VA Benefits FAQ

  • Q: What type of VA educational benefit am I eligible for?
    A: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs determines eligibility for benefits, and Clemson University cannot make this determination. To apply for VA Benefits, visit www.gibill.va.gov. Once you’ve applied for federal VA educational benefits, if approved, you will receive a confirmation letter from the VA. Depending on your chapter of benefits, this confirmation letter may be designated as one of the following: Certificate of Eligibility (COE), Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE), or Authorization Form.
  • Q: What does my benefit include?
    A: Please visit the VA’s website to learn more about your benefit. It is the student’s responsibility to know and understand what their specific benefit includes as each student is approved by the VA for a different benefit. Clemson University does not and cannot determine eligibility, only the VA can do that.
  • Q: What does certification mean?
    A: Certification is a VA term that means the School Certifying Official (SCO) has reviewed the courses in which you’re currently enrolled and has confirmed the number of hours that are meeting a degree requirement and processed these electronically to the VA accordingly. In other words, the SCO is certifying to the VA that you are enrolled in XX number of credit hours that are meeting your specific degree requirement.
  • Q: How do I send Clemson University my COE?
    A: Please email a copy to us at: VABenefits@clemson.edu. Please do not drop off a hard copy and please do not mail this to us. Various ways to send this include: scan the document and email it to us, or email us a screenshot of your entitlement found in the portal online.
  • Q: Can I use my VA benefit in any academic program?
    A: No. Clemson has certain academic programs that have been approved for using VA funds. Before you select your academic program, be sure to check the VA’s public WEAMS report to determine if that program is eligible for using VA funds.
  • Q: I sent Clemson my COE. Does that mean I am certified?
    A: No. All admitted Clemson students who would like to use a VA educational benefit must submit Clemson University’s Benefits Request Form online, as well as your COE. The Benefits Request Form is the only official indicator to our office that you’d like for us to review your term course registration and certify courses to the VA for payment. You must complete this form prior to EACH term you plan to use your benefit. Once we have this form as well as a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility and you’ve registered for courses for the upcoming term, then our office can review for certification to the VA. Once your courses have been certified to the VA, students will receive an email from our office.
  • Q: What is Clemson’s certification process?
    A: Typically, we begin certifying students 30 days prior to the upcoming term. We cannot review you for certification unless we have all of the following: accurate COE on file, Benefits Request Form, and you’ve completed course registration for the upcoming term.
    Clemson VA Benefits Certification Process
    Certification Process
    Students must FIRST:
    1. Submit Clemson's Benefit Request Form (each term)
    2. Email the Certificate of Eligibility to VABenefits@clemson.edu
    3. Register for term courses
    Our office THEN:
    1. Reviews each course for each student using DegreeWorks (for UG students) or the student’s Plan of Study (Graduate students) to determine which courses meet the declared degree requirement(s)
    2. Submits term certification to the VA
  • Q: Do I need to submit my COE every term?
    A: Typically, no. You should only need to send us proof of entitlement (examples: COE or NOBE) once during your enrollment at Clemson University, unless our office specifically requests an updated copy or if your benefit type or level changes.
  • Q: Do I need to request certification each term I’d like to use my benefit?
    A: Yes. You must complete Clemson’s Benefits Request Form each term you’d like to use your benefit. If our office does not have this form, we will NOT be able to certify you to the VA and no payment(s) will be made to you and/or Clemson University.
  • Q: How do I know which courses can be certified to the VA?
    A: If you are an undergraduate student, log into your iRoar account and use your DegreeWorks to determine whether or not a course falls under your declared program requirement. If a course falls under the Excess Electives category or the Insufficient category, most likely that course cannot be certified to the VA. Our office will be able to certify courses that are meeting your specific (declared) program requirement(s).

    If you are a graduate student, log into your iRoar account and use your GS2 Plan of Study to determine whether or not a course falls under your program requirement. Our office will be able to certify courses that are meeting your specific declared program requirement(s).

