Langston University

To receive education benefits, you must be “certified,” to be eligible for the benefits by a veteran’s benefits certification specialist in the Registrar’s office. The certification process can take up to a month or more, so it is best to begin this process early.

Your first step is to submit your initial application for benefits electronically to the Veterans Administration. Initial application procedures can be found at www.gibill.va.gov. Once the application has been submitted, you will receive a “Certificate of Eligibility” from the Veteran’s Administration (normally within approximately two to four weeks of submitting your initial application online). Email a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility to luregistrar@langston.edu for further processing. If you have specific questions regarding the type of education program you are eligible for or application procedures, please contact the US Department of Veterans Affairs at 1-888-442-4551, or go the USDVA website at www.gibill.va.gov.

For continued receipt of VA education benefits throughout your academic career, you will be required to complete a Veterans Advisory Form each semester. The Veterans Advisory Form is available on the Forms page of the Registrar’s website.

Chapter 30, 1606 recipients: Once you are certified for your benefits, you must verify your enrollment with the VA at the end of each calendar month before you will receive your payment for that month. To verify enrollment, go to the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) or call 1-877-823-2378.

Credit Hour Requirements (applies to Chapters 30, 31, 35, and 1606) Education benefits are based on student enrollment status (e.g. full-time, half-time, etc.) To receive the maximum benefit, you must be enrolled as a full-time student. Part-time benefit rates are reduced proportionately. See the GI Bill Education Benefit Payment Rates website for current rates.

Students enrolled less than half-time qualify to receive a lump sum payment. Students enrolled quarter-time or less are eligible for a reimbursement of tuition and fees (not including books and supplies) not to exceed ¼ of the full-time rate. Monthly checks are based on the prorated monthly rate of payment and training time pursued.

Dropping/withdrawing from classes and changes in original enrollment schedules can also affect payments received for education benefits. Before making any schedule changes, it is important to first consult the Veterans Benefits Services office to avoid/lessen the potential financial impact.

If challenges arise in classes that could impact final grades received, contact the Veterans Benefit Services office regarding possible tutoring options and other available resources.

Courses offered for a term shorter than 16 weeks during the Fall or Spring semesters, or shorter than 8 weeks during the summer term are nonstandard enrollment and have special rules. Students enrolled in short courses will be certified for the actual dates of attendance within the regular academic term. The VA pays education benefits for nonstandard enrollment periods based on credit equivalents. Contact the Veterans Benefit Services office to determine the expected payment amount for courses offered during a nonstandard enrollment period.

You may be able to receive education benefits for up to two semesters as a degree-seeking student who has not yet declared an academic major. At the conclusion of that second term, you will be required to officially declare a degree/major with the university. Failure to declare a degree/major prohibits future enrollment certifications to the VA. Contact the Veterans Benefits Services office for additional information and specific procedures required.

Langston University does not participate in advance payment of VA education benefit entitlement.

Eligibility criteria and benefits vary for veterans’ education benefit programs from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). Monthly stipends, eligibility periods, and documentation required are described in the links below:

• Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (Chapter 30)
• Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606)
• REAP (Reserve Educational Assistance Program – Chapter 1607)
• VEAP (Veterans Educational Assistance Program – Chapter 32)
• DEAP (Survivor’s and Dependent’s Educational Assistance Program – Chapter 35)

You may be eligible for Chapter 35 benefits if you are the spouse or dependent of a veteran who:

• Is totally and permanently disabled due to a service-connected injury,
• or died while on active duty due to a service-related injury.

You will receive a monthly stipend for personal use. You will receive a full benefit for full-time enrollment; the benefit will be reduced proportionately for part-time enrollment. Visit http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/rates.htm for complete information on current rates.

Generally, spouses must use this benefit within 10 years from the date their eligibility was determined by USDVA. Children must use the benefit between ages of 18-26.

If you have never applied for benefits, visit the VA website http://www.vba.va.gov/survivors/index.htm for application and other useful information. Upon receipt of the VA awarded certificate of eligibility, bring a copy of the award letter to the campus veteran services office for further processing. You will be required to also submit a completed Veterans Advisory Form to the Registrar’s Office to complete the certification process.

If you have received Chapter 35 education benefits through a previous institution, you must complete a Change of Place of Training Form to the Registrar’s Office in addition to the Veterans Advisory form.

