Federal Military Benefits

Federal Veterans Benefits

Information regarding federal VA benefits, including eligibility, application and payment information, can be obtained at 1-888-GIBILL1 (1-888-442-4551) or online at www.benefits.va.gov/benefits.

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

Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) Chapter 35

The DEA Chapter 35 VA benefit provides assistance to spouses or children of a deceased or totally and permanently disabled veteran (100% disability rating).

This program offers up to 36 months of entitlement. This is a benefit that is paid directly to the student to assist with tuition and fee charges and/or housing expenses. To review the current payment rates, please visit the VA Rate Tables.

Proper documentation must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office by the student in order to originate the processing of VA enrollment certifications and related processes.

New Applicants

• To apply for this benefit, you will need to complete the VA Form 22-5490 online at Application for GI Bill® Benefits.
• When you receive your Certificate of Eligibility from the VA, please send a copy to va@escc.edu.
• After registration, complete the online ESCC VA Certification request form. The ESCC VA Certification form will need to be submitted each term that you wish to use your VA benefits.

Transfer Students

• To notify the VA that you are switching to a new institution, please complete the VA Form 22-5495 online at Veteran Request for Change.
• After registration, complete the online ESCC VA Certification request form. The ESCC VA Certification form will need to be submitted each term that you wish to use your VA benefits.

Important Information

• Chapter 35 is a monthly stipend paid directly to the student and DOES NOT pay tuition, fees, or books directly to the school.
• The benefit will only pay for required classes under the student’s current degree plan.
• If a student has already passed a course, they cannot retake the course using Chapter 35 even if Chapter 35 did not pay for the course previously.
• Remedial courses taken online cannot be certified to the VA. Remedial courses must be taken within a classroom and an ACCUPLACER Exam placing the student within the remedial course must be on file for the course to be covered under the benefit.

Post 9/11 GI Bill® Chapter 33

To be eligible for Post 9/11 GI Bill® Chapter 33 benefits, an honorably discharged veteran or active duty service member must have at least 90 aggregate days of active-duty service after September 10, 2001. To review the full qualifications, please visit the VA website.

The Post 9/11 GI Bill® allows for three separate benefit payments for most students:

• A tuition and fee benefit paid directly to the school. To find your percentage rate towards tuition, please visit the GI Bill® website.
• A monthly stipend paid directly to the student as long as they are not on active duty or to the spouse of an active duty member who is using the benefit their sponsor transferred to them. Students can use the GI Bill® comparison tool to calculate their MHA payment.
• A book stipend that consists of $41.67 per credit hour that is paid directly to the student (up to $1000 per academic year).

This benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill® also offers some service members the opportunity to transfer their GI Bill® to dependents. To find out more information on transferring Post 9/11 benefits to dependents, please visit Transfer your Post 9/11 GI Bill® Benefits on the VA website.

Proper documentation must be submitted to the Financial Aid/VA Office by the student in order to originate the processing of VA enrollment certifications and related processes.

New Applicants

• Active service member or veteran: To apply for this benefit, you will need to complete the VA Form 22-1990 online at Application for GI Bill® Benefits.
• Dependent or Spouse activating their DoD approved Transfer of Entitlement (TOE) Post 9/11 Chapter 33 benefit: To apply for this benefit, you will need to complete the VA Form 22-1990e online at Application for GI Bill® Benefits.
• When you receive your Certificate of Eligibility from the VA, please send a copy to va@escc.edu.
• After registration, complete the online ESCC VA Certification request form. The ESCC VA Certification form will need to be submitted each term that you wish to use your VA benefits.

Transfer Students

• To notify the VA that you are switching to a new institution, please complete the VA Form 22-1995 online at Veteran Request for Change.
• Please send a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility to va@escc.edu.
• After registration, complete the online ESCC VA Certification request form. The ESCC VA Certification form will need to be submitted each term that you wish to use your VA benefits.

