To receive VA educational benefits, you must be formally admitted as a degree seeking undergraduate or graduate student and adhere to the university’s tuition policies and academic eligibility standards. There are two classifications of students eligible to apply for these benefits:
(1) A veteran is a person who served active duty for not less than 90 days in the Armed Forces, the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service, or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and who was discharged or released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable. Certain veterans and other individuals entitled to federal education benefits under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 30 or 38 U.S.C. Chapter 33 may be eligible to be charged the in-state tuition rate and applicable mandatory fees for enrollment without satisfying the 12-month residency requirement under G.S. 116-143.1.
(2) Any person who is the spouse or a dependent relative of a veteran is also eligible to be charged the in-State tuition rate and applicable mandatory fees for enrollment without satisfying the 12-month residency requirement under 6 G.S. 116-143.1, if the person meets the listed criteria.
If you belong to either of these categories, please review the policies below to understand how to access Veteran Benefits as a UNC-Chapel Hill student.
For a veteran, spouse, or dependent relative to qualify for VA Benefits all of the following criteria for their affiliation must be met.
To receive benefits, you must apply through the Department of Veterans Affairs directly. For instructions and application support you may contact them by phone at 1-888-GIBILL1. The VA will process your application and send you a letter notifying you of their decision. Please be aware that it may take the VA several weeks to process your claim. If you are approved to receive benefits, you will receive a certificate of eligibility letter from the VA.
Enrollment Certification Renewal is not automatic. You are required to submit the UNC-CH Veterans Educational Benefits Enrollment Data Form as soon as you register for the following term to reactivate your benefits and prevent a lapse in payment. Without a new enrollment form, your payments will stop. You must notify our office if you change your major, withdraw or add and/or drop classes.
It is the student’s responsibility to maintain the prescribed standard of attendance, progress, or conduct. We will notify the VA of failure to maintain these standards of attendance and the VA can discontinue benefit payments in accordance with the law.
If a student’s progress or conduct becomes unsatisfactory, the termination date assigned by the school will be the last day of the term or other evaluation period in which the student’s progress or conduct became unsatisfactory. In situations involving unsatisfactory attendance, benefits will be discontinued based on the student’s last date of attendance as reported by the University.
Veterans using these benefits will not receive payment until they have also verified their monthly attendance directly with the VA. Enrollment can be verified starting on the last calendar day of the month by using the Automated Verification of Enrollment or by calling the toll free Interactive Voice Response (IVR) telephone line at 1-877-823-2378.
To receive VA educational benefits, you must be formally admitted as a degree seeking undergraduate or graduate student and adhere to the university’s tuition policies and academic eligibility standards. New applicants should expect to receive their first check 8–12 weeks from the time the enrollment certification is sent. You will be paid retroactively from the first day of class.
All forms required to request initiation and payment of benefits may be submitted electronically from your UNC email address.
To receive VA benefits at UNC-CH, you must:
Before submitting the form, it’s important to read and understand the Agreement for Students Receiving Veterans Educational Benefits (PDF). This document is provided to explain the guidelines and responsibilities for receiving payment from the VA.
Complete and submit the electronic UNC-CH Veterans Educational Benefits Enrollment Data Form from your UNC email address.
Karsen Spain
kfvetaffairs@kenan-flagler.unc.edu
919-962-0117
Check out the Kenan-Flagler Active Duty Military & Veterans resource for more information.
Learn how to apply for a degree-seeking program at Carolina, where you may be eligible to utilize Veteran Benefits.
Carolina proudly participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which helps cover the difference in tuition and fees that go beyond the cost of in-state tuition.
Eligible veterans who have a course deficiency may be eligible to receive reimbursement for payment to a tutor for individual tutoring. Visit the Tutorial Assistance resource for more information and to obtain the Application and Enrollment Certification for Individualized Tutorial Assistance (VA Form 22-1990t).
Free tutorial assistance for many courses on campus is offered through The Learning Center, an instructional service administered through the College of Arts and Sciences. Academic support for UNC-Chapel Hill students is provided in face-to-face and online coaching format, along with other online resources.
Carolina offers opportunities for you to meet others with U.S. military experience. Check out these resources to build connections with students like you!
Manage Your VA Education Benefits
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs GI Bill
Contact gibill@registrar.unc.edu.
