Chapter 35.....dea

[Sidney56]

My son has applied for DEA, but we have not heard anything back from them yet. I

guess DEA has a backlog also. He called and was told that his application was still

in processing and no decision has been made and to wait for notification from them.

My problem is this; he has just completed his freshman year at a college that

he(myself included) does not want to go back to in the fall. The reasons are too

numerous to list, but some are, drug infestation, lack of security(had all his property

stolen out of dorm room),athletic program sucks(he is football all state), etc.

Overall, just not a good learning environment.

When he filed the application for DEA he put this college down so he could get his

backpay. There is no way he will be attending this hole in the coming fall! He has

made up his mind to go to a University that has a pre-med curriculum that matches

his educational goals.

Can he apply to this University even though he has not received his Certificate of

Eligibility from the DEA? Will this cause some type of confusion at the DEA, therefore

delaying his certificate of eligibility?

We are planning on taking a trip to this University to talk to the VA certifying officer.

Hope we can get this all sorted out before summer break is over.

[Berta]

There are two separate issues here.

If he is asking for refund of any tuition during his eligibility period ,he has to formally request that and the college will prepare an audit to account for his paid tuition.

He can certainly enroll into any other school that is VA approved (most are and their web site can verify that)but it is receipt of the formal DEA Certificate that prompts DEA to begin ( or to support a request for tuition refund.)

How long ago did he send in his DEA application?

[Sidney56]

There are two separate issues here.

If he is asking for refund of any tuition during his eligibility period ,he has to formally request that and the college will prepare an audit to account for his paid tuition.

He can certainly enroll into any other school that is VA approved (most are and their web site can verify that)but it is receipt of the formal DEA Certificate that prompts DEA to begin ( or to support a request for tuition refund.)

How long ago did he send in his DEA application?

This is where it gets confusing to me Berta....

1. When he first started school, he was on a football scholarship, which the coach decided

to snatch(revoke)because he missed a practice before the final game. He then had to

obtain a student loan to finish out the semester. Does he even qualify for back pay of tuition?

Now the school says that he owes them 1500.00 over and above the FAFSA and student loan. I think

they are crooks. JMHO What do you mean by formally requesting tuition refund?

2. We have not received a formal DEA Certificate yet as he just filed the application the 1st of

April. They stated that the application is still in processing when he called. I guess everything

hinges on the receipt of the DEA Certificate. Hope he can get it before the fall

semester begins. Guess that they are back logged like everything else.

He will probably talk to the new school VA officer, just to get things rolling

until the Certificate arrives.

Just to be clear....VA will pay for his tuition, books and fees plus give him

a stipend check. Am I correct?

Thanks Berta...

Edited May 11, 2011 by Sidney56

[Pete53]

First he is entitled to the money no matter how his tuition is paid.

My recommendation is for your son to go to the school he wants to attend and meet with the Veterans Rep at the school and let him help. The VA is very strict about following degree plan and any changes have to be approved by them to get paid.

Good Luck

[Sidney56]

First he is entitled to the money no matter how his tuition is paid.

My recommendation is for your son to go to the school he wants to attend and meet with the Veterans Rep at the school and let him help. The VA is very strict about following degree plan and any changes have to be approved by them to get paid.

Good Luck

Thanks Pete

That was my advice to him also. Since he was never approved for a degree plan(at least not yet),

then hopefully he can get enrolled in the new school before everything is finalized. Is my thinking

correct? Will they even consider him at the new school without the Certificate? Need to go have

a sit down with them...ASAP.

Thanks buddy!

[Philip Rogers]

If he is attending under Chapter 35 DEA benefits he'll receive the stipend and that's all, except maybe if he needs some tutoring. He's responsible for tuition, books, living expenses, etc., basically out of the stipend.

pr

[Berta]

That is all confusing to me too./ Did he earn credits for the semester?

“Dependents' Educational Assistance provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of certain veterans. The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. If you are a spouse, you may take a correspondence course. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances. “

http://gibill.va.gov/benefits/other_programs/dea.html

These are the rates the VA will pay:

http://gibill.va.gov/resources/benefits_resources/rate_tables.html#Ch35

"What do you mean by formally requesting tuition refund?"

I am a DEAer. As Pete said the VA must approve the degree program or whatever the DEA is for.,

This is how it worked for me-I contacted the school's financial aid officer (I had already told VA what school on the Chap 35 DEA app) and got a VA contact email addy at VA Edu in Buffalo NY.

As each semester came up I paid the tuition and then advised the school's Financial aid counselor and Cced my VA Edu person with email that included

1.my student ID number

2.The description of the course

3.the period the course ran from

4. the professor teaching the course.

5.and date and amount of my payment of tuition.

I had a book grant from Marine Corps Assoc-he should see if any book grants are available and I attended online classes so no big gas bills but I did have the expenses of normal PC college use.(actually I upgraded to Satellite net and got new PC)

The DEA checks were hard to depend on as to when they would arrive from the VA.

The VA figured out a daily rate to pay me by.

It came to almost the same amount as the entire tuition.

"What do you mean by formally requesting tuition refund? "

If he is eligible for refund under DEA for his past semester (I cant tell here if he is) once he gets the Certificate of Eligibility he could apply for refund of that specific tuition.

He would need an audit from the other school's financial records showing basically the same stuff I mentioned above as to course description, length of course ,grades (you have to maintain a certain GPA for DEA I think) and proof of payment.

When I got a new entitlement date due to my last award letter I got refund of around 5 or 6 thousand as my DEA ran out before I got my degree.

Once the school sent to VA the specific form that proved what courses I took, etc etc and proof of payment,beyond the older entitlement date but within the new entitlement date- the check came fairly fast.