Important Information

• This benefit does not allow students to charge books. The book stipend is a flat dollar amount paid directly to the student based on the number of hours the student is enrolled ($41.67 per credit hour).
• If you choose to remain opted in and your degree program participates in the ALL-IN Textbook rental program, please note that this fee is not covered under your Post 9/11 benefits and will be the responsibility of the student. If you receive your book stipend before tuition payment is due, then you can use your book stipend to pay towards your balance of the book charges. If you do not receive your book stipend by the payment due date then you would have to pay for your books out of pocket and then allow for the book stipend to reimburse you. To opt-out of the ALL-IN Textbook rental program, please contact va@escc.edu.
• To be eligible for the BAH monthly stipend, students must have at least a 51% pursuit rate, which is calculated based on the days of the term and the number of hours the student is enrolled.
• If currently serving on active duty while utilizing Chapter 33, the BAH monthly stipend is not applicable. If using transferred Chapter 33 benefits as a spouse and your spouse is still on active duty, the BAH monthly stipend is also not applicable. Dependents using transferred Chapter 33 are eligible for the BAH monthly stipend regardless of the service members status.
• The benefit will only pay for required classes under the student’s current degree plan.
• If a student has already passed a course, they cannot retake the course using Chapter 33 even if Chapter 33 did not pay for the course previously.
• Remedial courses taken online cannot be certified to the VA. Remedial courses must be taken within a classroom and an ACCUPLACER Exam placing the student within the remedial course must be on file for the course to be covered under the benefit.
• The Yellow Ribbon Program works in conjunction with the Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefit; however, ESCC does not participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program. The Yellow Ribbon Program helps to cover higher out-of-state tuition charges that the Post 9/11 GI Bill® does not cover, and at ESCC, Post 9/11 Chapter 33 recipients are charged in-state tuition rates.
• Starting in the 2021-22 school year, Post-9/11 GI Bill® students who receive Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) and/or kicker payments are required to verify their enrollment to continue receiving their payments.  If you have any questions about this process, those will need to be directed to the VA at 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551). Please review the information on the Enrollment Verification VA Website for more information on enrollment verification and verification methods.

Montgomery GI Bill®- Active Duty Chapter 30

Certain Veterans may be eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill® (MGIB) – Active Duty Chapter 30 benefit if they were honorably discharged and served at least 2 or 3 years of active duty depending on the branch and service dates. To review the full qualifications, please visit the VA website.

This is a benefit that is paid directly to the student to assist with tuition and fee charges.

Proper documentation must be submitted to the Financial Aid/VA Office by the student in order to originate the processing of VA enrollment certifications and related processes.

New Applicants

• To apply for this benefit, you will need to complete the VA Form 22-1990 online at Application for GI Bill Benefits.
• When you receive your Certificate of Eligibility from the VA, please send a copy to va@escc.edu.
• After registration, complete the online ESCC VA Certification request form. The ESCC VA Certification form will need to be submitted each term that you wish to use your VA benefits.

Transfer Students

• To notify the VA that you are switching to a new institution, please complete the VA Form 22-1995 online at Veteran Request for Change.
• After registration, complete the online ESCC VA Certification request form. The ESCC VA Certification form will need to be submitted each term that you wish to use your VA benefits.

Important Information

• Chapter 30 is paid directly to the student and DOES NOT pay tuition, fees, or books directly to the school.
• The benefit will only pay for required classes under the student’s current degree plan.
• If a student has already passed a course, they cannot retake the course using Chapter 30 even if Chapter 30 did not pay for the course previously.
• Remedial courses taken online cannot be certified to the VA. Remedial courses must be taken within a classroom and an ACCUPLACER Exam placing the student within the remedial course must be on file for the course to be covered under the benefit.
• To receive your monthly payment from the VA, at the end of each month, you must verify your enrollment with the VA. You can verify your enrollment by calling 1-877-823-2378 or going online to the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (W.A.V.E).

