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Online Veterans Resource Center

A Guide to Military and Veterans Affairs at Berkeley College and beyond.

Veteran Enrollment Certification Process

Veteran students who are receiving Post 9/11 GI BILL, the Forever GI BILL or Vocational Rehabilitation must request for certification every semester.  If you have reached your yearly cap with the Post 9/11 GI Bill, Berkeley participates with the Yellow Ribbon Program, please certify online.

You may certify at:  

https://berkeley-veterans-request.azurewebsites.net/pages/default.aspx or click on webpage 

Changes to your Schedule:

If you make changes to your schedule- ADD, DROP or WITHDRAW from a class you must notify the Office of Military & Veteran Affair in a timely manner. If you are a student receiving Vocational  Rehabilitation, please notify your counselor of the changes.                                                                                                         

How to apply for VA educational benefits & Vocational Rehabilitation Process

                                                                                                                                                    

How to apply for Post 9/11 GI Bill                                                                                   

  • Through the Veteran Administration link: https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/
  • Call 1-888-GI BILL-1 (888-442-4551) to have the application mailed to you
  • Stop by The Office of Military & Veterans Affairs for directions on how to apply

Every Semester:

Tuition and Fee Payment :  Institutions of Higher Learning as of 2019 https://www.benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/resources/benefits_resources/rates/ch33/ch33rates080119.asp#BOOKS

Type of School Maximum Tuition & Fee Reimbursement per Academic Year
Public School All Tuition and Fee Payments for an in-State Student
Private or Foreign School Up to $24,476.79 per academic year National Maximum

 

How to apply for Vocational Rehabilitation Benefits

Through the Veteran Administration link:  https://www.benefits.va.gov/VOCREHAB/VRE_Process.asp

Ebenefits log in: https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/homepage

Once you have been approved for Voc. Rehab please have counselor submit an approved VA FORM 28-1905 to the Office of Military & Veteran Affairs either via email or student can drop off form to the OMVA for school certifying official to sign, please include your class schedule.

Every Semester:

  • Sign Veterans Billing Agreement (at student accounts) checking off Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation    https://berkeleycollege.edu/pdf/veterans-billing-agreement.pdf
  • The form must be submitted to OMVA every semester along with class schedule 
  • Once Form 1905 has been approved please enroll for certification, you will receive an email notification stating that your request for certification has been received. 

NOTE: any changes to your class schedule ADD, DROP or WITHDRAW must be notified to your counselor and OMVA as soon as possible. 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please see below for sample 1905 form 

Berkeley College & Veterans Educational Benefits

If you receive VA educational benefits you may also qualify for Pell not Tap (restriction based on income, etc may apply)

Apply for FAFSA: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa

Forum: http://vetsbenefits.net/post-9-11-gi-bill-and-pell-grant-question-t83969.html

Forever GI Bill - Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act

The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, also known as the “Forever GI Bill,” will bring significant changes to Veterans education benefits over the coming years. Most changes enhance or expand education benefits for Veterans, service members, families, and survivors. https://www.benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/FGIBSummaries.asp

Yellow Ribbon Program

Your actual tuition & fees costs may exceed these amounts if you are attending a private school or are attending a public school as a nonresident student. Institutions of Higher Learning (Degree Granting Institutions) may elect to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program to make additional funds available for your education program without an additional charge to your GI Bill entitlement. Degree-granting institutions of higher learning participating in the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Program agree to make additional funds available for your education program without an additional charge to your GI Bill entitlement. These institutions voluntarily enter into a Yellow Ribbon Agreement with VA and choose the amount of tuition and fees that will be contributed. VA matches that amount and issues payments directly to the institution. https://www.benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/yellow_ribbon.asp

Tuition Assistance Military Tuition Assistance is a benefit paid to eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard. Congress has given each service the ability to pay up to 100% for the tuition expenses of its members.

 

Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) Chapter 1606

If you’re a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, or Air National Guard, you may be able to get up to 36 months of education and training benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) program. 

Montgomery GI BILL for Active Duty Chapter 30 

If you’ve served at least 2 years on active duty, find out if you qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD) program.   https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/resources/benefits_resources/rate_tables.asp 

Veterans Tuition Awards

The Veterans Tuition Awards, managed by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), awards are for full-time study and part-time study for eligible Veterans matriculated at an undergraduate or graduate degree-granting institution or in an approved vocational training program in New York State. Eligible students are those who are New York State residents discharged under honorable conditions from the U.S. Armed forces and who are one of the following:

  • Vietnam Veterans who served in Indochina between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975.
  • Persian Gulf Veterans who served in the Persian Gulf on or after August 2, 1990.
  • Afghanistan Veterans who served in Afghanistan during hostilities on or after September 11, 2001.
  • Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces who served in hostilities that occurred after February 28, 1961 as evidenced by receipt of an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Navy Expeditionary Medal or a Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal.

HESC website at: http://www.hesc.ny.gov/content.nsf/SFC/Veterans_Tuition_Awards

Survivors & Dependent Benefits

https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/survivor_dependent_assistance.asp

The Survivors & Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA) Program (Chapter 35)-offers education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of Veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition or of Veterans who died while on active duty or as a result of a service-related condition. 

