FAQ – Veterans Support Center

If you are thinking about applying to the U or you were just accepted and are not sure what to do next, check out our New Student Information page (coming soon). If you still have questions about the process, please contact us by visiting the Veterans Support Center in Room 418 on the fourth floor of the Union, email us at <a href="mailto:vetcenter@sa.utah.edu">vetcenter@sa.utah.edu</a>, or call us at 801-587-7722.
Information regarding various education benefits can be found on our <a href="https://veterans.utah.edu/financial-aid/">Financial Aid</a> page or by visiting <a href="http://va.gov">va.gov</a>
Students planning on using benefits must submit a Request For Benefits form through the Military Education Benefits Specialists in our office each semester. This needs to be done in person or via email (<a href="mailto:MilEdBenefits@utah.edu">MilEdBenefits@utah.edu</a>) for the first semester you use benefits. A fillable version of this form can be found <a href="https://veterans.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/72/2025/05/UU-Request-for-Benefits-May-2025.pdf">here</a>. After the first semester, this form can be filled out on CIS. Navigate to your "Student Homepage", click the "Tuition and Loans" tile, and click "Request VA Benefits" on the left-hand menu. This form must be completed each semester you intend to use benefits.
<h3>Post 9/11 GI Bill®</h3> Monthly Housing Allowance: In order to receive a monthly housing allowance, you need to be registered ABOVE half-time. Undergraduate students need to have AT LEAST 7 credits certified for Fall and Spring semesters and AT LEAST 5 credits certified for Summer. Graduate students need at least 5 certified credits in Fall/Spring and 4 for Summer) If you are below half-time, you will NOT receive any housing allowance. It is important to note that this is based only on your certified courses. If you are registered for courses that are not certifiable (not required for your degree program), those credits will not count towards these minimums. This allowance gets paid to the account that you used when applying for your benefits. Online Courses and BAH: If you enroll in only online courses for a semester, the VA will only pay you 50% of the national average of BAH, even if you are full-time. If at least ONE of your classes is an on campus class (meaning a class you go to), then you will receive the amount of BAH you’d normally get. You can take online courses, but if you want to receive normal BAH, at least one class has to be on campus. Book money: The VA will pay you up to $1000 per academic year for books under the Post 9/11 GI Bill®. The $1000 is if you are at the 100% rating (if you are at a different percentage you will receive a percentage of the $1000 per year, for example, someone at the 80% rating would get up to $800 per academic year). The way the VA calculates book money is based off of the number of certifiable credits you are registered for each semester. The $1000 stipend is split between Fall and Spring semesters, meaning that if what you receive for the Fall semester will be subtracted from the amount available for the Spring semester. For example, if you receive $600 for text books for the Fall, the maximum you can receive for the Spring is $400, even if you are registered for more credits. You do not need to save receipts for books. If you can find your books for cheap online, or better yet, for free, you can still keep the book money. It is recommended that if your books cost less than what you receive for a given semester, that you save the rest for future semesters as you may not receive as much. Tuition and Fees: The VA will pay your tuition directly to the school only for classes that are certifiable. You are responsible for the difference in tuition if you take a non-certifiable (not required for you degree program) course. The VA has never paid tuition by the tuition deadline, but you do not need to worry about the tuition deadline. As long as you make sure you have filled out a Request for Benefits for the semester, we will have you on a list that is sent down to the tuition office to prevent Post 9/11 GI Bill® students from being dropped or charged late fees. It is highly recommended that you check your tuition bill regularly to ensure there are no surprises. <h3>Chapter 30, 1606, 1607: Verify your enrollment each month to get paid!</h3> For Montgomery GI Bill® (Ch. 30) and reservists (Ch. 1606, 1607), you will need to verify your enrollment each month with the VA in order to get paid. If you do not, the VA will not pay you. To do so, you can call: 1-877-823-2378 <h3>Minors and Double Majors</h3> As it stands, the VA will not pay for minors unless they are required by your degree or you can complete them within the 122 credits required to graduate. The VA will pay for double majors, you will just need to make sure you get it declared with the University first and then come see us to get it declared with VA.
