Veteran Certification FAQs
- Why am I getting a statement? When will my money arrive?
The VA can take up to 4-6 weeks to process a certification. You should receive notification through your eBenefits portal when hours or tuition/fee amounts are submitted to the VA. Estimate 4-6 weeks beyond that submission.
Billing statements are sent out to all students (even those with $0 balances) and have no bearing on what VA might pay. Chapters 33 and 31 (Post 9/11 and Vocational Readiness & Employment) are the only VA Education benefits chapters that send money directly to the school.
UNC certifies to the VA in a two-step process. When you initially submit your Veteran Certification Request form each term, a School Certifying Official will submit your accepted hours to the VA. This first submission will generate payments for students utilizing CH. 30, 31, 35, and 1606 benefits as well as the housing and book stipends for students utilizing CH. 33 (Post 9/11 GI Bill®) benefits.
The second step takes place after the drop deadline each term. At that time, a UNC SCOs will calculate tuition/fee amounts for CH. 33 (as well as other qualifying situations) and submit those amounts to the VA.
The VA pays tuition/fee amounts for CH. 33 students directly to UNC. For all other chapters and for all other stipends, the VA will issue payment directly to the student.
Please note that although a certification can be submitted 120 days before the start of a semester, the VA typically does not begin processing those until 2-4 weeks before the semester actually begins.
- How do I know what benefits I’m eligible for?
You can contact the VA directly at 1-888-442-4551 to confirm your benefits. For more information, please visit: https://www.va.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool.
Update 4/15/21:
If you are calling 1-888-442-4551 and don't hear more than one option, we recommend either waiting, as there can be a delay in options, or hanging up and calling again. Most callers who hear all of the options should hear them before a full minute has passed. - What happens if I fail or withdraw from a course?
Failing a course is not penalized as long as it is an earned grade. Your instructor will provide a last date of attendance for any failing grade. If you stopped attending a course for any reason, you must either provide the School Certifying Official with documentation to support mitigating circumstances or your last date of attendance will be reported and you may end up owing the VA money back for that course. Withdrawing from a course must be reported to the VA and your tuition payment may be pro-rated to reflect the date of withdrawal. If payment has been made in full, you may end up owing the VA money for the course.
U grades are also treated similarly to a withdrawal.
If you have any questions, please contact your School Certifying Official. You can also schedule an appointment.
- I’m a full-time student, but I’m not receiving my full Basic Allowance for Housing
(BAH). Why?
The VA verifies your attendance based on the actual dates your courses begin and end. If you are taking a short-term course, the VA will calculate BAH based on your rate of pursuit on any given day during the semester. Just because you are considered full-time by University standards does not mean that the VA will recognize you as full-time for the entire semester.
For example, if you are in 9 credit hours that run the full semester and 3 credit hours that lasts 8 weeks, you will receive your full BAH amount for the 8 weeks you are in 12 credit hours and a reduced amount for the remainder of the semester that you are only in 9 credit hours.
If you have any questions, please contact your School Certifying Official. You can also schedule an appointment.
- What is COE?
The Certificate of Eligibilty (COE) certifies that you are entitled to benefits for an approved program of education or training under the Veteran Administration.
Updated COE information can be accessed via 1-888-442-4551 or through your eBenefits account as your Statement of Benefits.
Update 4/15/21:
If you are calling 1-888-442-4551 and don't hear more than one option, we recommend either waiting, as there can be a delay in options, or hanging up and calling again. Most callers who hear all of the options should hear them before a full minute has passed. - What do I do if I can't get into the Veteran Certification Request (VCR)?
SCOs have created a step-by-step guide to try to help with all the common questions students have with the VCR form. We hope this eliminates problems with the VCR, but please let us know how we can help.
- When can I submit a VCR?
We accept Veteran's Certification Requests (VCRs) starting as soon as registration opens for the semester you are requesting. We will hold requests at least 30 days with no registration before denying those requests to clear your request from our queue.
- Why haven't I heard back about my VCR?
Status updates to Veteran’s Certification Requests will ONLY be sent to the student’s Bearmail account, so please check there first. Please be sure to send requests for updates from your student Bearmail email on URSA.
- What if I don't want to use my benefits this semester?
There are two options:
1. If you have not submitted a VCR, don't.
2. If you have submitted a VCR and changed your mind, please submit another VCR with a "NO" answer to the certification question or email us with your no-not-certify request.
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.