The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Fry Scholarship) is available for children and spouses of Service members who died in the line of duty after  9/10/01 

                               

Spouse & Dependents VA Education Information

The Department of Defense offers financial assistance for education, training and/or occupational license and credentials to eligible spouses and/or dependents of service members serving on active duty Title 10 orders in the paygrades of E1-E5, O1-O2, or W1-W2. For more information see http://www.militaryonesource.mil/seco

Chapter 33 benefits may be transfered to your spouse and/or dependent if you meet certain qualifying criteria.   Eligible Individuals:

Any member of the Armed Forces (active duty or Selected Reserve, officer or enlisted) on or after August 1, 2009, who is eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and

-Has at least 6 years of service in the Armed Forces on the date of election and agrees to serve 4 additional years in the Armed Forces from the date of election.

-Has at least 10 years of service in the Armed Forces (active duty and/or selected reserve) on the date of election, is precluded by either standard policy (service or DoD) or statute from committing to 4 additional years, and agrees to serve for the maximum amount of time allowed by such policy or statute

All applications will be submitted through the Transferability of Educational Benefits (TEB) website, located at http://milconnect.dmdc.mil .  Service members will be able to securely access this site with a Common Access Card, a DoD Self Service User ID, or a DFAS PIN.  Currently this application may be accessed only with Internet Explorer.

Explanation of Post 9/11 Benefits

What benefits can I get through the Post-9/11 GI Bill?                            

You can receive up to 36 months of benefits, including:

  • Tuition and fees. If you qualify for the maximum benefit, we’ll cover the full cost of public, in-state tuition and fees. We cap the rates for private and foreign schools, and update those rates each year.
    View current rates.
  • Money for housing (if you’re in school more than half time). We’ll base your monthly housing allowance on the cost of living where your school is located.
  • Money for books and supplies. You can receive up to $1,000 per school year.
  • Money to help you move from a rural area to go to school. You may qualify for this one-time payment of $500 if you live in a county with 6 or fewer people per square mile and you’re either moving at least 500 miles to go to school or have no other option but to fly by plane to get to your school.

Here’s how we’ll determine how much of the benefit you’ll qualify for:

The specific amount you’ll receive will depend on how much active service you’ve had since September 10, 2001. We’ll calculate this amount based on a percentage of the maximum benefit.

For example: If you had 90 days of active service since September 10, 2001, you would qualify for 40% of the maximum amount. If you served for 3 years, you would qualify for 100% of the benefit. So if your school charges $22,000 for in-state tuition and fees, you would receive $8,800 if you had 90 days of active service and the full $22,000 if you had 3 years of active service.

Note that this will change August 1, 2020. In this example, 90 days of active service would qualify you for 50% of the maximum amount as of August 1, 2020.

Do these benefits expire?

This depends on when you were discharged from active duty.

If your service ended before January 1, 2013, your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits will expire 15 years after your last separation date from active service. You must use all of your benefits by that time or you’ll lose whatever’s left.

If your service ended on or after January 1, 2013, your benefits won’t expire thanks to a new law called the Forever GI Bill - Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act. Some letters you receive from us may not yet reflect this change. Thank you for your patience as we work to update our systems.

https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/post-9-11/

HESC Awards

Higher-Education-Services 80

Preparing for College:https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/military-corner.html

Start at DANTES (Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support), a Department of Defense agency that helps veterans and active duty military personnel get started on a college or vocational program. Here you will:

·        Learn about available educational benefits, based on your branch of service and status
·        Learn how to earn college credit for your military experience
·        Access your official military educational transcript to use for applying to college

Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant

A student who is not eligible for a Pell Grant, but whose parent or guardian was a member of the U.S. Armed Forces and died as a result of service performed in Iraq or Afghanistan after September 11, 2001 may be eligible to receive the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant.

New York State Veterans and Families Benefits

Military and veterans education benefits may not cover all college expenses. Remember to apply for all the federal and state student aid you are eligible for by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (the FAFSA). If you are a New York State resident and plan to attend a college or university in New York, you may be eligible for New York’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). Learn more.

Veterans Tuition Awards
 

Provides awards for full-time and part-time study to eligible veterans matriculated at an undergraduate or graduate degree-granting institution or in an approved vocational program in New York State.

Military Enhanced Recognition Incentive and Tribute (MERIT) – also known as the Military Service Recognition Scholarship 
 

Provides financial aid to children, spouses and financial dependents of those who, while New York State residents in service in the U.S. Armed Forces or state organized militia, at any time on or after August 2, 1990, died, became severely and permanently disabled, or was classified as missing in action in a combat zone while engaged in or training for hostilities.

NYS Regents Awards for Children of Deceased and Disabled Veterans
 

Provides $450 per year to students whose parent(s) served in the U.S. Armed Forces during specified periods of war or national emergency and, as a result of service, either died, suffered a 40% or more disability, was classified as missing in action, or was a prisoner of war. The veteran must currently be a New York State resident or have been a New York State resident at the time of death or classification as missing in action.

Recruitment Incentive and Retention Program (RIRP)

RIRP provides college financial aid, up to $4,350 per year, to any active service member who has successfully completed advanced individual training or commissioning and other requirements of the NYS Division of Military and Naval Affairs. Information and applications for this program may be obtained from the NYS Division of Military and Naval Affairs.

 

Military Residency Waiver 

The New York State residency eligibility requirement for recipients of awards administered by HESC is waived for a member of, or for the spouse or dependent of a member of, the U.S. Armed Forces who is on full-time active duty and is stationed in this state.

Questions?

Contact HESC’s Scholarship Unit at 1-888-NYSHESC (1-888-697-4372), or chat with us online.