Montgomery GI Bill®- Selected Reserve Chapter 1606

The MGIB-SR program may be available to you if you are a member of the Selected Reserve. The Selected Reserve includes the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. Eligibility for this program is determined by the Selected Reserve components. To review the full qualifications, please visit the VA website.

You may be entitled to receive up to 36 months of education benefits. This is a benefit that is paid directly to the student to assist with tuition and fee charges and/or housing expenses. To review the current payment rates, please visit the VA Rate Tables.

Proper documentation must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office by the student in order to originate the processing of VA enrollment certifications and related processes.

New Applicants

• To apply for this benefit, you will need to complete the VA Form 22-1990 online at Application for GI Bill Benefits.
• When you receive your Certificate of Eligibility from the VA, please send a copy to va@escc.edu.
• After registration, complete the online ESCC VA Certification request form. The ESCC VA Certification form will need to be submitted each term that you wish to use your VA benefits.

Transfer Students

• To notify the VA that you are switching to a new institution, please complete the VA Form 22-1995 online at Veteran Request for Change.
• After registration, complete the online ESCC VA Certification request form. The ESCC VA Certification form will need to be submitted each term that you wish to use your VA benefits.

Important Information

• Chapter 1606 is a monthly stipend paid directly to the student and DOES NOT pay tuition, fees, or books directly to the school.
• The benefit will only pay for required classes under the student’s current degree plan.
• If a student has already passed a course, they cannot retake the course using Chapter 1606 even if Chapter 1606 did not pay for the course previously.
• Remedial courses taken online cannot be certified to the VA. Remedial courses must be taken within a classroom and an ACCUPLACER Exam placing the student within the remedial course must be on file for the course to be covered under the benefit.
• To receive your monthly payment from the VA, at the end of each month, you must verify your enrollment with the VA. You can verify your enrollment by calling 1-877-823-2378 or going online to the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (W.A.V.E).

Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Chapter 31

Formally known as  Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment.

This benefit helps veterans who have a service–connected disability explore employment options and address education or training needs. To find out more information on eligibility, please visit the VA website.

A Veteran who is eligible for an evaluation under Chapter 31 must first apply for services and receive an appointment with a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC). The VRC will work with the Veteran to determine if an employment handicap exists as a result of his or her service-connected disability. If an employment handicap is established and the Veteran is found entitled to services, the VRC and the Veteran will continue counseling to select a track of services and jointly develop a plan to address the Veteran’s rehabilitation and employment needs. For more information on how to apply for the VR&E Chapter 31 benefit, please visit How to Apply for Veteran Readiness and Employment.

Proper documentation must be submitted to the Financial Aid/VA Office by the student or VR&E case manager in order to begin the processing of VA enrollment certifications and related processes.

New and Transfer Applications

• VR&E Approval Authorization on file from the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
• After registration, complete the online ESCC VA Certification request form. The ESCC VA Certification form will need to be submitted each term that you wish to use your VA benefits.

Important Information

• Chapter 31 tuition payment is paid directly to the school.
• Chapter 31 students are eligible to charge books to their ESCC account. This also includes authorized school supplies up to $50 per term (no food, clothes, or backpacks). If you choose to remain opted in and your degree program participates in the ALL-IN Textbook rental program, please note that you will be allowed to either participate in the program and rent your books OR purchase your textbooks by charging them to your ESCC account; you cannot do both. To opt-out of the ALL-IN Textbook rental program, please contact va@escc.edu.
• The benefit will only pay for required classes under the student’s current degree plan.
• If a student has already passed a course, they cannot retake the course using Chapter 31 even if Chapter 31 did not pay for the course previously.
• Remedial courses taken online cannot be certified to the VA. Remedial courses must be taken within a classroom and an ACCUPLACER Exam placing the student within the remedial course must be on file for the course to be covered under the benefit.
• Any courses or program changes must be approved through the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. Any exceptions made or approval of changes will need to be sent via email from the Vocational Rehabilitation counselor to va@escc.edu.

More Information