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Chapter 31)

Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)

If you have at least 90 days of aggregate active-duty service after Sept. 10, 2001, and are still on active duty, or if you are an honorably discharged Veteran or were discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days, you may be eligible for this VA-administered program. Purple Heart recipients, regardless of length of service, are qualified for Post-9/11 benefits at the 100% level. Certain members of the Reserves who lost education benefits when REAP was sunset in November 2015, may also be eligible to receive restored benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Yellow Ribbon Program

The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision of the new GI Bill that allows institutions to voluntarily enter into an agreement with the VA to fund tuition and fee expenses that exceed the in-state undergraduate tuition rates. The institution can contribute up to 50% of those expenses and the VA will match the same amount as the institution.

Students must apply for the Yellow Ribbon Program and must meet the following criteria to qualify to be eligible for Yellow Ribbon Program benefits:

• Undergraduate/Graduate/Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student;
• Classified by the university as a non-Oklahoma resident
• At least one of the following must be true:
• Served at least 36 months on active duty (either all at once or with breaks in service), or
• Received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged after any amount of service, or
• Received a Fry Scholarship on or after August 1, 2018, or
• Served for at least 30 continuous days (all at once, without a break) on or after September 11, 2001, and were discharged after 60 days with a service-connected disability, or
• Are a dependent child using benefits transferred by a Veteran or a service member who has served for at least 36 months on active duty and qualifies at the 100% level, or
• Find out about transferring Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits
• Are receiving the Fry Scholarship (beginning August 1, 2018)
• Learn more about the Fry Scholarship

Note: At this time, you’re not eligible for the maximum benefit rate under the Post-9/11 GI Bill if you’re an active-duty service member or the spouse of an active-duty service member. But, as of August 1, 2022, you may become eligible if you’re an active-duty service member who qualifies at the 100% level, or the spouse using the transferred benefits of an active-duty service member who qualifies at the 100% level.

Students must complete the Application for Yellow Ribbon Program form and submit to luregistrar@langston.edu.

YR participants are required to maintain continuous enrollment in each regular fall and spring semester and must remain in good academic standing each semester to remain eligible for Yellow Ribbon Program benefits. Any changes to the class schedule may result in overpayment of VA benefits and the student will be responsible for any overpayment of VA benefits that may occur. Students in an overpayment status who do not make reimbursements in a timely manner may be at risk of losing their Yellow Ribbon Program benefits. Langston University will determine on an annual basis whether to continue participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program. Once accepted into the program, there is no need to re-apply.

The Department of Defense (DoD) is authorized to allow individuals who, on or after August 1, 2009, have served at least 6 years in the Armed Forces and who agree to serve at least another 4 years in the Armed Forces to transfer unused entitlement to their Spouse. Once the member has reached their 10-year anniversary they may choose to transfer the benefit to any dependent(s) (ex: spouse, children). The Department of Defense may, by regulation, impose additional eligibility requirements and limit the number of months transferable to not less than 18 months.

NOTE: DoD must develop regulations and provide VA with eligibility information before the VA can make payments under this provision. The ability to transfer benefits is limited to those currently serving in the military with some limited provisions for those retiring over the next few years.

Tuition Assistance and/or Tuition waiver programs may be offered through the various branches of the military. For information on these programs, students should contact the Education Officer of their unit. The Registrar’s Office does not process any paperwork relating to tuition assistance.

Langston University awards credit as recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE), as published in “The Guide to the Evaluation of Military Experiences in the Armed Services,” for selected educational experiences provided by the armed forces. Langston University also accepts credit earned through the DANTES Subject Standardized tests for active military personnel. Students who wish to establish credit for military training should submit a copy of their DD214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge, or their DD295, Application for the Evaluation of Educational Experiences During Military Service, to the Registrar’s Office.

Course Completion Certificates may be used to supplement other records or when service schools are not reflected on the DD214 or 295. An official Joint Services Transcript (JST) is available to Army enlisted, active-duty personnel, and veterans who entered the service after October 1, 1981, active duty and reserve Sailors and Marines and Navy veterans who separated or retired after January 1975, and Marines who separated or retired on or after June 1999.

Training Programs. Langston University awards credit as recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE) in the “National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs.” Students may present certificates of completion or a transcript from the ACE Registry of Credit Recommendations to the Registrar’s Office for evaluation. For specific information regarding Military transfer credit, please contact the Registrar’s Office.

Initial education benefit application forms are available using the link to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) website.

