Dear GI Bill Student, 

Students using Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits who receive Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) and/or kicker payments will be required to verify their enrollment at the end of each month. You are receiving this email because we have identified you as an impacted student. 

Verifying enrollment is simple. VA strongly encourages you to use text messaging as a simple, quick, and safe option for verifying enrollment and receiving your payments uninterrupted.  

After enrolling in courses, if you have a US mobile phone number (this includes Puerto Rico numbers) on file, you will receive a text message letting you know you’ve been registered to receive texts for enrollment verification. Then, about 24 hours later, you’ll receive an opt-in text from VA. Texts will likely be sent from our 44354 short-code number, but may also come from a 202 or 855 toll-free number. 

After opting-in, you can simply reply to a text message from VA at the end of each month to verify your monthly enrollment. Be advised that the confirmation text may take up to a day. If you have already opted into text verification in a previous term, you won’t need to do it again and won’t get texts until it’s time to verify. 

When you receive your monthly enrollment verification text at the end of the month, if you don’t reply within 6 days, the conversation will expire, and you’ll need to call the Education Call Center (ECC) to verify your enrollment or alternatively, you may also submit questions through the Ask VA (AVA) system. If you don't already have a VA login account, you will need to set one up to use AVA: Ask.VA.gov | Veteran Affairs

If you choose not to opt into text verification or have an international mobile phone number, you’ll be automatically enrolled into email verification if VA has a valid email address on file for you. In that case, VA will send you an email on the last day of the month with a link to verify your enrollment for that month. If you don’t reply within 14 days, the conversation will expire, and you’ll need to call the ECC to verify your enrollment.  

If you are unable to verify your enrollment via text or email, you must call the ECC every month to verify enrollment for the previous month. When you call, you can ask the representative to opt you into text or email verification and/or update your contact information. The ECC is open Monday through Friday, 7am to 6pm CST.  

For more information on enrollment verification, including step-by-step instructions, a video walkthrough, and FAQs, explore the Enrollment Verification website.  

Respectfully, 

Education Service