How long does it take to process my benefits?
Processing benefits is a multi-step process. Our office will start processing benefits for Fall semesters in August, in January for Spring semesters, and between May and June for Summer Sessions. Depending on the complexity of the certification (new student, multiple majors and minors, transfer credit from other institutions, being waitlisted on classes, etc.), it can take anywhere from 15 to 30 days for your benefits to process to the VA from our office. If you submit your enrollment datasheets or certificate of eligibility late, it could be longer.
While you are waiting for your benefits to be processed, as long as you have submitted an enrollment datasheet, your schedule is protected from cancellation and late fees. The Office of Financial Aid will send out automated emails as they do for all students, but your VA information is on file and you are protected.
How do I know if I've been verified for benefits for the semester?
You will receive an automated email from the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) verifying that your enrollment has been certified to your AppState email. Please review your email inbox before reaching out to Student Veteran Services. If you have discrepancies or some classes cannot be certified, a representative from our office will alert you to these discrepancies.
My payment has not arrived on time. Why is this?
There are multiple factors as to why your payment has not arrived on time. Some factors on the side of Appalachian State University could include:
- Not sending a certificate of eligibility as soon as received.
- Not submitting enrollment verification datasheet as soon as prompted.
- Late submissions of certificate of eligibility and/or enrollment verification datasheet that require time to process.
- Not notifying of Change of Courses, or Change of Courses needing to be reviewed (if applicable).
If all of these steps have been completed or if you have been verified through Appalachian and still not received benefits, please call the VA educational assistance line at 888-442-4551. Student Veteran Services as an office does not have an effect on payments, missing payments, or payment schedules once Appalachian verifies enrollment.
How do I get in-state tuition with my benefits?
You can file for in-state tuition with the Office of the Registrar here: NC Residency for Tuition Purposes | Office of the Registrar under the Military-Affiliated Students header. Student Veteran Services as an office does not verify residency for military-affiliated students.
These are the requirements for appealing for in-state tuition. While you may receive a non-residency number or denial letter, Appalachian State University commits to providing in-state tuition for all VA benefit types that we can.
In-state tuition can only be considered if the student plans to relocate to North Carolina for their degree program or if the veteran enlisted out of North Carolina. You can review more specifics at ncresidency.org.
Documentation Required:
- Residency Appeal Application for Veteran Dependent (link above)
- Non-resident Residency Confirmation/Denial Number (RCN) from the NC Residency Determination System: ncresidency.org
- Certificate of Eligibility for VA Education Benefits
- Proof of Abode in North Carolina:
- Documentation can include (but is not limited to) a copy of the student's: Lease Agreement, Utility Bill, Medical bill, Driver's License, Dorm Assignment with a valid North Carolina physical address.
- Documentation must be in the student's name, not a parent or guardian.
All of this documentation needs to be sent to registrar@appstate.edu.
How do I use ChampVA health insurance?
Fill out this form: CHAMPVA School Enrollment Certification Letter and send to the Office of the Registrar at registrar@appstate.edu. Student Veteran Services as an office does not verify or enroll students for ChampVA.
What happens when I withdraw from a class or school altogether?
If you’re using Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) benefits and you withdraw from a class or school, you may need to pay the VA back for any housing payments you’ve received. And your school may need to pay the VA back for tuition and fees, causing a debt with your school.
If you’re using Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD), Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR), or Survivors’ and Dependents’ Education Assistance (DEA), you may need to pay the VA back the benefits they've paid directly to you. And your school will likely ask you to pay them back for any debt the VA charged to them.
If the VA determines that your reason for withdrawing from a class or school is an acceptable mitigating circumstance, you don’t need to pay them back the full amount. If you don’t submit mitigating circumstances or if we don’t accept them, you’ll owe us the full amount we paid starting from the first day of the term.
Mitigating circumstances include:
- An illness or death in your immediate family
- An injury or illness you had while you were enrolled
- A change in your conditions of employment that you couldn’t avoid
- Immediate family or financial demands that you had no control over
- Active military service that you didn’t know about ahead of time
- A sudden end to (or cancellation of) one or more courses you were taking that the school or instructor cancelled
- A sudden permanent end to child care coverage that you didn’t know about ahead of time
You need to alert your School Certifying Official or Student Veteran Services if any of these mitigating circumstances explain your situation.
How do I transfer benefits to or from another school or university?
You will need to file a request to change your benefit information: Veteran Request For Change | Veterans Affairs. Once you have filed a request and it has been processed, you will receive a new certificate of eligibility. You will need to take your new certificate of eligibility to the School Certifying Offical at whichever institution you are transferring to.