anticipates Dept. of Veterans Affairs may pay, directly, to Longwood University.
Out-of-State students and students approved for lower than 100% funding are responsible to pay any Tuition-Fee balance not payable to Longwood University by Post 9/11 GI Bill® program.
- If a student is approved for 100% Post 9/11 GI Bill® funding, Longwood University can post placeholder credit (delaying payment due date) for 100% of Tuition-Fee costs, calculated at Virginia resident, In-state rate.
- If a student is approved for 50% Post 9/11 GI Bill® funding, Longwood University can post placeholder credit (delaying payment due date) for 50% of Tuition-Fee costs, calculated at Virginia resident, In-state rate.
Add/Drop/Schedule Changes
For most accurate display of Post 9/11 GI Bill® estimated advanced “Tuition-Fee” credits, OS students should notify Karin Warner in the Office of Student Accounts, [email protected] when/if course schedule changes (course “adds/drops”) are processed after initial “advanced” (placeholder) credits are calculated/displayed to student account.
Otherwise, V.A. payment shortages may be identified much later in the semester (after V.A. payments are received) = resulting in late-billing of additional Tuition-Fee balances due from the student.
Student Responsibilities - Secure Funding
In all cases, on or before semester payment due date, students are responsible to pay or secure* funding to satisfy any balance due to Longwood University for Room and/or Board. This applies only if a student has Longwood or Longwood-managed housing and/or meal plan assignment(s).
* Please see “Securing/Paying Remaining Student Account Balance Due” (page 4) for additional guidance.
As “reimbursement”, Dept. of Veterans Affairs will send “Basic Allowance for Housing” (BAH) payments directly to eligible students. BAH payments are direct-deposited into bank account on file with Dept. of Veterans Affairs.
Request Estimated Advanced (Placeholder) Student Account/Billing Statement Credit - Per Eligible Semester
Complete all information requested in the ACA form, including:
- Student Name
- Longwood ID Number
- Semester/Term, for which “advanced (placeholder) credit” is requested.
- Percentage of Benefits approved by V.A. for funding. Reference: V.A. Certificate of Eligibility.
- Number of Months/Days approved by V.A. (total/original). Reference: V.A. Certificate of Eligibility.
- If applicable: List all Semesters/Terms during which Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits were previously utilized (Longwood University or another school). This assists with “tracking” of benefit depletion.
Sign/date Advanced Credit Application (ACA) form.
An updated “Advanced Credit Application” (ACA) form should be submitted to Longwood University prior to payment due date for each eligible semester during which student wishes to receive “estimated advanced (placeholder) credit” posted to the ent account and Longwood University billing statement(s).
Eligible student should continue to monitor student account, online.
Estimated credits will reduce billed balances due to Longwood University before the semester payment due date.
Standard Student Billing Cycles for Longwood University
Fall semester: Student Accounts will begin billing early July, with payment due early August.
Spring semester: Student Accounts will begin billing late November, with payment due early January.
Summer I and II Terms
Summer I vs. Summer II billings are separated based upon “course end” date.
- Summer Session I: Includes only course offerings which will end before July 1 (start of the new fiscal year). Billing typically begins mid-April, with payment due by mid-May
- Summer Session II: Includes all course offerings which will end after July 1 (start of new fiscal year). Billing typically begins mid-May, with payment due on or about July 1.
Renewal of Enrollment Certification & Estimated Student Account/Billing Statement Credit
Depending upon a number of available months/days of Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits, each individual student may, or may not, wish to utilize benefits during “all” active enrollment periods.
Some students elect to utilize their GI Bill® benefits only during standard Fall/Spring semester enrollment periods—when students often register for “full-time” course loads. During “Special Sessions”—such as during “Winter Intersession” (December – January enrollment period) and/or during “Summer” sessions(s), many students may elect to pay their educational costs “out-of-pocket”.
Longwood University does not make any recommendation regarding an individual student’s best use of available GI Bill® benefits. Longwood encourages each student to consider his/her own individual circumstances and, if necessary, consult with Dept. of Veterans Affairs to gain the best value from available benefits.
