Veterans Information

All Active Duty Service Members (including Guard and Reserve) must contact their Education Service Officer (ESO) or Education Counselor within their branch of service prior to enrolling in any college or university.

Veterans and Dependents

The University Registrar's Office provides information for all Veteran benefits and their dependents.  We process all official certification of enrollment and program changes to the Department of Veterans Affairs in Buffalo, N.Y.  Please contact our office if you have any questions.

Delayed Payment Procedure for Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill & Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation

In view of the large number of applications received by Veterans Affairs (VA) under the Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill and Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation benefits, and the potential for delays in the receipt of the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) forms, Radford University will defer payment and waive late fees for fall or the spring semester upon the presentation of the following documents:

  1. Screenshot of the DOD Transferability of Education Benefits (TEB) website showing a Request Approved status.
  2. Copy of the dependent’s submitted VA Form 22-1990E, Application for Transfer of Entitlement (TOE).

This documentation must be submitted to the Office of the Bursar, Box 6922, Radford, VA 24142.  Documentation may also be submitted by fax to (540) 831-5501 or as an email attachment to bursar@radford.edu.  The Office of the Bursar will then notify the Registrar's Office.

Under S2248 PL 115-407 Section 103, Radford University will not impose a late fee, denial of access to facilities, or other penalty against a veteran or eligible dependent due to a late payment of tuition and/or fees from the VA up to the certified benefit amount within 90 days after the semester begins for which benefits are being utilized.  Any portion of the student bill not covered by VA benefits (ie: out-of-state cost, room & board, etc.) is still expected to be settled by the due date.  Radford University will also not require a Chapter 31 or Chapter 33 recipient to borrow additional funds to cover the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement of a payment by the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR POST 9/11 GI BILL (CHAPTER 33) BENEFITS

Application Procedures for Post 9/11 Chapter 33 GI Bill:

  • Individuals may apply for benefits under the Post-9/11(CH33) GI Bill online through the GI Bill website using Form 22-1990.
  • Once approved for CH33 benefits you will receive a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Please submit a copy of this COE to the Office of the Registrar.

Application Procedures for Transferring Post 9/11 Chapter 33 benefits to dependents:

  • Please visit the GI Bill website for instructions on how to transfer Post 9/11 CH33 benefits to a spouse or dependents.
  • Once approved for transfer of CH33 benefits through the DOD, and a dependent child or spouse has applied and been approved for benefits using form 22-1990E, he/she will receive a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the Dept. of Veterans Affairs in his/her name. Please submit a copy of this COE to the Office of the Registrar.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR POST 9/11 GI BILL (CHAPTER 33) YELLOW RIBBON BENEFITS

Radford University will offer the Yellow Ribbon Program to 2 Undergraduate and 2 Graduate Students beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year.  The total funds allocated by Radford University for each academic year will be $1,000.00 per student ($500.00 per semester fall/spring).  The Department of Veteran’s Administration will match the contribution made by Radford University.

In order to submit an application for the Yellow Ribbon Program at Radford University you must meet the following criteria:
    • Must be 100% eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) and submit a Certificate of
      Eligibility (COE) showing this benefit.
    • Must not be on active duty.
    • Must be charged out-of-state tuition and not covered under The Choice Act Section 702 for
      in-state tuition rates.
    • Must be in good academic standing.
    • Must be enrolled in a VA approved degree seeking program.
    • Must remain continuously enrolled with no break in enrollment (with the exception of the
      summer and the Wintermester sessions).

Yellow Ribbon Applications for the 2020-21 Academic Year will be accepted beginning Friday, June 26, 2020 until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, July 6, 2020.  Application: Radford University Yellow Ribbon Program Application for the 2020-21 Academic Year

Yellow Ribbon Information through the GI Bill website:
http://www.benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/yellow_ribbon/Yellow_Ribbon_Info_Schools.asp

CERTIFICATION OF BENEFIT PROCESS

In order to be certified for GI Bill benefits with the VA through Radford University, the Registrar’s Office must have first received either a COE (Certificate of Eligibility- Veteran) or TOE (Transfer of Eligibility-Dependent) reflecting eligibility benefits are currently available.  In addition to COE/TOE submission, students must be registered for classes for the term in which they elect to utilize the benefit.  Our certification process is a multi-step process in order to fully comply with recent changes set forth through the Isakson & Roe Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020.

All students who have registered for classes and have submitted a COE/TOE will have a “memo-credit” placed on their account with the Office of the Bursar until payment arrives from the VA.  Please note GI Bill only covers tuition and fees, so the memo placed on a student’s account will not prevent GI Bill recipients from being dropped for non-payment if they have outstanding balances outside of those covered tuition and fees.  Non-covered costs include any previous outstanding balances, room & board charges or tuition & fees not covered by the VA due to the percentage of GI Bill eligibility not being at the 100% rate.  All non-covered costs are to be paid by the student at or before the payment deadline set forth by the Office of the Bursar.