The VA will only pay for classes that are REQUIRED for your degree. This includes: general education requirements, major requirements, pre-requisites and classes needed to meet the 122 credits required to graduate. To find out if a class is required, you should check your degree audit report on <a href="http://mydegreedashboard.utah.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Degree Audit</a>. If you register for a course that is not listed on your degree audit, that course will not be able to be certified by the VA and will not be paid for. Please contact our Military Education Benefit Specialists if you have any questions your courses being certified. They can be reached at <a href="mailto:MilEdBenefits@utah.edu">MilEdBenefits@utah.edu</a>. This email means that you have registered for one or more courses that are not required according to your degree audit. If you have received this email, we ask that you contact our office so that we can work with you to determine which courses can't be certified and to discuss your options for getting them certified. If you have not declared a major with the school, the VA will only pay for courses that satisfy general education requirements.
<h3>Failing a Class</h3> You can fail a class and the VA will not create a debt against you and will pay for you to retake the class as long as you attended the course through the end of the semester (EU grades are NOT the same as E grades and are considered unofficial withdraws). The VA considers a failing grade to be any grade in which you did not meet the minimum grade to “complete” the course. For example, some courses require a C+ or better to receive credit, if you receive a C, you did not pass and therefore the VA will pay for you to retake the course. <h3>Retaking a Course</h3> If you failed a required course or did not receive the minimum grade considered “passing” (for example, you received a C- in the course but need a C or better to actually receive credit), the VA will pay for you to repeat the course. They will not pay for repeated courses in order to boost GPA or to get a better grade (if you passed the course). The VA will not cover any repeat course fees if you are charged one. NOTE: You need to be aware that repeat courses can result in over-payments from VA. If you repeat the course more than one time, and the VA pays for it each time you retake it, the VA may create a debt against you and make you repay the money from the first time you took the course. This only happens if you repeat the class more than once. It is in your best interest to make sure you pass the class the first time you repeat it, otherwise the VA may create a debt against you. <h3>Dropping & Withdrawing Classes</h3> If you drop or withdraw from a course after we have already submitted your enrollment certification to the VA, you may be required to pay money back to the VA. Our office will email you (at your UMail account) after you drop or withdraw from the course to ask you for a last date of attendance. It is important that you reply to this email within 3 weeks of receiving it. If you do not reply, we are required to report that you never attended the course and the VA may create a bigger debt against you. <h3>Attending Classes</h3> It is important to understand that the VA pays you for being in class, not just registering for the course(s). If you register for a class but never attend or stop attending at any point during the semester, you may receive an EU grade which is considered an unofficial withdraw and a debt will be created against you by the VA. Even if you are failing the course, it is best to either withdraw or continue attending the class and fail if you do not want to pay money back to VA. The VA will allow you to fail a course without having to pay money back, as long as you attended the entire semester.
<h3>What is considered full time for GI Bill®?</h3> For Undergraduates: Fall and Spring = 12 credits *Summer = 9 credits For Graduates: Fall and Spring = 9 credits *Summer = 6 credits <h3>How do 1st half, 2nd half and miscellaneous term classes affect what the GI Bill® pays me?</h3> The VA only pays you for the time you are IN class. For example, if you sign up for 12 credits for the 1st half of the semester, you will only receive benefits for the 1st half of the semester even though you are considered full time for the semester by the University. Once your classes end, the VA considers the semester over .This can be especially tricky if you are taking classes in the Summer semester when there are more 1st/2nd half classes available. The VA will calculate full-time status based on where dates overlap. So if you are registered for 1st/2nd half classes and want to know if you’ll be considered full time, you can contact our office and ask us to look at your schedule to determine whether you will be full-time.
You will only need to submit a new Request for Benefits form through our office to start your benefits again. Students who will be taking an extended break and will not be enrolling in courses for a semester or longer, you will need to submit a "Leave of Absence" request with the Registrar's office. This will allow them to maintain their enrollment eligibility for a maximum of seven consecutive semesters (including summer) without the need to apply for readmission to the University. This is not necessary for missing a summer semester, as long as you register for classes the following fall. For more information about a submitting a "Leave of Absence" request, visit the Registrar's site <a href="https://registrar.utah.edu/handbook/leave.php">here</a>.
