CH 31 - VR&E

CH 31 VR&E HOW TO USE You may receive Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) (Formerly known as Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment) services to help with job training, education, employment accommodations, resume development, and job seeking skills coaching. Other services may be provided to assist Veterans and Service members in starting their own businesses or independent living services for those who are severely disabled and unable to work in traditional employment.

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.
Now	Student - review our cost of attending information.	CLICK HERE
Now	Student - apply for VR&E approval of your rehabilitation plan. Your assigned VR&E counselor will require a student education plan. Connect the counselor with Cal Poly's VA School Certifying Official, Steven Chandler via email: schandle@calpoly.edu. Once approved, our team will be provided with: VA Form 28-1905 (Authorization and Certification of Entrance or Reentrance into Rehabilitation and Certification of Status), Tungsten Purchase Order establishing Chapter 31 eligibility,	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/approval 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.
When parking lottery opens	Commuter Students can purchase a Long-Term Commuter parking permit through the waitlist. Permit awards will be randomized and awarded through a lottery system. When a lottery number is selected, the student will automatically be awarded a permit, notified via a Cal Poly email and will have three (3) business days^* to complete the purchase. Contact Parking at 805-756-6654 to inform them that your name is included on the Special Execeptions list and that your pass is paid for through the VA. No exceptions to this three-day timeframe will be granted. Students are limited to joining one waitlist using their parking account. Waitlists may reopen for subsequent lottery awards if permits remain available.	CLICK HERE
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 VR&E benefits for the term.
After certification request is submitted	We will notify CP Student Accounts to place a deferral credit on your account for the amount we believe the VA will pay on your behalf for tuition and campus-based fees only. A grace-period of 90 days will also be added to your account for tuition and campus-based fees only (not housing or dining costs).
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 your degree audit is completed	We will bill the VA for the amount of tuition and fees we believe they will pay on your behalf.
After registering for classes EVERY TERM	Steps 8-16 repeat

VR&e - WHAT IS COVERED

If I’m eligible for GI Bill benefits, can I get paid the Post-9/11 GI Bill subsistence rate for my VR&E program?

If you’re participating in a VR&E program, you can choose to get paid the GI Bill subsistence rate instead of the Chapter 31 subsistence allowance rate if you meet both of these requirements: (Both of these must be true)

You have at least 1 day of entitlement remaining under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and
You’re within your GI Bill eligibility period

In most cases, the GI Bill rate is higher.

You’ll need to officially choose the GI Bill subsistence rate. Your VR&E Counselor can help you with this.

2026-27 Academic Year	CH 31 vr&E - Post-9/11 GI Bill subsistence rate (based on full-time enrollment with at least 1 in-person class at 100% eligibility)
Semester - State Tuition	Paid fully to Cal Poly
Semester - Campus-Based Registration Fees	Paid to Cal Poly. The VA covers campus-based fees that are required/charged to every student at Cal Poly. Some small fees will not be covered.
Monthly Stipend	SLO Campus: $3198 per full month or $106 per enrolled day Maritime Academy: $3369 per full month or $112 per enrolled day Paid directly to the student after attendance each month (other factors can reduce MHA payments)
Books & Supplies	Veterans Readiness and Employment covers 100% of required books, supplies and equipment. The VA directly pays for or reimburses necessary items—including laptops and specialized tools—if required by your curriculum. Purchases are typically processed through Cal Poly's bookstore after authorization is made in the Tungsten system.
Housing/Dorm	No payments are made to Cal Poly for housing/dorm costs from any military education benefit. Payment of housing balances are the student's responsibility.
Dining	No payments are made to Cal Poly for dining plan costs from any military education benefit. Payment of housing balances are the student's responsibility.
Parking	Can cover campus parking fees if deemed necessary for your rehabilitation plan. You must coordinate this through your VR&E counselor and enter the campus parking lottery.

VR&E PAYMENTS

ALLOWANCE	HOW IS IT PAID?	WHEN IS IT PAID?
Military Housing Allowance (MHA)	Direct Deposit from the VA to the student's bank account	Monthly, after the student completes the prior month of attendance. (Ex: October attendance is paid on November 1st)
Books & Supplies	Direct pay to Cal Poly Bookstore or reimbursement to student	Cal Poly Bookstore - Pre-authorization is submitted into the Tungsten system by the VR&E counselor. Once that is complete, the student can reach out to the CP - SLO campus bookstore manager to set up an account. Email: universitystore@bkstr.com Phone: (805) 457-9652 SLO students can go to the bookstore and pick up their books. CP -Solano campus students will have books sent to the Solano campus bookstore.
Tuition & Registration	Directly to Cal Poly	Mid-term. The VA is billed after the drop date and after an audit of classes is done to ensure that all certified classes are degree applicable.

ALLOWANCE

HOW IS IT PAID?

WHEN IS IT PAID?

Military Housing Allowance (MHA)

Direct Deposit from the VA to the student's bank account

Monthly, after the student completes the prior month of attendance. (Ex: October attendance is paid on November 1st)

Books & Supplies

Direct pay to Cal Poly Bookstore or reimbursement to student

Cal Poly Bookstore - Pre-authorization is submitted into the Tungsten system by the VR&E counselor. Once that is complete, the student can reach out to the CP - SLO campus bookstore manager to set up an account.

Email: universitystore@bkstr.com

Phone: (805) 457-9652

SLO students can go to the bookstore and pick up their books. CP -Solano campus students will have books sent to the Solano campus bookstore.

Tuition & Registration

Directly to Cal Poly

Mid-term. The VA is billed after the drop date and after an audit of classes is done to ensure that all certified classes are degree applicable.

VA - CH 31 VR&E ADDITIONAL NOTES

To help you make the most of your monthly housing allowance payments, please keep the following in mind:

MHA is not paid during breaks (such as breaks between terms).

MHA payments are prorated if the course(s) do not span an entire month.
MHA payments are paid in arrears, meaning that they are paid after the student attends. No advance payments are made from the VA.
Payments are not tied to your dorm/dining plans or living arrangements. It is the student's responsibility to make timely payments for these plans.

Federal Financial Aid Programs (Title IV Financial Aid), such as Pell Grants, do not impact what your school can certify for your reimbursable Post-9/11 GI Bill tuition and fees. Eligibility for VA Education benefits do not affect your eligibility to receive Federal Financial aid.

Scholarships can impact what your school can certify for your reimbursable Post-9/11 GI Bill tuition and fees. This is regardless of if your school or a third-party agency is providing the scholarship. If the scholarship is tuition and fees specific – it must be deducted from what is certified to VA. If the scholarship is not tuition and fees specific (i.e. it can be used for housing or non-mandatory fees) – it does not need to be deducted from what is certified to VA.

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 GI Bill 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. To receive MHA payments, students must have a rate of pursuit greater than 50%. Please contact Center for Military-Connected Students regarding summer terms.