Chapter 35

[windy city]

Can anybody tell me what are the steps to getting chapter 35 benefits for spouse. My wife just got her GED and she is ready for college now. I was awarded chapter 35 benefits for my family in 2004 just need info. on what to do and what forms to fill out? Please help.

[carlie]

Windy,

Someone will chime in here and help you out - I know so little about Chapter 35, sorry.

carlie

[mountain tyme]

web site for VA chapter 35 benifits will tell you how to apply and forms the school will need to fill out

http://www.gibill.va.gov/pamphlets/CH35/CH...let_General.htm

[Pete53]

Best thing is to let the School she is going to help her with paperwork and getting a degree plan. Every School has someone that VA pays to help Vets and their dependents

[Berta]

Her application should have been included with the award letter but also is at the above link someone gave you.

The school must be fully VA approved (most of them are)

Once VA gets her application, they will send her and also her school- a Certificate of Eligibility.

Every VA approved college has someone who is the VA liason person- they handle GI bill, Voc Rehab and Chapter 35.

On my app I briefly described my intent as to what degree path I was going to take.The VA knows this can change.It doesnt have to be exact.

The school will surely have a web site and a tuition page where she can give an estimate of the projected cost of her degree(I think the Chap 35 app has a part for that)I needed 30 credits so I multiplied that by $750 (average credit price for AMU)= $22,500 and this is what I estimated the cost to finish my degree on my Chap 35 app. That too can change as some tuition I paid was higher then that.

She needs to be prepared to pay the tuition prior to enrollment in each course, and then notify the VA.

The best way for me was to pay the tuition each semester on line, then email both the school's VA counselor and the Buffalo VA Educational Department- that I had paid, how much I paid, name and length of course, and instructor's name.The school will give her a Student ID number and this should also be in her email if she contacts the VA edicational Department this way.

VA checks this info and then determines how much they will reimburse.

Once I got 3 checks in a week for Chap 35- sometimes it took a month or more to get the reimbursements.

They divided my length of courses into the tuition amounts and it seems they came up with a daily rate.

If she is attending traditional campus-she can probably get all of this handled in person by the school's VA liason person after she pays her tuition and not need to deal with email.

It is good idea to keep all of her paid tuition receipts and the statements the VA will send her from time to time as an audit of her tuition accounts.

This is a wonderful benefit for dependents.

Edited July 13, 2008 by Berta

[Berta]

Forgot to add-

New Text Books are very expensive- the college will have a used book section in their store or she might possibly be able to get a book grant.

It pays to ask if they have any type of book grant program she would be eligible for-

the Marine Corps paid for my books on a grant.They were very costly.

Chapter 35 money is paid basically for tuition needs and not the extras.

[windy city]

Forgot to add-

New Text Books are very expensive- the college will have a used book section in their store or she might possibly be able to get a book grant.

It pays to ask if they have any type of book grant program she would be eligible for-

the Marine Corps paid for my books on a grant.They were very costly.

Chapter 35 money is paid basically for tuition needs and not the extras.

berta I was awarded IU with chapter 35 benefits in 10/2004 but then was awarded 100% on 4/2006 My ? is when does the 10 year begin for my wife. I know my kids are still in grade school.