Getting your GI Bill® benefits is a 6 step process. Below are the 6 steps, listed in order:
1. Apply for the GI Bill® of your choice online via VONAPP. The VA’s Veterans Online Applications website designed so individuals can apply for benefits through the internet. If you do not have access to the internet please mail your benefits application VA form 22-1990 to the following address: Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Regional Office, PO Box 8888, Muskogee, OK 74402-8888
2. After you have applied for the GI Bill® you will be mailed a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) letter from the VA, describing your eligibility and chapter benefit. The VA mails two copies of the COE to you, one for the school certifying official (SCO) and one for your personal records. Bring the copy for the SCO to the Veterans Center.
3. Once you are admitted to Vanguard University and register for your classes the SCO will complete the Enrollment Certification process. The SCO will ask you to complete Vanguard University’s enrollment status form in which you will list all your classes for the upcoming semester. This form is available in the Veterans Center or by emailing VA School Certifying Official.
4. The SCO submits VA Form 22-1999 – Enrollment Certification, to the VA, based on the classes you listed on the Enrollment Status Request form.
5. VA receives form 22-1999 and begins processing. Turnaround time is anywhere between 2-8 weeks, but the VA aims for 24 days after reception.
6. If you receive Chapter 33 – Post 9/11, your tuition and fees will be sent directly to Vanguard University via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). If you qualify for the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) it will be mailed directly to you or via direct deposit if you opted for it on your GI Bill® application.
If you receive Chapter 30 – Montgomery Bill, CH 1606, or Chapter 1607, you will begin receiving your education stipend approximately 30 days after the first class session.