Veterans FAQ

1. Why is the BAH not the amount I expected to receive?
2. Am I eligible for a priority time ticket?
3. I receive Ch 33 benefits, when will my tuition/fees be paid?
4. Do I need to pay tuition/fees upfront and then wait to be reimbursed by the VA?
5. When I contacted the VA school certifying official, I found out I hadn't been certified yet. Why wasn't I certified earlier?
6. How do I withdraw from my classes with a VA hold on my registration?
7. I am changing my address, my major, or adjusting my schedule, why do I need to contact the school certifying official (SCO)?
8. Why does the VA pay my tuition/fees so late?
9. I've been receiving notices from the Bursar's Office that I have a balance due, even though my tuition/fees should be paid by my Ch 33 benefits. What do I need to do?
10. I am a Yellow Ribbon student, but why did I not receive funding this semester?
11. Will my class schedule be canceled if the Ch 33 doesn't pay tuition/fees by the payment deadline?
12. I am a prospective Georgia Tech student, how does being a veteran affect how I am admitted to the Institute?
13. If I withdraw from classes, will I owe money back to the VA?

General

1. Why is the BAH not the amount I expected to receive?

Your BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) is calculated based on Georgia Tech's zip code, 30332 and your rate of pursuit. Only students enrolled in at least seven (7) credit hours are eligible for BAH. Students enrolled in six (6) or fewer hours will not receive a BAH. For the specific amount you are entitled to, you will need to contact the VA directly (1-888-442-4551).

BAH is paid only when you are actively enrolled and attending.  Breaks between terms are not eligible for BAH reimbursement, which means no housing payment will be paid for these periods. 

Housing payments are prorated.  Payments are prorated if your course(s) do not span an entire month. If courses are certified for part of a month, the payment will be prorated as follows: 

VA uses a 30-day month.  Divide the monthly rate by 30 to get the daily rate. If the course(s) begin mid-month, starting on the 15th and running through the 30th, then you are entitled to 15/30ths for the certified period. 

Changes in enrollment will affect the BAH. 

BAH payments are made in arrears, meaning you will routinely receive the previous month's BAH payment during the first week of the following month.  While VA will make every effort to make the payment on the first day of the month, students should not be concerned about non-payment until the end of the first business week. 

2. Am I eligible for a priority time ticket?

Georgia Tech’s Registrar’s Office assists enrolled students utilizing the following benefit programs:

Department of Defense Military Tuition Assistance (TA)

• Active-duty Army
• Active-duty Marine Corps
• Active-duty Navy
• Active-duty Space Force
• Active-duty Air Force
• Active-duty Coast Guard

Veterans Affairs

• Chapter 33 - The Post-9/11 G.I. Bill® (Yellow Ribbon)
• Chapter 30 -- Montgomery G.I. Bill® - Active Duty (MGIB-AD)
• Chapter 35 -- Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program (DEA)
• 1606 -- Montgomery G.I. Bill® - Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)
• Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E or Chapter 31)

To assist students utilizing one of the listed benefits, the Registrar’s Office will issue a priority time ticket to open on the first day of a registration period. Students must be utilizing one of the above benefits to be eligible for the priority time ticket assignment.

3. I receive Ch 33 benefits, when will my tuition/fees be paid?

Tuition and fees are reported to the VA after Phase II registration. Payment is expected approximately six to eight weeks after the beginning of the term. If there is some sort of delay, the SCO will notify all VA students so they may plan accordingly.

4. Do I need to pay tuition/fees upfront and then wait to be reimbursed by the VA?

Ch 33 students do not need to pay for tuition/fees upfront in lieu of VA funds arriving. The Bursar's Office places a deferral on each student's account for the amount expected from the VA to prevent late fee assessment or schedule cancellation. For all other GI Bill® benefits, the monthly stipend is considered supplementary funding, and tuition/fees must be paid by the Bursar's Office deadlines.

5. When I contacted the VA school certifying official, I found out I hadn't been certified yet. Why wasn't I certified earlier?

The list of students to be certified is gathered from all the VA students who are registered for the upcoming term. This is done about 45 days before the term begins, shortly after Phase I registration. If you did not register for at least one class during Phase I registration, we would not know you needed to be certified. Be sure to check your email for notifications from the VA certifying official. If you don't plan on registering till Phase II registration, send an email to inform the VA certifying official when you've finalized your schedule.

6. How do I withdraw from my classes with a VA hold on my registration?

Email the SCO that you would like to withdraw from a class(es), providing the course information and computer number of each class you'd like to be withdrawn from. The SCO will withdraw the course on your schedule and adjust your VA certification accordingly. Make sure to email the SCO by drop/university withdrawal deadlines. Late drops requests will not be accepted.

7. I am changing my address, my major, or adjusting my schedule, why do I need to contact the school certifying official (SCO)?

Notifying the SCO of address, major, or schedule changes ensures that your record with the VA stays up-to-date. By changing information such as your address or your major on your student record, it does not automatically update this information on your record with the VA. For adjustments to your student record, your SCO may require you to fill out a form to submit the VA or may need to update your enrollment certification for that current term.

8. Why does the VA pay my tuition/fees so late?

Once Phase II registration ends, the Bursar's and Financial Aid offices must calculate the tuition and fees to report to the VA for each Ch 33 student. The SCO then reports tuition/fees for the VA to release. Because the process takes several weeks past the tuition/fee deadline, the Bursar's Office places deferrals on each student account in anticipation of the VA issuing payment directly to Georgia Tech.

9. I've been receiving notices from the Bursar's Office that I have a balance due, even though my tuition/fees should be paid by my Ch 33 benefits. What do I need to do?

E-mail the SCO to verify the status of your account. You may have been automatically been emailed because of a pending balance on your student account.

10. I am a Yellow Ribbon student, but why did I not receive funding this semester?

Yellow Ribbon funding can only be given up to two semesters each academic year. If you've already received YR funding for two semesters, the third semester, you are only entitled to regular Ch 33 benefits.

11. Will my class schedule be canceled if the Ch 33 doesn't pay tuition/fees by the payment deadline?

No, the Bursar's Office places a deferral on your student account for the amount expected for tuition/fees. This deferral prevents you from having your schedule cancelled. You will need to make plans to pay upfront for any balance in your student account not covered by Ch 33.

12. I am a prospective Georgia Tech student, how does being a veteran affect how I am admitted to the Institute?

All veteran students are admitted to Georgia Tech by the same standards as regular students.

Registration

13. If I withdraw from classes, will I owe money back to the VA?

You may owe money back to the VA if your tuition and fee assessment for the reduced hours is less than what the VA originally paid. Student's who are using the Post-9/11 G.I Bill may also be responsible for the reimbursement of the book stipend.