The monthly housing allowance is paid to you directly, based on the banking information entered when applying for the benefit. This is paid at the end of the month and is prorated based on the school schedule. For example, you will receive the payment for January at the end of January and the amount paid is based on the date school started. Tuition and fees are paid directly to the school. This typically takes about 4-8 weeks from the time that the classes are certified and submitted. If you have already submitted your Request for Benefits for the semester, you will receive an email to your UMail account from our Military Education Benefit Specialists a couple of weeks before classes start. This is an opportunity for you to have your courses certified early, which leads to being paid sooner. Your schedule must be set, meaning you won't be making any more changes to the courses you are registered for. There will be a registration hold placed on your account. This is to prevent you from changing courses without speaking to our specialists first. If you do end up needing to change courses after replying to this email, your certification will be delayed. If you do not respond to this email, but you have submitted your Request for Benefits, your courses will be submitted after the Add/Drop date for the semester and the hold will be placed on your account at that time.
Effective Summer 2025, the requirements for receiving a military exemption for in-state tuition have changed. All out-of-state military-connected students are eligible for a military residency exemption. There are deadlines associated with each semester, which can be found on the Residency page. Visit the <a href="https://admissions.utah.edu/information-resources/residency/active-military-or-veteran-student/">Admissions Office Residency</a> page or visit their office in the Student Services Building for more detailed information and to apply for a residency reclassification.
Yes! The University of Utah will grant you 4 credits towards your degree to meet the minimum 122 credits required to graduate with an undergraduate degree. This will count as a general 4 credits and will not fulfill or replace any required course that you need to take. To request these credits, complete a <a href="https://registrar.utah.edu/_resources/documents/pdf/va-military-service-credit-request.pdf">Military Service Credit Request</a> and submit with a copy of your DD-214 or LES statement showing at least 181 days of active duty time to Veteran Services in the VSC.
Tuition Assistance (TA) is handled by the Bursar Office. They can be reached at 801-585-3023 or by email at <a href="mailto:income@utah.edu">income@utah.edu</a>. Questions regarding the military side of Tuition Assistance can be directed to your unit's Education Services Officer (ESO).
Tuition Assistance (TA) can be used with the Post-9/11 and Montgomery GI Bill®. If you are receiving Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits, our Certifying Officials will reduce the cost of tuition reported to the VA by the amount you receive through TA. For questions regarding TA, contact your commands Education Services Officer (ESO).
Individuals eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty, Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve, or DEA may be eligible to pursue training in preparatory courses, or training courses for tests required or used for admission to an institution of higher learning or graduate school. There is no limit to the number of preparatory courses you can take; however, you must have remaining entitlement and your delimiting date, or the expiration date of your benefits, must not have passed. This expiration date is based on the dates of service, or the date at which you became eligible for the benefit.
Purple Heart recipients should contact Financial Aid at 801-581-6211 or by email at <a href="mailto:financialaid@utah.edu">financialaid@utah.edu</a>. National Guard members should contact their Education Services Officer (ESO).
Many students have documented challenges that qualify for reasonable academic accommodations that help them to participate on an equal basis with students who do not have such challenges. For information about how to request accommodations, contact the <a href="https://disability.utah.edu/">Center for Disability & Access</a>. If you need help with requesting accommodations or being evaluated for an accommodation, our Sponsors would love to help you get the ball rolling. <a class="uu btn" href="https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/VSCPeerMentoring@UofUtah.onmicrosoft.com/bookings/s/qHTSbI7PFUSBrK562vmWiw2">Schedule an Appointment</a>
If you are having an emergency or are in crisis, call 911 or go to the nearest Emergency Room. The Veteran’s Crisis Line is also available 24/7 and is completely confidential. They can be reached by dialing 988 and pressing option 1. There are many resources available on and off campus to support veterans with PTSD and other mental health concerns, including: <ul> <li>The <a href="https://www.va.gov/salt-lake-city-health-care/">VA SLC Health Care System</a>: 801-266-1499 or 800-613-4012</li> <li>The VA Vet Center program: 801-266-1499 or 877-927-8397</li> <li>The <a href="https://healthcare.utah.edu/">University Health Care System</a>: 801-581-2668</li> <li>The <a href="https://counselingcenter.utah.edu/">University Counseling Center</a>: 801-581-6826</li> <li>VITAL: Contact Terri Roth for more information, 801-582-1565 x2870</li> <li>Aaron Ahern, a VA mental health counselor who works with the VSC VITAL program, can also be reached at 801-828-6787</li> </ul>
The Veteran Support Center’s VetSuccess on Campus Counselor can answer a lot of questions for you; however, there might still be questions which need to be answered. You can contact the VA at: <ul> <li>VetSuccess on Campus Counselor, Jason Carter: 801-587-5703 or <a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="mailto:jason.carter2@va.gov">jason.carter2@va.gov</a></li> <li>VA Benefits: 800-827-1000</li> <li>VA Health Care: 877-222-VETS (877-222-8387)</li> <li>VA Mental Health: 801-582-1565</li> <li>GI Bill®: 888-GIBILL-1 (888-442-4551)</li> <li>Or you can submit a question online through <a href="https://ask.va.gov/">Ask VA</a></li> </ul>
Yes! The VSC has partnered with several campus groups including U Alumni and the Union to offer our students scholarships during both the fall and spring semesters. Our scholarships are all cash-based, so they will not affect your other benefits or other scholarships that you might receive. We post all of our scholarships on the University’s Scholarship Management Site, <a href="http://utah.academicworks.com">Academic Works</a>. This site also lists many other scholarships offered by various departments and can be filtered to show only scholarships applicable to you.
