Dear VET TEC Student,
On December 21, 2021, COVID-19 legislation that permits you to receive the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) at the resident (in person) rate, while taking approved courses converted to online training due to COVID-19 will end.
What does this mean?
This means that starting December 22, 2021, you will no longer receive the MHA at the resident (in person) rate for classes taken online. When enrolling for courses after that date or any subsequent term, you will need to enroll in approved resident (in person) classes to continue receiving your MHA at the resident rate.
Many GI Bill programs are not normally approved for online training; they are only approved for resident (in person) training. This is especially true for VET TEC programs. These programs are only currently approved for GI Bill benefits for online training because of the COVID-19 legislation set to end on December 21, 2021. Because your program is one that is normally only approved for resident training and is only approved for online training due to the COVID-19 legislation, you will need to return to resident (in person) training after December 21, 2021, if you want to continue receiving GI Bill benefits. To find out more about your MHA rate, visit the GI Bill Comparison Tool.
How will this impact me?
If you choose to continue training online after December 21, 2021, your GI Bill benefits, such as a monthly housing allowance, will stop, and you may end up owing a tuition debt to your school (the Department of Veteran Affairs will charge your school a prorated tuition and fee debt which your school may, in turn, pass on to you).
Next Steps
To prepare for the change and learn more about the expiration of the COVID-19 special rules, check in with your training provider and visit the COVID-19 Student FAQs.
Respectfully,
Education Service
