VA Benefits & Resources

Educational support programs available through VA include:

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  Financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of active duty service on or after Sept. 11, 2001, or for those discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill ® and your benefit will be based on your length of active duty service.
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  (Chapter 30) Veterans and service members with at least two years of active duty. Eligible service members may receive up to 36 months of education benefits; must be used within 10 years.
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  (Chapter 1606) For eligible members of the Armed Forces Selected Reserve, including Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corp Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. Eligibility determined by the DOD Selected Reserve components and VA makes the payments.
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  (Chapter 35) For eligible dependents of Veterans who are permanently and totally disable due to a service-related condition or of Veterans who died while on active duty or because of a service-related condition. Benefits are available for undergraduate and graduate training for up to 45 months prior to Aug. 1, 2018, and 36 months after Aug. 1, 2018.
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  (Chapter 31) Designed to assist veterans with service-connected disabilities in obtaining and maintaining employment, including job training, employment accommodations, résumé development, and job seeking skills coaching. Attending school can be part of this retraining process.

Eligibility includes:

1. Having received a discharge that is other than dishonorable
2. Having a service-connected disability rating of at least 10% from VA
3. Needs vocational rehabilitation due to disability and employment handicap

An eligible veteran generally has 12 years from the date they are notified of entitlement to VA compensation in which to use these benefits.

Additional Resources

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Please contact VA directly at 888.442.4551 for more information about your specific benefit options. Veterans and their families may also use VA's online Ask Us a GI Bill ® Question for answers to questions that others have asked about benefits or to ask your own questions. Information about education benefits with VA is available by going to www.gibill.va.gov and clicking on "Apply for Benefits."

The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs has also published a helpful Guide for Veterans Attending College as a resource on starting the education benefits process.

VA Payment Addendum

In accordance with Title 38 U.S. Code 3679 subsection (e), Whitworth University adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from the VA. Whitworth University will not:

• Prevent the student's enrollment;
• Assess a late penalty fee to;
• Require student secure alternative or additional funding;
• Deny their access to any resources (access to classes, libraries or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.

However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:

• Produce the Certificate of Eligibility by the first day of class;
• Provide written request to be certified;
• Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies.

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 website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.