VA - Montgomery GI Bill - ACTIVE DUTY
The Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD) can help you pay for education and if you’ve served at least 2 years on active duty.
You may qualify for additional entitlement under the Rudisill decision if you have 2 or more qualifying periods of active duty. You may qualify for up to 48 months of entitlement. You must be eligible for benefits through the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD). Even if you gave up your right to use MGIB-AD benefits in the past (we call this “relinquishing” your benefits), you may now qualify to use some of that entitlement.
Find out if you can use more than 1 education benefit
| WHEN | TASK | LINK |
|---|---|---|
| Now | Student - review this page. Interested parents/supporters are also invited to review the information, but it is important that the student is completing these steps to understand their responsibilities in using military education benefits. |
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| Now |
Student - review our cost of attending information. |
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| Now | Student - apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) benefits through the VA. Provide the VA with student's email address and phone number for future text verification from the VA. Also provide the VA with students bank account information for future direct deposits. | CLICK HERE |
| Early July | Student - watch the video guide: "Using the Veterans Benefit Module". | CLICK HERE |
| After conditional admit status is removed | Student - navigate to the Veterans Benefit Module (under Student Records) in your CP student portal to upload your eligibility documentation. When you are matriculated into the Cal Poly system, your CP email will be activated and your portal will have more options/information.At this time, you will have access to the module. | |
| Once you have been assigned a dorm or has a California address | OUT OF STATE STUDENTS ONLY: Update one address in your student portal. Then, apply for a VACAA Waiver to waive out-of-state tuition fees. REQUIRED: COE and updated California address in student’s portal | CLICK HERE |
| Once you are registered in classes | Request certification of term classes in the Veterans Benefit Module as soon as registered (Delays will cause delays in payments). Only request certification of classes that are degree applicable . These are any classes that are required for graduation. They can be from your declared major or minor or classes that are required for you to change your major or to declare a minor. The VA will not pay towards classes that do not move you towards graduation or classes that are for undeclared minors (unless it is a prerequisite). | |
| After you make any changes to your class schedule | Make changes to certification request in the Veterans Benefit Module as soon as classes are added or dropped. | |
| After certification request is submitted | We will notify the VA electronically that you want to use your CH 30 Montgomery GI BIll (Active Duty) benefits for the term. | |
| After the deferral credit is posted to your student account | Review your account activity under the Money Matters tab and pay any amounts due. | |
| After certification request is processed | The VA will begin to process any payments due to student at this time (see chart below). | |
| At the end of every month | The VA will text or email you to verify that you have stayed enrolled in classes. Answer yes (unless you completely drop out of school). The VA will release payments to you 5-7 days after you respond. | CLICK HERE |
| After the term add/drop date passes | We will do a degree audit to ensure that classes are degree applicable. If we have questions about any of your classes, we will email you to ask for substantiation. Always check your school email and respond to these emails quickly. | |
| After registering for classes EVERY TERM |
Steps repeat. Student must request certification of classes in their student portal each term as soon as they register for any classes. Changes in the request must be made within 7 days of add or dropping classes. |
The amount you’ll receive depends on these factors:
- Your length of service, and
- The type of education or training program you choose, and
- Your category (I, II, III, or IV), and
- Whether you qualify for a college fund or kicker, and
- How much you’ve paid into the $600 Buy-Up program
Note: You usually have 10 years to use your MGIB-AD benefits. This may change depending on your situation.
Eligibility for VA Education benefits do not affect your eligibility to receive Federal Financial aid.
VA payments are tax free, but they will affect tax credits.
Classes that are successfully completed may not be certified again for VA purposes if they are repeated. There are exceptions, however. If a course is required for graduation and meets the requirements for one of the 3 exceptions below, a student may repeat the course and be certified for it until it is successfully completed. There is no limit on the number of attempts. No further information needs to be provided to VA regarding those courses. A student may be certified for a repeated course if:
- The student failed the class.
- If a program requires a higher grade than the one achieved in a particular class for successful completion. Example: if a Nursing program requires a “B” or better in Biology, then that class may be repeated if a “B” or better was not earned. That requirement must be in the school catalog. Note: If a student chooses to repeat a course that was successfully completed, just to improve their GPA, that course cannot be certified to VA.
If a student successfully completed a course so long ago, the school requires it be repeated. Example: If student took computer programming 10 years ago and got a 'B', it may be too outdated to be accepted for credit now. Note: If the school does not require the student to retake the outdated course, but the student chooses to repeat it, that course cannot be certified to VA.
After consideration of those discussions and deliberations with OGC, VA determined that eligible CH 35 students can continue to round out in their last term. To ensure that you understand the rules governing this policy, before registering for your final quarter, check in with our VA School Certifying Officials.
VA calculates rate of pursuit. Rate of pursuit is enrolled units divided by 12, rounded to the nearest tenth. Example: 9 units / 12 = .75, then rounded to the nearest tenth, for an 80% rate of pursuit.
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Term |
Full-Time |
|---|---|
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10-13 Weeks |
12+ units |
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8-Weeks |
8+ units |
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7.5 Weeks |
7+ units |
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5-Weeks |
5+ units |
If you’re enrolled less than 1/2 time, the VA will pay you up to the amount listed here for every month you’re enrolled—but no more than the cost of your tuition and fees:
- Less than 1/2-time and more than 1/4-time enrollment: $912.00 for each full month (or the cost of your tuition and fees, whichever is less)
- 1/4-time enrollment or less: $393.50 for each full month (or the cost of your tuition and fees, whichever is less)
If your tuition and fees are less than the monthly rate, the VA will send you a lump sum (1 payment) at the start of each term.
US Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration
888-442-4551/888-GIBILL1
Do you have a question or concern about your benefits? Contact them safely and securely with Ask VA!