Guidelines:
- When certifying enrollment to Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Longwood University will “renew” certification from Fall semester to Spring semester (same academic year) and from Spring semester to Fall semester (next academic year) unless student contacts [email protected] to “opt out” of recertification.
- For Summer session(s): Students must contact [email protected] to “opt in” for certification of enrollment. (No automatic recertification for summer enrollment periods.)
Automatic Recertifications
In all cases, even when/if enrollment is automatically recertified between fall and spring semesters to receive estimated (placeholder) student account/billing statement credit a Post 9/11 GI Bill®-eligible student must complete and submit a new (updated) Chapter 33: Post 9/11 GI Bill® – Advanced Credit Application (ACA) for Longwood University.
Questions or Concerns
Post 9/11 GI Bill®-eligible students should please contact [email protected] with any questions and/or concerns regarding enrollment certification. In addition, students are encouraged to frequently check their Longwood University Email accounts for important communications they may receive from Longwood University staff, including from Longwood University’s V.A. Certifying Official.
Securing/Paying Remaining Student Account Balances Due
Post 9/11 GI Bill® recipients may secure/pay their “out-of-pocket” balances using financial aid (grants, loans), if eligible/approved, or they may submit lump sum payments to cover any Tuition, Fee, Room, and/or Board costs the Dept. of Veterans Affairs will not pay directly to Longwood University.
Longwood University also offers a Monthly Payment Plan (MPP) installment payment option to permit registered students to divide their fall and/or spring semester “out-of-pocket” balances into multiple, smaller monthly installments. Longwood University does not offer MPP option during shorter duration summer sessions.
Fall and Spring Semesters
Students planning to join Longwood’s (optional) Monthly Payment Plan (MPP) installment plan are encouraged to join MPP after estimated Post 9/11 GI Bill®(placeholder) credits are displayed. Otherwise, MPP will over-calculate value of earliest installments.
Receipt of V.A. Tuition-Fee payment(s)
After Longwood University Receives Payment from Dept. of Veterans Affairs Longwood University Office of Student Accounts will cancel estimated (placeholder) credits and will replace these credits with actual V.A. payment(s).
In most cases, V.A. payment(s) will exactly match estimated (placeholder) credits, with no additional action or processing necessary.
Reduced Payout
Longwood University may receive a reduced, “prorated” pay-out from Dept. of Veterans Affairs. Reduced pay-out typically indicates that a student’s Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits became depleted before end of semester/enrollment period, but there could be other explanations as well.
In the event a student’s Post 9/11 GI Bill® pay-out is reduced/prorated, Longwood University Office of Student Accounts will submit follow-up invoicing to the student. When necessary, follow-up invoicing typically processes “mid-semester”, after final V.A. payment is received by the University.
Adjusted/Remaining balances
For adjusted/remaining balances billed mid-semester, student payment is due upon receipt of invoice.
Late Transfer
A student may receive “late transfer” of additional Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits. When/if this occurs, students are encouraged to share with Longwood University a copy of any “updated” documentation received from Dept. of Veterans Affairs.
V.A. may provide the student with a copy of “Benefit Transfer” and/or “Remaining Benefits” letter. V.A. may also produce an updated Certificate of Eligibility (COE).
Receiving copies of “updates” is very helpful and may help us to better “track” future distributions of a student’s Post 9/11 GI Bill® Tuition-Fee funding.
Resources
Federal
Virginia
Longwood University
Contacts
Jesse McDaniel, Office of the Registrar: Jesse is Longwood University’s V.A. Certifying Official. Jesse may be reached via Email: [email protected] or telephone: 434-395-2897.
Karin Warner, Office of Student Accounts: Karin works with Third Party programs, and can assist Chapter 33: Post 9/11 GI Bill® recipients to display estimated (placeholder) credit for Tuition-Fee amounts V.A. may pay directly to Longwood. Karin may be reached via Email: [email protected] or telephone: 434-395-2068.
Sharon Drinkard, Office of Financial Aid: Sharon works with military and V.A. programs, and can assist financial aid recipients to determine how those programs might influence a student’s total financial aid award package. Sharon may be reached via Email: [email protected] or telephone: 434-395-2209.
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 website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.