Step 1 Certification: Students that have pre-registered for classes are typically certified, by the Office of the Registrar’s VA School Certifying Official, 30-45 days prior to the start of the semester by reporting credit hours only with zero tuition and fees.  This allows housing and book stipends to begin on time while preventing unnecessary overpayments to GI Bill recipients or schools while students are still making schedule adjustments through the add/drop period.  Although, the initial certification process may be delayed for students who do not register for classes in a timely manner.

Step 2 Certification: The day after Census for the term previously certified in Step 1, initiates the next step of the certification process.  Those students who were previously certified for credit hours only, will now be reviewed to include any schedule changes that have been made since the Step 1 Certification. Changes in credit hours along with reporting of tuition and fees will be reported via an amended certification to the VA.  Please note that all courses are required to count toward degree progress in order to be certified for GI Bill benefits.  Therefore, any course adjustments taking place between Step 1 and Step 2, could impact housing/book stipend amounts previously received if the courses do not fall within the VA’s definition of allowable courses.  Thus, we encourage all students utilizing GI Bill benefits to only make schedule changes when absolutely necessary during the allowable add/drop period and to ensure that all courses being taken count toward degree requirements.  If students need to verify whether a course will be covered by GI Bill, please reach out to our VA School Certifying Official, Gail Wright, to inquire before registering the course and before the conclusion of the add/drop period.

Step 3 Certification: As per recent changes via the Isakson & Roe Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, Section 1010 – The school will certify the students’ enrollment after the add/drop date, and then each month thereafter, the student would be required to electronically verify with the VA their continued enrollment in that school.  If a student fails to certify for two consecutive months, VA will withhold monthly housing allowance payment until the student certifies.  This change is effective August 1, 2021.  Thus, more information will be provided to students required to complete the self-certification process after August 1 2021.

VETERANS ACCESS, CHOICE, AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2014

The following individuals shall be charged a rate of tuition not to exceed the in-state rate for tuition and fees purposes:

· A Veteran using educational assistance under either chapter 30 (Montgomery G.I. Bill – Active Duty Program) or chapter 33 (Post-9/11 G.I. Bill) of title 38, United States Code, who lives in the Commonwealth of Virginia while attending a school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of discharge or release from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more. Effective August 1, 2021 Section 1005 of the Isakson and Roe Veteran's Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 removes the requirement for covered individuals to enroll at a public institution of higher learning within 3 years of being discharged to receive in-state tuition.

· Anyone using transferred Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits (38 U.S.C. § 3319) who lives in the Commonwealth of Virginia while attending a school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the transferor’s discharge or release from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more. Effective August 1, 2021 Section 1005 of the Isakson and Roe Veteran's Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 removes the requirement for covered individuals to enroll at a public institution of higher learning within 3 years of being discharged to receive in-state tuition.

· Anyone using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C. § 3311 (b)(9)) who lives in the Commonwealth of Virginia while attending a school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the Service member’s death in the line of duty following a period of active duty service of 90 days or more. Effective August 1, 2021 Section 1005 of the Isakson and Roe Veteran's Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 removes the requirement for covered individuals to enroll at a public institution of higher learning within 3 years of being discharged to receive in-state tuition.*

· Anyone described above while he or she remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same school. The person so described must have enrolled in the school prior to the expiration of the three year period following discharge, release, or death described above and must be using educational benefits under either chapter 30 or chapter 33, of title 38 United States Code. Effective August 1, 2021 Section 1005 of the Isakson and Roe Veteran's Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 removes the requirement for covered individuals to enroll at a public institution of higher learning within 3 years of being discharged to receive in-state tuition.

· An individual using educational assistance under chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) who lives in the Commonwealth of Virginia while attending a school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) effective for courses, semesters, or terms beginning after March 1, 2019.

· For courses, semesters, or terms beginning July 1, 2017, in-state tuition will be charged for anyone using transferred Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits (38 U.S.C. § 3319) who lives in Virginia while attending a school located in Virginia (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and the transferor is a member of the uniformed service who is serving on active duty.

* For courses, semesters, or terms beginning July 1, 2017, language is updated to state: Anyone using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C. § 3311 (b) (9)) who lives in Virginia while attending a school located in Virginia (regardless of his/her formal State of residence).

A person described above will retain covered individual status as long as he/she remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between terms) at the public IHL.

The in-state tuition provisions do not apply to those individuals on active duty using benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty.

Please visit the GI Bill website for more information regarding the Choice Act.

Contact Information

Gail Wright is the primary veterans information contact person in the Registrar's Office. She can be reached during our regular office hours at:

Phone: (540) 831-6131
Fax: (540) 831-6642
Email: gwright@radford.edu

Transferring Military Service and Training

Radford University will consider for transfer credit only those credits earned from a regionally accredited college or university as recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), as well as military service at levels consistent with the American Council on Education (ACE) Guide to the Evaluation of Education Experiences in the Armed Services.  For additional information, please visit our Transfer Information webpage.