Benefits

Receive VA educational benefits

The VA benefits most commonly used at UWB, but not limited to:

CHAPTER 30 Montgomery GI Bill® – Active Duty (old GI Bill®)
CHAPTER 31 Vocational Rehabilitation
CHAPTER 33 Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (NEW GI Bill®)
CHAPTER 35 Survivors’ & Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA)
CHAPTER 1606 Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve

Post 9/11 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 Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

When can I register for classes?

All new students must attend Orientation once they have been admitted in order to register for classes. All veterans are eligible for priority registration (first day of the Priority I Registration Period) at the University of Washington after their first quarter of attendance.

What do I need to receive my VA Educational Benefits at UWB?

You are strongly encouraged to contact Veteran & Military Resources Office as soon as you are admitted to UWB to begin this process. A scanned copy of your approval letter from the VA (Certificate of Eligibility) for the benefit you are using may be needed for verification. This will not be retained in your file. You may also simply email Veteran & Military Resources Office with information on the benefit you plan to use.
Veterans must provide a copy of your DD 214 (Member 4).

Do I need to complete any forms on a quarterly basis to have my enrollment certified to the VA?

Not at this time. Once a file has been created for you with all the appropriate information, Veteran & Military Resources Office will automatically certify your enrollment to the VA on a quarterly basis.
Enrollments (credits) are usually submitted to the VA electronically about 1-2 weeks prior to the start of every term. If you are not registered by that time, please let us know when your registration is finalized so you may be certified for benefits.
Veteran & Military Resources Office will certify students automatically unless you state otherwise. This must be done via email before classes begin. Certifications cannot be retracted once the quarter is underway.

What is the WA state tuition reduction/waiver?

The benefits you receive from the Department of Veterans Affairs are federal entitlements. The State of Washington has a tuition reduction and waiver program in place for veterans and dependents (of 100% disabled or deceased veterans). Qualified veterans may receive a 50% tuition discount. Eligible spouses and children may receive a tuition waiver. If you are interested in these programs, please contact Veteran & Military Resources Office.

Students who are 100% eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill® would not need to use the reduction unless they choose not to use their federal benefits. Please reach out to Veteran & Military Resources Office to review your circumstances and options.

Note: Those using the 50% tuition reduction may use it only for EITHER their undergraduate OR graduate degrees.

Tuition reduction or waiver forms:

For Post 9/11 GI Bill®:

Your tuition will not be submitted with your enrollment. They are submitted about three weeks into the term after schedules are finalized to avoid repayment issues.
Post 9/11 students are coded as Ch. 33 in the UW system and will not be held accountable for late tuition fees. You do not need to pay tuition by the tuition deadline (third Friday of every quarter). We know that the VA will be rendering tuition payments by the end of the term.
If a student is less than 100% eligible for Post 9/11, they should not remit payment until after the VA has paid their share. These students may also be eligible for the WA State Tuition Reduction for Veterans (please contact Veteran & Military Resources Office).
The VA does not begin processing BAH payments until classes have begun for each term. They can take between 30-45 days to process. Your BAH/MHA may not be available to you when your bills are due. Please plan accordingly for this.
Book stipends are deposited into your accounts separately from your BAH/MHA.
If you are using financial aid, know that some awards MUST go towards tuition, while others are more flexible but may go towards covering tuition first.
If you have funds designated ONLY for tuition, they would be deducted from the amount reported to the VA.
Other financial aid awards may automatically pay your tuition and fees first, rendering those funds unavailable to you until the VA funds are received. This can be a frustrating experience as you may need these funds for daily expenses.
If this applies to you, please do the following:
- Mark your calendars for one to two weeks prior to the start of each quarter
- Submit an email to uwbfaid@uw.edu with the subject heading GI BILL® stating the following:
  - That you are a recipient of the new Post 9/11 GI Bill® (Ch. 33)
  - That you do not want any aid applied to tuition and fees because the VA will be issuing payment
  - That you understand that ultimately, tuition and fees are your responsibility
- Please make certain that you submit this email at least two weeks before each quarter begins. It is much easier to fix this before the quarter than after the aid has already been disbursed.

VA Vocational Rehabilitation (Ch. 31):

Your VA VR&E Counselor will provide Veteran & Military Resources Office with all the necessary information needed for benefits.
Enrollments are usually submitted to the VA electronically about 1-2 weeks prior to the start of every term.
Veteran & Military Resources Office will email you a voucher for books and supplies, instructions for obtaining a parking permit, and will also have your tuition and mandatory fees billed to the VA (first week of the term).

Montgomery GI Bill® (Ch. 30), Dependents Education Assistance (Ch. 35), & Selective Reserve (Ch. 1606):

Enrollments are usually submitted to the VA electronically about 1-2 weeks prior to the start of every term.
All reductions and waivers will be posted by Veteran & Military Resources Office beginning the first week of the term and not before.

What happens if I need to drop a class or withdraw from the University?

While there are circumstances that may necessitate this, please speak with Veteran & Military Resources Office prior to doing so as there will likely be a financial impact that you would incur.

If you are called to active duty during the academic year you may request to be withdrawn or receive credit and grades. More information milita r y withdrawals at UW Bothell.

Please contact your program advisor when you are ready to re-enroll at UWB.