Military Education Benefit Programs Recognized at PAU

Montgomery GI Bill^® - Active Duty (Chapter 30)
Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Program (Chapter 31)
Post 9-11 GI Bill^® (Chapter 33) GI Bill^® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill. The Post-911 GI Bill^® may also include:

The Yellow Ribbon Program

Transfer Educational Benefits to Dependents (TEB)

Survivors and Dependents Assistance (Chapter 35)

Army, Air Force, and Navy Tuition Assistance (TA) Program

Veterans and their dependents may qualify for other federal, state, institutional, and private financing programs in addition to the Military Education Benefit Programs described above. For more information on these programs and eligibility, please visit the VA education and training benefits website. Prospective students are directed to receive approval from the student’s ESO, military counselor or Service prior to enrollment. See the Military Tuition Assistance website for more information.

Student Responsibilities to Begin Receiving Benefits

The following steps must be completed prior to a student receiving VA educational benefits at PAU:

Students must be admitted to a degree program
Complete the PAU Veteran Student Application

Submit program acceptance letter, VA Certificate of Eligibility (CoE), original transcripts, and PAU application for VA benefits to the Military & Veteran Department of Student Success.

Student Responsibilities While Receiving Benefits

Students must notify their School Certifying Official (SCO) at PAU when any of the following occurs:

Dropping or adding course(s)
Withdrawing from course(s)

Discontinuing regular class attendance
Change in programs (academic majors)

VA educational benefits are payable for regular attendance in courses that are part of the veterans’ program (major) curriculum. VA educational benefits are NOT payable for:

Classes not attended regularly

Repeating a course for which a passing grade was received

Classes taken on an audit basis
Classes that are dropped

Classes taken that are not part of the student’s academic program (major) curriculum.

Reporting Requirements

Recertification for benefits is not automatic and must be requested each quarter. The School Certifying Official (SCO) must report the actual beginning and ending dates and the number of units the military student is enrolled in. This requirement includes certifications for non-standard term enrollments (i.e., 5 week sessions, 8 week sessions, etc.). To prevent overpayment and subsequent indebtedness to the Federal Government, it is important to notify the SCO immediately of changes that may affect your eligibility for benefits. It is the responsibility of each student to keep their SCO apprised of the following:

Class Registration: After registering, students should send a copy of their course schedule to the SCO for VA-Once certification. The earlier a student registers, the earlier certification can be transmitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs. All students receiving VA benefits have a responsibility to notify the SCO of any changes in credit hours enrolled once the quarter begins. Failure to notify the SCO may result in incorrect payment for which the student may be held liable.

Changes to Schedule: Any additions, drops, withdrawals, or other interruptions must be immediately reported to the SCO by the student.

Failure to Attend Class: Routine class attendance is required for students receiving VA benefits. Students who are unable to attend class for an extended period of time should notify their professors, program office, and their SCO.

Change of Major: The VA must be notified when a student changes a major. These changes may be approved if there is minimal loss of credit hours.

Change of Address: If a student’s address changes, both the Department of Veterans Affairs and Palo Alto University must be notified.

Veterans Benefits-Academic Probation

The Veterans Administration requires all students attending Palo Alto University under Veterans Educational Assistance Benefits to make satisfactory academic progress and systematic advancement toward an educational objective or be liable for overpayments from the Veterans’ Administration. Satisfactory progress and regular class attendance is expected. You are liable for overpayments from the Veterans Administration. Veterans and eligible persons not meeting academic standards of progress will be placed on academic probation. If after two terms on probation the student is still not meeting academic standards, the VA will be notified and benefits terminated. Once the student is meeting academic standards, benefits will be reinstated.

Note: Most veteran & military students at PAU meet the conditions for “satisfactorily pursuing” a program of study for receiving VA benefits by meeting the Palo Alto University general catalog requirements for their program of study. Regular Attendance: Students must be in regular attendance of all classes for which they are registered.

Unsatisfactory Progress: The University must notify the Veterans Administration that a student has made unsatisfactory progress if the student:

fails or withdraws from all classes or,
is placed on academic probation for 2 terms
is suspended by the University
classes not completed: Unless there are extenuating circumstances, students do not receive benefits for any portion of a class dropped after the add/ drop period or for classes in which incomplete (delayed) grades are received and not resolved within one year.