Veterans Benefits
The term “veteran” refers to an individual who:
- Has served in the United States Armed Forces, including a reserve component and the National Guard, and
- Was discharged or released from such service with a condition other than dishonorable.
Financial Assistance Through the Veterans’ Administration
Many veterans of the Armed Services are eligible to receive financial educational assistance through the Veterans’ Administration. Veterans and Reservists must complete an application to determine eligibility, and are encouraged to apply via the VA’s Veterans Online Application (VONAPP), located on the VA’s G.I. Bill® website (www.gibill.va.gov). In addition, students must activate veteran educational benefits by contacting the campus veteran-certifying official, Diana Coslett (570-675-9242 or wb-finaid@psu.edu).
Types of VA Benefits
Chapter 30: Montgomery G.I. Bill®—Active Duty
This program is for veterans who enlisted on or after July 1, 1985 and who participated in the new educational program.
Chapter 31: Vocational Rehabilitation
This program is for veterans with at least a 10% disability rating due to service-connected injuries.
Chapter 32: Veterans' Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
This program is for veterans who enlisted after December 31, 1976, and who contributed to the Veterans Educational Assistance program.
Chapter 33: Post-9/11 G.I. Bill®
This is a new G.I. Bill® for individuals who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001. Provisions include tuition and fees, basic housing allowance, and a stipend for books and supplies. Veterans eligible for Chapters 30, 1606 or 1607 may elect Chapter 33.
Chapter 35: Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance
This program is for dependents/survivors who are applying for survivors’ and dependents’ benefits for the first time. This program provides education assistance for qualifying spouses and children of veterans who either died while on active duty or as a result of a service-related condition, or have a 100% disability rating due to a service-connected injury.
Chapter 1606: Montgomery G.I. Bill®—Selected Reserve
This program is for Reservists who signed at least a 6-year contract on or after July 1, 1985, and who have served at least 180 days of active service.
Chapter 1607: Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)
Education benefit for Activated Reservists. This program makes certain reservists who were activated for at least 90 days after September 11, 2001 are either eligible for education benefits or eligible for increased benefits.
Priority Registration
Honorably discharged student veterans of the United States Armed Forces, Reserve, and Guard have been granted priority registration by Penn State University. Priority registration must be requested by submitting a completed Veterans Priority Registration form.
Priority registration really means early registration. Veterans may schedule classes ahead of students without priority registration based on the timeline set by each campus, but once general registration begins you will compete for class spaces along with all other students allowed to register at that time. Check with your campus registrar to determine which date is applicable to you.
To exercise this benefit, veterans should send a copy of the Member 4 section of their DD 214 (indicating character of discharge) and active duty service members should send a letter from their command stating their dates of service. These documents should be submitted to your campus certifying official or the Office of Veterans Programs at University Park.
For more information on veterans’ benefits, please contact Diana Coslett, Veterans Certifying Official, at 570-675-9242 or wb-finaid@psu.edu.
“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 www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.