The University of Utah offers priority registration to all students veterans and any dependent using VA educational benefits (Ch. 33 or Ch. 35). This will allow veterans and their dependents to be among the first students to register each semester. If you are a veteran using VA education benefits (Ch. 30, Ch. 33, Ch. 1606, Ch. 31), you will automatically be granted priority registration when you turn in your VA education benefits paperwork to our office. If you are a dependent of a veteran AND using VA education benefits (Ch. 33 or Ch. 35), you will automatically be granted priority registration when you turn in your VA education benefits paperwork to our office. Note: Priority registration for dependents is only available to students using VA education benefits. If you are a veteran NOT using VA education benefits, you can still receive priority registration by following the directions below: To request veteran priority registration, you are required to log into CIS and submit one of the following documents to the University of Utah as proof of veteran status: <ul> <li>DD-214 or NGB66</li> <li>Current Active Duty Letter</li> <li>Official Letter</li> <li>Military ID Card</li> <li>Other Official Documentation</li> </ul> To upload a document for priority registration, log into CIS, click on your "student profile" tile on your Student Homepage, and click on the “Are you a veteran?” link. You will need to self-identify as a veteran by clicking on the checkbox, then you can click the upload documentation button to choose the file you wish to upload. Once you have uploaded the document, make sure you click the “Save” button. Once we have reviewed your request, we will send you a confirmation email (UMail) to let you know if you’ve been granted priority registration and which semester it will begin. Once you have been granted priority registration, you will continue to receive it each semester as long as you are enrolled at the University of Utah.
If you have been activated for military service, contact our office as soon as possible so that we may assist you with any issues concerning your classes, registration status, or your educational benefits. What You Need To Do: The <a href="https://registrar.utah.edu/_pdf/va-notification-of-military-activation.pdf">military activation form</a> and a copy of your orders should be submitted to the Registration and Records division at the Office of the Registrar (Window 13) in the Student Services Building (room 250N), or you are welcome to fax all documentation to (801) 585-7860, or send via U.S. Mail to: University of Utah, Office of the Registrar Registration and Records Division 201 South 1460 Eeast, Room 250N Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-9056 What We Can Do for You: <ul> <li>We can stop your GI Bill®. You will not have to repay any money paid through your activation date. Your entitlement will be restored back to the beginning of the semester.</li> <li>We can request an official Leave of Absence for you so that you don’t have to reapply to the University of Utah upon your return.</li> <li>If you are activated while school is in session, we can help you determine what to do with your classes for the term. Through the Registration Division, we can request withdrawals from some or all of your classes, or we can request that your courses be deleted completely.</li> </ul> A full tuition refund will be granted to students who properly withdraw from classes after receiving official orders that activate them for military service before the semester/term ends. In order to receive a refund under these circumstances, a student is required to submit a copy of their activation orders to the Registrar’s Office, 250N Student Services Building.
If you are planning on changing your major, you will first need to get that major declared with the University. This can be done by talking to the department your major is in or your academic advisor. Once it is declared with the University, you will need to fill out a new Request for Benefits with our office. This will allow us to report the change to the VA and keep your records up to date.