  • Q: What are some reasons a course might not be included in my certification?
    A:
    • The VA will not pay for courses you are taking unless they meet your specific degree requirement
    • The VA will not pay for courses for your concentration/minor unless you’ve officially declared that concentration/minor
    • The VA will not pay for repeated courses (unless you received a prior grade that is below the grade needed to satisfy the requirement according to your degree/program)
    • The VA will not pay for courses that fall under Excess Electives
    • The VA will not pay for courses for which you’ve received prior credit (Examples: AP credit, transfer credit, etc.)
  • Q: How can I find out how many months of remaining benefits I have?
    A: You should contact the VA at 1-888-GIBILL-1. Clemson University does not and cannot calculate entitlement. Only the VA can calculate that. If you are using Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill®, you may also use the eBenefits website.
  • Q: What is the Choice Act (Section 702)?
    A: The Choice Act is a provision that requires public institutions of higher learning to charge qualified veterans, spouses, and dependents the institutions in-state tuition rate. You can read more about the Choice Act and its additional requirements and can contact Clemson’s Military Residency team for questions: finaid@clemson.edu.
  • Q: How do I know what my residency status is?
    A: Clemson’s Military Residency team in our Financial Aid Office can help you determine residency status. You can find information related to active duty, Choice Act, and state of South Carolina benefits online: www.clemson.edu/financial-aid/residency/military-residency-requirements.html.
  • Q: How long does it take to receive my benefits from the VA once I’ve been certified by Clemson?
    A: Depending on the time of year, it may only take our office 2-3 days to process your request, but in peak busy times, it could take up to a few weeks to process all paperwork. After our office sends the term certification to the Department of Veterans Affairs, it takes an additional 30 days for the VA to process the certification and release the funds to you and/or Clemson University—depending on your specific benefit. Please note that VA processing times can increase greatly during the beginning of the term, so these timelines are estimated windows.
  • Q: Why were some of my courses not included in my certification to the VA?
    A: After our office has certified your term registration to the VA, you will receive an email that details which courses we reviewed for the term and which courses (if any) we were unable to certify to the VA. Generally, the main reasons we are unable to certify a course are as follows: the course does not meet the degree requirement, the course is for a minor that has not been declared, the course is falling under the “Excess Electives” section in DegreeWorks. These are simply a few examples, and this list is not exhaustive of all reasons. If the course that was not certified does, in fact, meet your degree requirement, simply have your Academic Advisor email our office at VABenefits@clemson.edu stating the course code, course title, hours, and the specific degree requirement the course is satisfying OR stating the course is meeting a requirement for graduation OR the course is meeting a requirement for further secondary learning/licensing.
  • Q: I am a full-time Clemson University student, but the VA is stating I am part-time?
    A: Usually, this is because our office was unable to certify one or more courses to the VA. The terms of your unique term-specific certification will be emailed to you once we have reviewed and certified your course(s) to the VA. Generally, the main reasons we are unable to certify a course are as follows: the course does not meet the degree requirement, the course is for a minor that has not been declared, the course is falling under the “Excess Electives” in DegreeWorks. These are simply a few examples, and this list is not exhaustive of all reasons. If the course that was not certified does, in fact, meet your degree requirement, simply have your Academic Advisor email our office at VABenefits@clemson.edu stating the course code, course title, hours, and the reason why this course is meeting your degree OR is meeting a requirement for graduation OR is meeting a requirement for further secondary learning/licensing.

    Example: you are an undergraduate student registered for 15 hours at Clemson (full-time status), but the VA has record of 11 hours (part-time status). Our office was unable to certify your XXXXX course and your XXXXX course as neither meets your degree requirement. Thus, you are enrolled as a full-time student at Clemson, but we could only certify 11 of those hours to the VA, so you are considered part-time with the VA even though you are a full-time student at Clemson. We’ve created a helpful chart you can use to determine your student status: credit hours chart.

  • Q: Who do I contact if I haven’t received my monthly stipend or housing/book allowance?
    A: If you have received an email from our office notifying you that you have been certified, and if it has been more than 30 days since certification, then you will need to contact the VA directly at: 1-888-442-4551 (888-GIBILL-1). Keep in mind, the VA uses backpay. For example, if the first day of classes begin in August, the earliest a housing stipend would be released by the VA is the first week of September. Additionally, the VA pro-rates payments for the number of days in the month that a student is enrolled. For example, if the first day of classes is Aug. 25, the VA will pay for only a pro-rated number of days and the housing stipend will be less. The payment for August will be paid to you by the VA around the first of September if you were certified prior to the start of the term.

    For book stipends, the VA will not release these funds prior to 14 days before the term starts, and these funds cannot be released until after you’ve been certified for that term.

  • Q: I am using the Ch. 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefit and still have a balance due to the Bursar’s Office. When will my tuition and fees be paid?
    A: When initially certifying students using Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits, our office certifies a students enrolled term credit hours without a tuition and fees amount – meaning these certifications will be submitted with a $0 amount. After Census Day each term, our office will update certifications to include students’ actual tuition and fees charges. Students may initially receive a letter from the VA that their enrollment has been certified at $0. We process this way as a courtesy to you so that, while we wait to send tuition/fees, you can still receive your Monthly Housing Allowance and/or books/supplies stipend.

    Again, this process will not prevent students from receiving housing and/or book stipends for which they are eligible. Payment from the VA will arrive after Census Day when certifications are updated to include tuition and fees. This typically takes 2-4 weeks after Census Day. Students may continue to see a balance due on their account while we wait for the VA to send tuition and fee payments. All students using Chapter 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits who have turned in a certificate of eligibility (COE) will have a protection placed on their account that prevents them from being dropped from classes during that waiting period, allows for various payment plan options, and prevention from incurring any payment late fees.

