Veteran’s Benefits
Veteran’s Benefits
This institution is approved to offer GI Bill® educational benefits by the Virginia State Approving Agency.
“GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.”
Richard Bland is committed to making your experience here one of excitement and ease. So, take a minute to look at the following information and procedures, which we hope will make your experience move smoothly from admission to certification and payment.
Depending on the Program qualification you may be eligible for GI Bill that pays benefits in 4 areas:
- Tuition
- Fees
- Book Stipend
- Monthly Housing and Meal Allowance (MHA)
The following are the GI Bill Programs. For details of benefits, go to https://benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/index.asp
- Chapter 30 MGIB (Montgomery GI Bill)
- Chapter 31 VR&E (Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program)
- Chapter 32 VEAP (Veterans Educational Assistance Program)
- Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill
- Chapter 35 DEA (Dependents Educational Assistance Program)
- Chapter 1606 MGIB-SR (Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserves)
- Chapter 1607 REAP (Reserve Education Assistance Program )
- GA. National Guard (USA & USAF) (REAP)
- Tuition Assistance T/A
The following documents are required for us to process your request to use GI Bill benefits.
- DD-214 if applicable (1 time only)
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE – First Time you apply – 1 time only) or Letter of Remaining Benefits (every semester – provided to you by the VA)
- Copy of updated Academic Grid (every semester – provided by your academic advisor)
- Copy of Student Schedule/Bill from your Banner Account (every semester)
For transfer students who have used GI Bill at another College or University, Request for Change of Training Location or Program form ( https://benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/index.asp )
- Form VA 22-1995 for Active Duty, Veterans, Reserves and National Guard
- Form VA 22-5495 For Dependents
A Veteran earns GI Bill benefits under the Department of Defense resources while serving their country. When the Vet wants to “cash them in”, the funds will come from Veterans Affairs money. The COE (Certificate of Eligibility) is your documentation that you have been approved to utilize the benefit you have earned.
The COE can be obtained online at vabenefits.vba.va.gov. It will detail how many months of benefits and the percentage of payout for which you qualify. In order to transfer benefits to dependents, the sponsor must apply for a new COE in the student’s name.
- A GI Bill benefits package may be submitted as soon as classes are open for registration.
- All payments from the VA will come by Electronic Transfer of Funds (Direct Deposit) either directly to RBC or to the Student. No paper checks will be sent.
- All students will be initially certified to the VA for $ 0.00. This will cause the VA to release payments directly to the student at the earliest possible date (no earlier than a week prior to the semester start date). The closer to school start the package is submitted, the longer it will take for the VA to process your request and issue payment.
- Approximately 3 weeks into the semester, when all charges and credits have been applied to the student’s bill, a second Certification will be submitted to the VA for Chapter 33 students detailing the actual Tuition and Fees charges. This will cause the VA to issue payment directly to RBC for Tuition and Fees and a payment directly to the student for their book stipend. Students may apply online for a book voucher and should remember that the cost of the voucher will be added to your student account and must be paid in accordance with the business office guidelines.
- Students who receive scholarship, grant or other outside money specifically intended to be used to pay for Tuition including GO ARMY or Employment Tuition Assistance) will have their GI Bill Tuition and Fees payment reduced by the combined amount of these funds. Any Tuition and Fees charges not covered by these funds will be paid by the VA to the limit of the Vets benefit award. Book Stipend payments will not be affected. This action was taken by the VA in 2011 to prevent duplication and overpayment of Tuition and Fees to the student from multiple sources.
- Students relying on VA provided funds to cover school costs must execute an AGREEMENT TO PAY FORM in Financial Aid with the State Certifying Officer (SCO)This document will exempt eligible students from being in jeopardy for class drops due to non-payment of charges by the due date.
STUDENTS RECEIVING CHAPTER 30, 33, 1606. 1607. MUST VERIFY THEIR ENROLLMENT MONTHLY BY WEB AUTOMATED VERIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT (WAVE) OR BY CALLING 1 877-823-2378 THE INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE (IVR). THE EARLIEST STUDENTS CAN VERIFY THEIR ENROLLMENT IS THE LAST CALENDAR DAY OF EACH MONTH.
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Please use this checklist to assist you in fully utilizing your Veteran’s benefits.
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Eligible students serving in the Reserve, National Guard, or on active duty who want to use Tuition Assistance should be aware of the relevant deadlines for filing their paperwork for TA.
Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is available to:
- Active duty, National Guard, and Reserve service members (eligibility varies by branch).
- Students enrolled in degree or certificate programs approved by the DoD.
- Students attending institutions that have signed the DoD Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (DoD MOU).
Tuition Assistance Coverage:
Per DoD policy:
- Up to $250 per semester credit hour.
