The Veteran Benefits Office (VBO) processes U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits for dependents, veterans, reservists, National Guard, and Active-Duty members. 

For information about resources and events on campus for military-connected students, please visit the Veteran Services Center. 

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Education Benefits 

Military-connected students must submit the appropriate VA documentation, Request for Certification, and additional information required by the VBO before tuition and fees are due. Failure to do so may not allow enough time for the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to place a temporary award on a student’s financial aid account (if applicable) while waiting for the VA payment. If, at any time, the VA fails to pay any portion of the estimated amount placed into the student’s account, the student will be held liable for the unpaid portion. The student must take the following actions in order for the VBO to certify a student for VA education benefits. 

• Submit a Certificate of Eligibility (COE), Authorization Form (for Chapter 31 beneficiaries), or Statement of Benefits obtained from the VA’s education benefits website noting entitlement to VA education benefits. 
• Submit a Request for Certification (RFC) form to the VBO to use such entitlement. The form can be found on veteranbenefits.uci.edu. 
• Provide additional information necessary to verify enrollment and coursework for degree progress.  

For students requesting Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill®) or Chapter 31 (Veteran Readiness & Employment) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from the VA (up to 90 days), UCI will not: 

• Prevent their enrollment; 
• Assess a late penalty fee; 
• Require they secure alternative or additional funding; 
• Deny their access to any resources (access to classes, libraries or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution. 

To qualify for this provision, such students are required to: 

• Provide a Certificate of Eligibility (COE), Authorization Form (for Chapter 31 beneficiaries), or Statement of Benefits by the first day of class; 
• Provide a Request for Certification (RFC) form; 
• Provide any additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment.

Training Time for VA Education Benefits 

VA education benefits are paid according to training time status. During the standard terms (fall, winter, and spring quarters) undergraduates are considered 'full-time' for VA purposes if they are in at least 12 certifiable units. Graduate students are considered 'full-time' for VA purposes if they are in 8 or more certifiable units. For more information on how full or part-time status is determined, please visit the VA website.

CalVet College Fee Waiver for Veteran Dependents 

Dependents of veterans eligible for the CalVet College Fee Waiver must submit their eligibility letter from a California County Veteran Service Office to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (OFAS). Once the letter is submitted, the mandatory systemwide tuition and fees are waived; all remaining UCI fees are the responsibility of the student. This benefit does not apply to self-supporting programs. Eligibility must be re-established for each subsequent academic year. The student must meet the UCI California residency requirements to receive this benefit. More information about the waiver can be found here: calvet.ca.gov/VetServices/Pages/College-Fee-Waiver.aspx. For questions related to the application of a waiver to a student’s account, please contact OFAS at finaid@uci.edu. 

Readmission Due to Military Orders 

If a student is called on military orders, the readmission fee will be waived. When readmitting, students should meet with their academic counselor to initiate the process and submit proof of their military orders. More information about the readmission policy can be found here: reg.uci.edu/enrollment/readmission.html.

Readmission for Disqualified Graduate Students 

Graduate students who are academically disqualified may be readmitted to UCI with a recommendation from their academic unit and the Dean of the Graduate Division. See Academic Disqualification in the Graduate Division section of this UCI General Catalogue for more information. 

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Standards of Progress 

Per the VA Standards of Progress, students receiving VA educational benefits must maintain good academic standing. For detailed information on maintaining good academic standing, please consult UC Irvine's Academic Regulations and Procedures. For graduate students, please also refer to the Academic Policies of your unit: Graduate Division and School of Law.  

Failure to meet good academic standing requirements may lead to university disqualification, resulting in the termination of VA educational benefits.  

Declaration or Change of Major 

Per VA policy, students must declare a major at the time specified by the school, but in no event may the student be certified beyond their second year unless a major is declared. Only “General Education” courses can be certified prior to the declaration of a major.

When declaring or changing a major, the student must complete a Change of Major Form, so that the VBO can make the proper updates to the student’s record and avoid any delays in certification. 

Processing and Reporting 

UC Irvine processes enrollment certifications for each term to which the student applied. Amendments are made to enrollment certification during the term if any financial changes (such as a late Cal Grant award, late UCSHIP waiver, etc.) occur.

Incomplete, or NP grade that resulted in the student dropping below full-time enrollment must be reported to the VA. This may result in the student being billed for some or all VA funding. 
 
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/.