  • Q: Are there any fees that the VA will not cover?
    A: Yes. Some of these fees include late registration fees, reinstatement fees, any fees associated with room and board or travel costs for a field trip or study abroad program, a non-required internship with 0 credit hours, excessive-hours fees, late graduation application fees, parking permits (exception: if you are using Chapter 31—Veteran Readiness & Employment and your Counselor approves the fee), and 3-peat fees (courses repeated three times). Please note this list is not exhaustive. If you have a question about a fee you have been charged and whether or not the VA will pay it, please email us at VABenefits@clemson.edu or if you are a Ch. 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill® student, please email GIBill33@clemson.edu.
  • Q: I am receiving a scholarship. Will this affect my benefits?
    A: If you are receiving any scholarship that covers only tuition and fees and you are receiving Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits, then yes. Our office will deduct the amount reported to the VA by the amount of the scholarship received. This does not affect other benefits (housing stipend, book stipend, etc.) as these are not based on the tuition and fees reported to the VA.
  • Q: How many hours constitute what pay rate?
    A: The following course load tables show the minimum amount of hours necessary to maintain each enrollment status. Remember, the hours reported by us to the VA are based on hours that count toward your declared degree program. This chart includes various parts of term:
    Veteran Credits

    For current pay rates, consult the VA website at www.gibill.va.gov/.

  • Q: Can I repeat a course?
    A: If a student fails a course or if you receive a “D” in a course that requires a grade of “C” or better, the VA will cover the cost of retaking the course. However, if you wish to retake a course that you have successfully passed (example: to improve your overall GPA), then the VA will not pay for that course. Additionally, The VA prohibits payment for any course that is not required for graduation. This includes repeats of a grade 'D' or better (unless a higher grade is required), withdrawals, CO-OP program, and excessive electives.
  • Q: What if I am placed on academic probation or suspension?
    A: If you are placed on academic suspension, your status will be reported to the VA at the conclusion of the term and final grades are posted. If you cannot register for courses for an upcoming term, then you cannot receive any VA benefits at Clemson University until you regain satisfactory academic status.
  • Q: What happens if I decide to drop a class?
    A: You must report ANY changes in your enrollment to our office. This includes dropping a course, adding a course, withdrawals, and switching courses. You can do so by submitting an email to us at VABenefits@clemson.edu. If you drop any or all of your courses after the last day to withdraw without a “W,” you will likely have to repay benefits received for that/those course(s) to Clemson and/or the VA. Please use the Academic Calendar for these specific dates.
  • Q: What if my course(s) meets over several terms or does not meet over a standard term of enrollment?
    A: Courses are certified to the VA by the start and end dates for each course (including final exams). If you are certified in several terms (such as an overlapping First Fall, Mini-A, Second Fall, and Full Fall), each term length is certified individually, and payment is determined by the VA. For instance, as an undergraduate student if you enroll in 6 hours for the Full Fall term, and then in 6 hours for the First Fall term and in 3 hours for the Second Fall term, then the VA only considers you full-time when you are enrolled in 12 hours all at the same time, which would be only during the First Fall term in the example below:
    Standard Terms
    Full Fall Semester
    First Fall Second Fall
    Mini A Mini B Mini C Mini D
    Standard Credits
    6 Hours
    6 Hours 3 Hours
    0 Hours 0 Hours 0 Hours 0 Hours
  • Q: Can I take a course at another school and still receive benefits?
    A: Yes, as long as that course will fulfill a degree requirement for your degree at Clemson University and is transferable to Clemson. Our office will need to send your other school a Parent Institution Letter. To do this, you must submit the Approval of Credits to Be Earned at Another School form (FIRST) as well as the contact information at your secondary school noting the representative who should receive the letter from us (SECOND). You can submit these to our office via email to VABenefits@clemson.edu.
  • Q: I want to change my major. How will this affect my VA benefits?
    A: You will need to work with your Academic Advisor to complete Clemson University’s change of major process. If approved to change majors, our office can see the change in our system. As an undergraduate student, once the paperwork has been processed by Clemson, you will be able to see the change of major reflected in your DegreeWorks. If you see the change there, that means we will be able to see the change on our side as well. It is important that when we certify your term courses, that your current program in DegreeWorks matches the program for which we are certifying courses. If you are working toward applying to a different major and are awaiting approval of the change, please indicate this on your Benefits Request Form, and our office will follow up with other information we may need from you.
  • Q: I want to study abroad. How will this affect my VA benefits?
    A: You will need to work with Clemson’s Study Abroad Office first. Our office will work closely with Study Abroad to determine if the program you select is eligible for using your benefit. Often, the VA will not pay for Study Abroad, so be sure to check with us about your specific plan.