The University sends this email to any students that have not paid their full tuition bill by the tuition due date. The school is aware that there are frequently delays in receiving payments from the VA, so if you are using benefits and have submitted your Request for Benefits through our office, you will be placed on a "No Drop" list and will not be dropped from your courses and should not receive any late fees. It is still important that you pay attention to your tuition bill to make sure that the payments go through and to watch out for any portion of your bill that is not covered by your benefit so that you don't have any surprises at the end of the semester.
Section 1018 of Public Law 116-315, <a href="https://benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/docs/IsaksonRoe/IsaksonRoeFactSheet.pdf">Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020</a>, adds new requirements for educational institutions participating in the educational assistance programs of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). These new provisions became effective June 15, 2021 and apply to Institutions of Higher Learning and Non-College Degree institutions beginning August 1, 2021. Many of the requirements are consistent with the requirements of the <a href="https://www.va.gov/education/choosing-a-school/principles-of-excellence/">Principles of Excellence</a>, currently in Executive Order 13607; however, there are requirements in addition to those embodied in the Principles of Excellence which schools must also satisfy to maintain approval for GI Bill® participation. Universities will provide financial information to students using benefits under chapter 30, 31, 32, 33, or 35 of title 38,U.S.C.,or chapter 1606 of title 10, U.S.C. with a College Financing Plan (personalized shopping sheet) through the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. Below is additional information that may benefit a student: Estimated total cost of the course that includes tuition, fees, books, supplies, and any other additional costs and estimated cost of living expenses <ul> <li><a href="https://financialaid.utah.edu/tuition-and-fees/cost-of-attendance.php">Cost of Attendance</a></li> </ul> Other types of Federal Financial Aid, not administered by the VA, that is offered by the institution the individual may be qualified to receive <ul> <li><a href="https://financialaid.utah.edu/">University Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid</a> <ul> <li><a href="https://financialaid.utah.edu/types-of-aid/">Types of Financial Aid</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> Amount of costs that are covered by VA Education Benefits (depending on the eligibility of the student) determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) <ul> <li><a href="https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/">About GI Bill® Benefits </a></li> </ul> Other information to facilitate comparison by the individual about aid packages offered by different educational institutions <ul> <li><a href="https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/">GI Bill®</a> and the <a href="https://www.va.gov/education/gi-bill-comparison-tool/">GI Comparison Tool</a></li> </ul> Estimated amount of student loan debt the individual would have upon graduation <ul> <li>Information about <a href="https://financialaid.utah.edu/types-of-aid/grants-loans/loans.php">Federal Student Loans</a></li> </ul> Graduation rates <ul> <li><a href="https://www.obia.utah.edu/">The Office of Budget and Institutional Analysis</a></li> </ul> Requirements for graduation and graduation timeframe <ul> <li>University of Utah <a href="https://catalog.utah.edu/#/home">General Catalog</a></li> </ul> Job placement rates for graduates <ul> <li><a href="https://careers.utah.edu/where-are-they-now/">Career and Professional Development Center</a> (under construction)</li> </ul> Acceptance of transfer credits, including military credits <ul> <li>Transfer Articulation Policies <ul> <li><a href="https://registrar.utah.edu/transferarticulation/policies.php">Transfer Articulation Policies</a></li> <li><a href="https://advising.utah.edu/transfer/transfer-your-credits/index.php">Transfer Your Credits</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> Any additional requirements to obtain a license, certification, or approval <ul> <li><a href="https://stateauthorization.utah.edu/additionalinfo/sara.php">State Authorization</a></li> </ul> Additional campus resources and contacts for military-connected students <ul> <li><a href="https://veteranscenter.utah.edu/">Veterans Support Center</a></li> <li><a href="https://admissions.utah.edu/">Office of Admissions</a></li> <li><a href="https://financialaid.utah.edu/">University Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid</a> <ul> <li>Contact: Hilerie Harris, <a href="mailto:hilerie.harris@utah.edu">harris@utah.edu</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="https://advising.utah.edu/">Academic Advising Center</a></li> <li><a href="https://disability.utah.edu/">Center for Disability & Access</a></li> </ul>
If you are using a GI Bill® program other than the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, you may be able to get an advance payment. If you're eligible, the VA will send an advance payment check to the registrar's office which will include the payment for the first partial month and the first full month of your enrollment period. To be eligible, you must submit an advance payment request, available from our Military Education Benefit Specialists, to the school, be attending at least half-time, and have at least 30 days before the start of the term.