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Did you miss our webinars on the changes the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act brings to your GI Bill benefits?
See our presentation here - Webinar Slides
Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act - Forever GI Bill was signed into law
See our web page for more information.
GI Bill Comparison Tool
The GI Bill comparison tool provides key information about college affordability and value so beneficiaries can choose the best education program for their needs.
Choose a School
Compare VA-approved institutions and review other information to choose the educational program that works best for you.
Average Processing Times
23 Days: First Time Applications
8 Days: Supplemental*
*A supplemental claim is a re-enrollment or other change that impacts your benefit.
FAQs
Apply for Benefits
You served with honor and you’re ready to further your education and skills. If you qualify, apply for VA education and training benefits online, in person, or request an application over the phone.
Contact Us
Call us at 888-GIBILL-1 (888-442-4551) between 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. Central Time, Monday-Friday
Ask us a Question - Get an answer in four to five working days. You can also search for answers to frequently asked questions. This contact method is available worldwide 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
New Announcements
(Click Here for Older Announcements)
School Certifying Officials (SCO) please Join Us For a Webinar Explaining Provisions of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act - Forever GI Bill - December 27
December 21, 2018 2:45 PM
Join us on Thursday, December 27 at 2pm EST. The purpose of this webinar is to inform the SCOs about provisions to the Colmery Act and how these changes will impact their duties.
Click here to join the meeting
Audio Information: 1-800-767-1750
Participant Code: 37639#
Test your connection here if you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting.
Get a quick overview of Adobe Connect here.
Veterans and Dependents please Join Us For a Webinar Explaining Provisions of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act - Forever GI Bill - December 27
December 21, 2018 2:45 PM
Join us on Thursday, December 27 at 1pm EST. The purpose of the webinar is explain provisions to the Colmery Act and how it impacts you.
Click here to join the meeting
Audio Information: 1-800-767-1750
Participant Code: 28503#
Test your connection here if you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting.
Get a quick overview of Adobe Connect here.
Closure of Vatterott College
December 18, 2018 10:30 AM
VA is aware of the recent announcement by Vatterott College that its operations were discontinued effective December 17, 2018. See their letter informing students of closure.
VA is working closely with the State Approving Agencies on this developing situation. Please see our website for additional information for options in restoring benefits.
School Certifying Officials (SCO) please Join Us For a Webinar Explaining Provisions of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act - Forever GI Bill - December 18
December 17, 2018 11:53 AM
Join us on Tuesday, December 18 at 2pm EST. The purpose of this webinar is to inform the SCOs about changes to Section 501 and 107 of the Colmery Act and how these changes will impact their duties.
Click here to join the meeting
Audio Information: 1-800-767-1750
Participant Code: 37639#
Test your connection here if you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting.
Get a quick overview of Adobe Connect here.
Change to Date - Veterans and Dependents Please Join Us For a Webinar Explaining Provisions of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act - Forever GI Bill - December 18
December 13, 2018 9:30 AM
Join us on Tuesday, December 18 at 1pm EST. The purpose of the webinar is to provide an update about the changes to section 501 and 107 of the Colmery Act and how it impacts you.
Click here to join the meeting
Audio Information: 1-800-767-1750
Participant Code: 28503#
Test your connection here if you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting.
Get a quick overview of Adobe Connect here.
Veterans and Dependents Please Join Us For a Webinar Explaining Provisions of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act - Forever GI Bill - December 17
December 11, 2018 4:00 PM
Join us on Monday, December 17 at 1pm EST. The purpose of the webinar is to provide an update about the changes to section 501 and 107 of the Colmery Act and how it impacts you.
Click here to join the meeting
Audio Information: 1-800-767-1750
Participant Code: 28503#
Test your connection here if you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting.
Get a quick overview of Adobe Connect here.
Closure of Education Corporation of America Schools
December 7, 2018 10:00 AM
VA is aware of the abrupt closure of facilities associated with Education Corporation of America (ECA), which operated several chains of schools, to include Virginia College, Brightwood College, Golf Academy of America and Ecotech Institute, throughout the nation. VA is coordinating with the various State Approving Agencies (SAA) and is in the process of gathering the specific details surrounding this closure.
