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New information for a new term
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Greetings GI Bill® student!
The fall term is now in full swing and we here at VA hope you are adjusting well in your new classes. In our newsletter this month we have reminders, tips and resources to provide you some quick information on your GI Bill benefits.
Please make sure you add Veteransbenefits@messages.va.gov to your contacts list so that you don't miss important updates from us. If you find this edition of the student newsletter valuable, be sure to share it with other Veterans and GI Bill beneficiaries! If you’re not already following us, be sure to head over to our Post-9/11 GI Bill Facebook page and follow for timely updates about your GI Bill benefits!
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S.A.V.E. someone in crisis
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and we here at VA want to stress that you are not alone. You served our country, please let us serve you back.
If you are in immediate crisis:
- Please call 988 and press 1.
- Please reach out out for a confidential chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat or text 838255
You will contact with our 24/7 confidential Veterans Crisis Line. You will connect with a real person qualified to help you. The Veterans Crisis Line serves Veterans, Service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and those who support them. You don't have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to call.
If you suspect a family member or battle buddy is in crisis, remember S.A.V.E.
- Signs of suicidal thinking
This may include feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, insomnia, rage, risky behavior, substance abuse, withdrawing from family and friends, or talking about dying.
Don’t be afraid to ask the most important question of all: “Are you thinking of suicide?”
- Validate the person’s experience
Talk openly and listen to the individual’s thoughts and feelings. Remain calm, do not argue, and use supportive, encouraging comments to show you care.
- Encourage Treatment and Expedite Getting Help
Make sure the individual knows that help is available. If a person is having suicidal thoughts, seek immediate help from emergency services.
You can learn more about suicide prevention at the following links:
• Veteran suicide prevention
• VA S.A.V.E Training
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Spotlight: Education
 Discover Ron Campos' journey, an Army Combat Veteran who transformed challenges into milestones. Using the Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve benefit, Ron pursued a degree in Exercise Physiology, overcoming hurdles like relocating his family mid-studies. His success was amplified by Veterans Readiness & Employment (VR&E), which connected him to top-notch counselors. Their guidance propelled Ron beyond his degree, earning him a prestigious VA hospital internship . If you're inspired by Ron’s perseverance and success, check out the Post-9/11 GI Bill Facebook page for his full story and more about education benefits. Tap into your potential and seek the support needed to illuminate your educational path 📚.
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Student loan interest and payments resume October 2023
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Prepare for college with a Warrior-Scholar Program bootcamp
Prepare for college, from the comfort of your home. Warrior-Scholar Project is offering two virtual humanities academic boot camps from December 10-15, 2023. Brush up on college-level reading and essay writing in these one-week virtual humanities boot camps, offered in both Eastern Standard Time and Pacific Standard Time. Boot camp prepared you for the military, Warrior-Scholar Project prepares you for college. Apply now!
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Back to school reminders for enrollment verification
 School is back in session and that means it’s time to verify your enrollment each month to receive your Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) and/or kicker payments without any interruptions.
Did you know there are three ways you can verify your enrollment? Text message, email and now online through your verified VA.gov account are all valid methods.
Pro tip: If your email or text message verification link expires, you may log in to your VA.gov account, verified by ID.me or Login.gov, and verify your current and previous months enrollments.
For more information and tips, check out our Enrollment Verification site and watch our step-by-step video to learn how to verify your enrollment.
Can you use the GI Bill for work-study or experiential learning?
Use your GI Bill benefits for a work-study position if you’re enrolled at least three-quarter time in a college degree, vocational, or professional program, have found an open job either at a nearby VA facility or in a VA-related role at your school, and can finish the work-study contract while you still qualify for education benefits. Every student must have a written contract and changes to their position or location must be approved by their VA work-study coordinator.
You can also use your VA benefits for an independent study course like accredited independent study programs at career and technical education schools. But these programs must be offered at an accredited public or nonprofit site.
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Don’t let fraud ruin your education goals
Back to school season is here! It’s time to accomplish your education goals. While searching for a program, be aware of education scams. Predatory institutions use a variety of methods to manipulate Veterans into committing to misleading or fraudulent education programs.
Some of these methods include:
- Promises of immediate student loan forgiveness
- Guaranteed scholarship or eligibility for financial aid in exchange for a processing fee
- Free gifts for enrolling in classes
You can use the GI Bill Comparison Tool to find GI Bill approved schools and to compare benefits. To report suspected fraud or predatory companies, contact VA’s Office of Inspector General at (OIG) Hotline (va.gov). If you miss a VA benefits payment, identify a discrepancy in payments, or find suspicious activity with your direct deposit account, contact the VA immediately at 1-800-827-1000.
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What’s next with your GI Bill benefits: check out our guides
If you’re a new GI Bill student or trying to figure out what to do next with your benefits, VA has a three-part guide, “Building Your Future With the GI Bill,” just for you!
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Ten MHA payment reminders
At VA we know how important MHA is to you and your family. We also know that it can be confusing to understand when and how MHA is paid. Read these ten tips to get a better understanding of how, specifically, your MHA is calculated and paid.
Ten monthly housing allowance (MHA) payment reminders
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Avoid delayed payments or debts: enrollment FAQs
Have questions about enrollment? Read these FAQs to make sure you don’t have any delayed payments or debts this term! They include:
- How can I be sure I’ll be able to use my benefits?
- Can I attend school while waiting for VA to make the payment?
- How will my benefits be charged for my education or training?
- What happens if I need to change classes or training?
- What if I fail a class or training?
- What if I need to change schools or programs?
- What if I need a copy of my Certificate of Eligibility/award letter?
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Montgomery GI Bill Active-Duty contributions refund
If all of the following are true, then you can receive a refund for your Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD) contributions:
- You paid the $1,200 MGIB buy-in when you joined the military,
- You chose to use your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits instead of your MGIB benefits,
- You had unused MGIB benefits when you started using Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits,
- You’ve used all of your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits,
- You were receiving a Post-9/11 GI Bill monthly housing allowance on the day your entitlement ended.
If you’re eligible for a MGIB refund, it will be automatically included in your last monthly housing allowance payment. You don’t need to apply for a refund.
A refund for your MGIB contributions cannot be released until all the conditions listed above are met. You can find additional information about this on our GI Bill website.
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Happy Birthday U.S. Air Force!
Celebrating 76 year on September 18, 2023.
Keep VA in the loop
Has your name changed recently? Your address? Your phone number or email? Your Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) information? If so, have you reported that change to VA?
If not, please make sure to update your information through the Ask VA (AVA) system as soon as possible. You can also report this updated information by contacting our Education Call Center (ECC) during business hours, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. CST, Monday – Friday at:
- Domestic - 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551)
- International – 001-918-781-5678 (please note – this is not a toll-free number)
We know one of your most important resources is time. By notifying VA of these changes early, we can help ensure that there is minimal impact on your benefits, avoiding potential payment delays or you missing critical information about your benefits.
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US Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Benefits Administration
1-888-442-4551, TDD: 711
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Do you have a question or concern about your benefits? Contact us safely and securely with Ask VA!
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