Living Expense While In School Question

[socomsam]

I am still waiting to hear back from my counselor to see what track I am going to take in the program. I want to go to a guitar repair tech school as I do it on the side and I know I can make a living doing it if I had certified credentials. I was awarded disability just over a year ago after 22 years of being out of the Army.

They only rated me 10% (I was probably at least 70% when I was originally injured back in 1985 since I did six months of physical therapy and I've been in pain ever since). As I stated in a previous post, I work in a factory and can no longer do my job and would quit tomorrow, but I need the income.

Since I am hoping to go to a six month tech school full time out of town, how will I earn a living while at school? Do they pay a living expense?

[navydoc2]

My daughter gets chap 35 education benefits and she get 925 a month. I don't know if vets get more; I do know they pay vets for their dependents too if you have any. Good luck.

/doc

[Berta]

There is Voc Rehab info at the VA web site:

http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/vre/index.htm

You have to search for more info there as it isnt always too easy to find.

"Since I am hoping to go to a six month tech school full time out of town, how will I earn a living while at school? Do they pay a living expense?"

The VA if you are eligible for Voc Rehab, will have to determine if the schooling goals you have are appropriate.

They will pay you a stipend every month as long as your grades are maintained.

My husband was on Voc Rehab for Computer degree part time and was a part time VA employee.

His VA work schedule changed every 6 months and his college VA counselor helped him to adapt to that changing work schedule for his courses.

She was a Gulf War veteran whose help was invaluable to him and she helped the rigamorale of books, courses,tests, (he needed accomodations to his PTSD) all go as smoothly as possible.

There was never any problem with his stipend check coming along with his VA comp check every month.

I am a Chapter 35er-which is a little different.And my benefits, as a survivor of a vet- might have been a little different than navcydocs daughter's.

I had to pay my AMU tuition first for each semester, then contact the school VA liason person and then VA Educational department to make sure they noted my tuition was paid. I did all that via email.

A few weeks into each course the VA Chapter check would arrive.(usually but not always.)

The Voc Rehab stipend however seems to have a more consistent payment schedule.

I have to attend a school that was fully VA approved. The school you are considering surely has a web site and right there it should say if it is a VA-fully approved school for Chap 31 or Chap 35 purposes.

Good luck! It can be HARD work but these are wonderful VA benefits!

Edited November 17, 2010 by Berta