VA reaches out to every student in attendance at institutions that close to advise them of their options and potential for having their benefits restored and will do so within 5-days once it has received official notices from its SAA partners. Until specifics can be provided about each school location in question, please see information regarding benefit restoration at closed institutions.
Press Release - Post-9/11 GI Bill Housing Payment Rates Update
November 28, 2018 1:45 PM
See our Press Release discussing resolutions for the implementation of Harry W. Colmery Act sections 107 and 501, which pertain to how housing allowance payments are calculated.
1st Quarter School Certifying Officials' Webinar
November 6, 2018 12:15 PM
Join us on December 5 for the 1st Quarter School Certifying Officials' Webinar.
Where: https://vbatraining.adobeconnect.com/eduwebinar/
When: 2pm EST
Conference Number: 1-800-767-1750; Participant Code: 37639#
Test your connection here if you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting.
Get a quick overview of Adobe Connect here.
Information for School Certifying Officials (SCO)
October 25, 2018 2:45PM
We continue to experience a high pending claims inventory which is causing continuing processing delays for some GI Bill students. We apologize for these delays, and want to assure you we are doing everything in our power to reduce the pending workload, address the oldest claims, and continue to test the housing payment IT modifications required for the Colmery Act. As of October 24, our pending work is continuing to go down, and we are maintaining our focus on the oldest items.
As we get reports of hardship situations we are addressing those immediately.
If you are aware of a specific hardship case you can call the Education Call Center SCO Hotline. You may also recommend the student contact the general Education Call Center number (1-888-442-4551) or submit an inquiry online. Some of you have asked what Education Service considers to be a hardship case. Examples of a financial hardship due to a delay in GI Bill payments include, but are not limited to:
- a beneficiary is in danger of losing housing or
- a beneficiary is in danger of having utilities turned off or
- a beneficiary is in danger of receiving collection notices from creditors.
Financial Hardship
October 25, 2018 11:00AM
Education Service continues to experience a higher than normal pending claims inventory which is causing processing and payment delays for some GI Bill students. We apologize for these delays, and want to assure you we are doing everything in our power to reduce the pending workload and address the oldest claims. As of October 24, our pending work is continuing to go down, and we are maintaining our focus on the oldest items.
As we get reports of hardship situations we are addressing those immediately.
If you are experiencing a financial hardship due to a delay in GI Bill payments, please contact the Education Call Center at 1-888-442-4551 between 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. Central Time, Monday-Friday or contact us through the GI Bill website.
We have been asked what Education Service considers to be a hardship case. Examples of a financial hardship due to a delay in GI Bill payments include, but are not limited to: you are in danger of losing your housing or; you are in danger of having utilities turned off or; you are in danger of receiving collection notices from creditors.
We regret that these delays are occurring and the impact they may have on you and your family. We are working to make sure you are paid as soon as possible and will continue to update you on our progress.
Housing Payment Timeliness
October 16, 2018 11:00AM
Many of our Post-9/11 GI Bill students are experiencing longer than typical wait times to receive monthly housing payments. Today, we are averaging a little over 35 days to work first-time applications and 23 days for re-enrollments.
Although processing times in the fall are longer than other seasons, wait times this year are longer than usual. Knowing this may have caused you a financial hardship, please let us know by contacting us via the GI Bill website at https://gibill.custhelp.va.gov/app/utils/login_form/redirect/ask.
As Our Education Call Center is also experiencing higher than normal wait times, you can avoid waiting on the phone for a payment status by calling 1-888-442-4551 and choosing Option 2 for an automated response. You can also check your eBenefits or vets.gov account for payment status. Once your payment is processed by VA, it will take a few more days to reach your banking institution.
We regret that these delays are occurring and the impact they may have on you and your family. We’re working to make sure you are paid as soon as possible and will continue to update you with any new information we have. You may also want to follow us on our Facebook page for updates at https://www.facebook.com/gibillEducation/.
Information for School Certifying Officials (SCO)
October 16, 2018 9:45AM
As you are aware from our previous notices to you, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is experiencing some delays in processing payments for our beneficiaries and their educational institutions. This is due to several IT-related issues and the fall peak enrollment season. While the pending inventory is trending downward, we anticipate a high pending claim inventory through the end of this year. We sincerely regret these delays, and are doing everything possible to restore the timeliness you have come to rely on.