- Annual cap of $4,500 per fiscal year.
- TA covers tuition and mandatory course-specific fees only.
- TA does not cover books, supplies, housing, or general institutional fees.
Please note that each branch has different guidelines for application and distribution. The following links are provided as a courtesy reference; eligibility and procedures may change. Check with your unit’s or installation’s Education Services Officer for the most recent guidance on how to file for Tuition Assistance, including availability and eligibility. Federal Tuition Assistance recipients should first contact their respective Education Service Officer (ESO) to seek approval prior to registering for classes.
Keep in mind the length of the application and approval process, especially when applying for benefits for the first time.
Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is available as a financial aid resource for service members who qualify. The TA funds are paid directly to the institution to be applied to the student’s tuition cost. It is considered a first payer before other forms of aid and can be used in addition to financial aid.
If you have a student account- or billing-related question after you have submitted your service-approved TA request, contact the RBC Cashier’s Office at (804) 862-6100 Ext. 8100.
Tuition Assistance program links:
Enforcement and Compliance
Student Responsibilities:
Students using TA must:
- Obtain approval from their Education Service Officer (ESO) or military branch prior to enrolling.
- Submit an approved TA authorization form before the payment deadline.
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress (minimum GPA of 2.0 undergraduate / 3.0 graduate).
- Notify the institution of any changes in enrollment or military status.
Institutional Responsibilities:
Richard Bland College will:
- Maintain compliance with the DoD MOU and DoDI 1322.25
- Provide clear, accurate cost information and degree plans.
- Ensure TA funds are applied only to eligible charges.
- Refund TA funds in accordance with DoD and institutional refund policies.
- Offer academic and financial advising tailored to military students.
Policy for Return of Unearned Tuition Assistance
Tuition Assistance is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire enrollment period for which the assistance is awarded. When a student withdraws, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of TA funds originally awarded.
In instances when a service member stops attending due to a military service obligation, Richard Bland College will work with the affected service member to identify solutions that will not result in student debt for the returned portion of TA.
Refunds for TA-funded courses will follow the DoD Return of Funds policy and institutional refund schedule.
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The Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Program (VMSDEP) provides education benefits to spouses and children of military service members killed, missing in action, taken prisoner, or who became at least 90 percent disabled as a result of military service in an armed conflict. Military service includes service in the United States Armed Forces, United States Armed Forces Reserves, the Virginia National Guard, or the Virginia National Guard Reserves. Armed conflict includes military operations against terrorism or as the result of a terrorist act, a peace-keeping mission, or any armed conflict after December 6, 1941. This program may pay for tuition and fees at any state-supported college or university. This program waives tuition and fees in Virginia. Benefits are available for up to four years.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, children and spouses of qualifying military service members must meet the following requirements.
- The child must be between ages 16 and 29; There are no age restrictions for spouses.
- The military service member is and must have been a Virginia citizen at the time he or she entered active duty or must have been a Virginia citizen for at least five years immediately prior to the date of the application for admission.
- In the case of a deceased military service member the veteran’s surviving spouse can meet the residency requirements if he or she lived in Virginia for at least five years prior to marrying the military service member or has been a citizen of Virginia for at least five years immediately prior to the date of application.
Required Documentation
In most cases, eligibility will be determined using documentation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. However, the veteran or surviving spouse may be asked to provide documentation verifying residency or the applicant’s age or relationship. State income tax records, birth certificates, and/or marriage certificates are usually sufficient.
Recertification
To continue receiving VMSDEP benefits, qualifying enrolled students must provide a letter to the Virginia Department of Veterans Services stating their continued enrollment, the period of time attended, and the period of time for which they are requesting benefits.
Apply for benefits
Please use this link to sign up for updates about the new VMSDEP portal. New applicants will be able to apply for benefits through this portal. Existing clients will be required to set up an account to monitor their benefits and receive communication from the VMSDEP staff. -
- Complete Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) www.studentaid.gov
- Applying for Benefits https://www.benefits.va.gov/benefits/
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs https://www.va.gov/
- Virginia Department of Veterans Services https://www.dvs.virginia.gov/dvs/
- Reporting Enrollment https://gibill.va.gov/wave/index.do
- Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Program (VMSDEP) https://www.dvs.virginia.gov/education-employment/virginia-military-survivors-and-dependents-education-program-2-2/
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The Virginia State Approving Agency (SAA), is the approving authority of education and training programs for Virginia. This office investigates complaints of GI Bill® beneficiaries. While most complaints should initially follow the school grievance policy, if the situation cannot be resolved at the school, the beneficiary should contact the office via email saa@dvs.virginia.gov.
Financial Aid and Veterans Affair Counselor
Financial Aid and Veterans Affair Counselor
(804) 862-6100, ext. 9809