Others forms available (in office):

• Veterans Advisory Form: required submission of form each term that student requests receipt of education benefits.
• Post 9/11 acknowledgement form: required submission once.
• VA Education Benefits Certification: (all other benefit chapters): required submission once.
• Change of Place of Training form: required for changes in academic programs or place of training by the individual student.
• Yellow Ribbon Program Form: for Chapter 33 students (who are out of state and not active duty) to apply for Yellow Ribbon Program benefits.
• Parent School Letter Form: A student receiving VA Education Benefits may take courses at more than one school that apply to his or her degree. Students receiving VA Education Benefits must obtain a Parent School Letter from the “primary” school in order to receive VA benefits at the “secondary” school. The Parent School Letter gives the receiving school assurance that the class, if completed successfully, will apply to the student’s intended academic program. Students requesting a Parent School Letter must have every intention to enroll at Langston University after completion of credit hours at their current institution.

War Orphans Education Assistance – DEAP(Survivors and Dependents Education Assistance Program)

Licensing and Certification Exams

Chapters 30, 33 (limited to one test), 35, 1606, 1607 VA can reimburse the cost of approved licensing and certification tests. Students are reimbursed the cost of the test, up to a maximum of $2,000. Benefits can be paid for tests that aren’t passed, for tests retaken if not passed, and for tests required to be recertified or to renew a license. Utilization of this benefit may exhaust one month of entitlement.

Students must be eligible for benefits to receive test reimbursement. They must have remaining entitlement and their delimiting date must not have passed. Entitlement is prorated based on the amount reimbursed. Information about test fee reimbursement and required application can be found at: http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-22-0803-ARE.pdf.

National Tests

Chapters 30, 35, 1606, 1607 VA students can be reimbursed the fee charged for national admission tests and national tests for college credit. Utilization of this benefit may exhaust one month of entitlement. A list of currently approved tests can be found at the following VA website: http://inquiry.vba.va.gov/weamspub/buildSearchNE.do.

Military Leave/Call Up

Active Military Duty

Per Oklahoma law, Langston University offers a military leave of absence (MLOA) to students who are members of the active uniformed military services of the United States who are called to active duty.

An MLOA allows a student to be absent from the University for active duty without penalty to admission status or grade point average and without loss of institutional financial aid. It also allows the student to be eligible for withdrawal from all or some classes with a full refund of tuition and fees or to be eligible for incomplete grades in classes for which he/she has successfully completed at least 50% of the coursework at the time of leave, if the student intends to complete the classes upon return from active duty. MLOAs shall not exceed a cumulative five years. Graduate student LOAs are for a period of one year with annual extensions possible up to the five-year cumulative limit. Students apply for MLOA by submitting the appropriate form and supporting documentation.

If time allows, contact the Registrar’s Office at (405) 466-3225 or luregistrar@langston.edu to inform them of your pending activation. Notification will be made to the Veterans Administration and education benefits will be placed in a pending status. You will not be required to repay benefits previously received for the term in which you are activated.

Short-Term Military Leave

If you will miss classes for short-term military leave or military training exercises, (example: Annual training for National Guard and Reserve members) please contact your instructors as soon as you become aware of this so that any appropriate accommodations can be made between you and the instructor.

Student Reminders

“I” Grades If you receive a letter grade of “I”, you will have one year from the date received to get it changed to a letter grade for credit. If the “I” grade is not changed to a letter grade in this time frame, the V.A. will consider this as an overpayment. Major I will declare and / or seek a major while at Langston University. The V.A. will certify only the classes that apply to this major and / or minor that I formally declare for payment. Anytime you change your major you must report it to the Langston University V.A. Coordinator as soon as possible. If you do not, this can delay your benefits.

Parent School Letter If you are enrolled at another learning institution, the V.A. Coordinator needs a copy of the classes you are enrolled in so that a parent letter can be mailed to them. A Dual Enrollment Form must be completed with the proper signatures before Parent letter will be processed.

Plan of Study After two semesters of enrollment, V.A. Coordinator must receive a plan of study by your advisor. If no plan of study is provided to V.A. Coordinator, you risk not becoming certified by V.A.

Transcripts All college transcripts from previous attended schools must be turned in to Registrar’s Office. Make a copy for your advisor to ensure that applicable credits are applied to your departmental plan of study.

Payments

Students receiving benefits under Chapters 31 (Vocational Rehabilitation benefits) and Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 -awarded percentages from VA for tuition/fees only) will not be penalized due to delayed payment by the VA (i.e., restriction of enrollment, late fees, requirement of alternative/additional funding or denial of access to school resources available to other students).

Any change in enrollment status may adversely affect payments received by the VA, and students will be held liable for the overpayment of the VA issues on their behalf.

Contact a veterans representative for more information.

Forms

Instructions for New & Returning VA Students (PDF)

VA Educational Benefit Certification Form (PDF)

Yellow Ribbon Program Application (PDF)

Parent School Letter (PDF)