We are reaching out to you to ask for your assistance to ensure that GI Bill students are not penalized if the school has not received tuition and fee payments due them from VA. Late payments are likely due to VA processing delays and certainly are not the fault of the student. We ask for your patience as we work to resolve the ongoing challenges. If your school is waiting for tuition and fee payments for GI Bill students, we respectfully urge you to continue to work with the students so they may continue their academic pursuits.
Please share this with any other offices at your institution as you deem appropriate.
If you have questions concerning the status of an enrollment you submitted, please contact our School Certifying Official inquiry phone number. If you do not have the number, please contact your Education Liaison Representative for it.
For updates on the average time it will take us to process enrollments, please go to the GI Bill website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/.
Thank you again for your patience.
Housing Payment Processing Times
October 10, 2018 3:30 PM
Many of our Post-9/11 GI Bill students are experiencing longer than typical wait times to receive monthly housing payments. Today, we are averaging a little over 35 days to work first-time applications and 23 days for re-enrollments.
Although processing times in the fall are longer than other seasons, wait times this year are longer than usual. Knowing this may have caused you a financial hardship, please let us know by contacting us via the GI Bill submit a question.
As Our Education Call Center is also experiencing higher than normal wait times, you can avoid waiting on the phone for a payment status by calling 1-888-442-4551 and choosing Option 2 for an automated response. You can also check your eBenefits or vets.gov account for payment status. Once your payment is processed by VA, it will take a few more days to reach your banking institution.
We regret that these delays are occurring and the impact they may have on you and your family. We’re working to make sure you are paid as soon as possible and will continue to update you with any new information we have. You may also want to follow us on our Facebook page for updates at https://www.facebook.com/gibillEducation/.
Education Service (School Certifying Official) Webinar Slides Available
September 27, 2018 9:30 PM
The transcript of the September 27, 2018 Education Service Webinar is now available.
Claims Processing Times
September 25, 2018 3:40 PM
As of today, on average, it is taking about 35 days to work first-time applications for education benefits and 17 days for supplemental claims. A supplemental claim is often a re-enrollment or other change that impacts your benefit.
School Certifying Official - Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act Webinar Slides Available
August 28, 2018 10:55 AM
The transcript of the August 28, 2018 Education Service Webinar is now available.
Yellow Ribbon Program Information Available for 2018-2019 Academic Year
August 2, 2018 3:20 PM
The Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Program 2018 - 2019 list of participating schools and rates is now available.
School Certifying Official - Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act Webinar Slides Available
July 31, 2018 4:25 PM
The transcript of the July 31, 2018 Education Service Webinar is now available.
Veterans and Dependents Please Join Us For a Webinar Explaining Provisions of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act - Forever GI Bill
July 24, 2018 11:45 AM
Join us on July 26 or August 9 at 2pm ET.
The schedule for School Certifying Officials is here.
Click here to join the meeting
Audio Information: 1-800-767-1750
Participant Code: 25803#
Test your connection here if you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting.
Get a quick overview of Adobe Connect here.
Updated School Certifying Official - Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act Webinar Slides Available
July 20, 2018 1:15 PM
The updated transcript of the June 12, 2018 Education Service Webinar is now available including answers to unanswered questions asked during the Webinar.
DoD Announces Policy Change on Transfer of Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
July 20, 2018 12:45 PM
Effective 7/20/19, eligibility to transfer benefits will be limited to sevicemembers with less than 16 years of active duty or selected reserve service. Contact your military branch representative with any questions. See DoD's announcement.
School Certifying Official - Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act Webinar Slides Available
July 17, 2018 4:20 PM
The transcript of the July 17, 2018 Education Service Webinar is now available.
Veterans and Dependents Please Join Us For a Webinar Explaining Provisions of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act
July 11, 2018 2:10 PM
The Colmery Act brings significant changes to your education benefits, many that go into effect August 1. The law affects your monthly housing allowance, allows additional Reserve time to be credited towards Post-9/11 GI Bill, allows additional months of entitlement for STEM programs, and a lot more.
Find out what’s changing by joining us for our first of three informational online webinars on July 12, 2018, @ 2pm ET. The audio is only accessible by dialing 1-800-767-1750 then entering 25803# when prompted.
If you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting before:
Education Service (School Certifying Official) Webinar Slides Available
June 12, 2018 9:30 PM
The transcript of the June 12, 2018 Education Service Webinar is now available.
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