Veteran FAQ's

• Chapter 33 - Post 9/11 GI Bill^®
• Chapter 30 - Montgomery GI Bill^® (MGIB)
• Chapter 31 - Vocational Rehabilitation
• Chapter 35 - Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program
• Chapter 1606 - Select Reserve and National Guard Units

You will need to establish your eligibility with the Veterans Administration. You can apply online using VONAPP at www.gibill.va.gov. Once the VA has processed your application, they will send you a Certificate of Eligibility. This is your official notification that you are eligible to use your benefits.

Arizona Revised Statute §15-1808 grants a tuition waiver to the child or spouse of a veteran killed in the line of duty. This provision applies only to students attending a public college or university in Arizona. Effective July 29, 2010, the waiver was extended to veterans who receive a Purple Heart citation on or after September 11, 2001, and who have been determined to be at least 50 percent disabled as a result of the injuries incurred.

A qualifying veteran will need to have been an Arizona resident at the time of death or injury, or assigned to an active military base in Arizona. Eligibility will be verified by the Arizona Department of Veterans Services.

NEW STUDENTS: In order to receive payment on your benefits, you must be registered for classes in an approved program of study. You must meet with an advisor to decide which program of study you want to pursue and complete the packet of paperwork you get from them. Once you are ready to register for classes you will get a “continuing enrollment status report” form and promissory note from the advisor and take them with you when you register.

The promissory note with allow you to register without having to pay your tuition and fees up front until you start receiving your benefits. You will need to purchase your books yourself or make payment arrangements for them. The Veteran Certifying Official will then review your schedule and certify your enrollment to the VA.

RETURNING STUDENTS: In order to continue to receive your benefits, you must complete and submit the “continuing enrollment status report” form and promissory note to the NPC Veterans Office for each semester that you want to use your education benefits. If you do not submit these forms we assume that you do not want us to certify you for your VA benefits.

If you have used your education benefits at another institution, you will need to complete the appropriate VA application for a Change of Place of Training or Program. Veterans (chapters 30, 33, 1606) will use VA Form 22-1995 and for Dependents (chapter 35) will use VA Form 22-5495. These forms are available at www.gibill.va.gov VONAPP and submit a copy to the NPC Veterans Office along with the packet of paperwork from the advisor. If you have any questions you may contact the NPC Veterans Office at 928-524-7469.

GUEST STUDENTS: The student is pursuing a degree at another institution, the parent school, and wishes to take classes at the same time at another school, the secondary school. The credits taken at the secondary school must be able to transfer back to the student's degree program at the parent school. NPC can be the parent or the secondary school; just reverse the roles.

You will need to request that the Veteran Certifying Official from your parent school provide a "Parent School Letter" to the NPC Veterans Office that approves your classes at NPC for certification to the VA. Additionally, you will need to complete and submit a “continuing enrollment status report” form to the NPC Veterans Office. Once this document has been received and you are registered in the approved classes at NPC, your enrollment will be certified to the VA.

The VA will determine your payment rate based on the type of benefit you are eligible for and how many hours you are enrolled in. You can check the VA website to find out the basic payment rates for MGIB, REAP and Dependents Education Assistance. These rates do not include kickers, buy-up or any other additional programs.

Under the Post 9/11 GI Bill^® you may receive: tuition and fees (paid directly to the school) not to exceed the tuition and fees at the most expensive state Institution of Higher Learning (IHL) at the in-state tuition rate. Learn more about tuition and fee payment rates.

A monthly housing allowance based on the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for an E-5 with dependents. This amount is based on the ZIP code of the location of the school (NPC's ZIP Code is 85901) you are attending. Determine the BAH for your ZIP code here. An annual book stipend of $1,000 is paid proportionately based on enrollment.

Read more information on benefit comparison tool.

It can take the VA several weeks to process your initial application and anywhere from 6 to 10 weeks to process enrollment certifications. Generally, VA education benefit payments are made at the end of each month you attend school. For example, if classes start in August and your claim has been completely processed by the VA, the payment for that month will normally be received in the first 10 days of September.

Students using Chapters 30 and 1606 must verify attendance to the VA on the last day of each month. Your payment for that month will not be released until you have verified your attendance. Attendance can be verified online or by phone 1-877-823-2378. Students using Dependents Education Assistance (Chapter 35) or Post 9/11 GI Bill^® (Chapter 33) are NOT required to verify monthly attendance.

Yes, the post 9/11 GI Bill^® is the only benefit that pays tuition/fees directly to the school.

Reserve Service members can apply here and National Guard members can apply here. This program is not administrated by the VA. If you have questions regarding your eligibility for tuition assistance (TA) contact either your Unit's Education Services Officer or Commanding Officer. Once you have received your TA approval you will need to submit it to the NPC's Veterans Office.

Yes. While you are a degree/certificate-seeking student at NPC, the VA will only allow certification for classes that apply toward your NPC degree/certificate requirements.

If the class is not listed as a part of the program for the degree or certificate you are seeking at NPC, or if you already took and passed the class the VA will not cover the cost. Please contact the NPC Veterans Office for more information at (928) 524-7469.

Yes, generally, enrollment in distance learning classes can be certified to the VA. Chapter 33, Post 9/11 GI Bill^®, enrollment in distance learning classes can affect eligibility for BAH. The VA does not allow certification for enrollment in distance learning for remedial classes.

Military credits will be evaluated through NPC's Records Office. How to request your military transcripts:

• All branches of Service (except Air Force) order from Joint Service Transcript (JST)
• Joint Service Transcript (JST)
• U.S. Air Force Transcripts (CCAF)

Payments you receive for education, training or subsistence under any law administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are tax free. Do not include these payments as income on your federal tax return. Tax Benefits for Education is on the IRS website. You will need to check with your tax advisor regarding your individual state income tax requirements.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill^® will now pay all public school in-state tuition and fees; this includes graduate training, etc.

Tuition and Fees Changes -- For students attending private institutions of higher learning or foreign schools, the tuition and fee reimbursement is capped at the lesser of net out-of-pocket cost or $20,235.02 annually -- however the Yellow Ribbon Program still exists. Monthly Kicker Payments -- Allows VA to pay MGIB (chapter 30) and MGIB-SR (chapter 1606) ''kickers'', or college fund payments will now be paid on a monthly basis instead of a lump-sum at the beginning of the term. Those training at half-time or less are now eligible for college fund payments.

Reimbursement is now available for multiple Licensing and Certification Tests.

Reimbursement is now available for fees paid to take national examinations used for admission to an institution of higher learning (e.g. SAT, LSAT, ACT, GMAT, etc). Vocational Rehabilitation participants may now elect the higher housing allowance offered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill^® if otherwise eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill^®.

End of Payments during School Breaks -- The VA will no longer pay benefits during breaks like winter or spring (fall and spring semesters) under any VA education benefit program unless under an Executive Order of the President or due to an emergency situation such as a natural disaster or strike. Entitlement which previously would have been used for break pay will be available for use during a future enrollment.

This means that if your semester ends December 15 your housing allowance is paid for the first 15 days of December only. Your benefits will begin again when your new semester begins (e.g. January 15) and you will be paid for the remaining days of that month and term.

Prorated Housing Stipend -- Students enrolled at more than half-time, but less than full-time, will begin having their housing allowance prorated based on the number of classes they are taking (also called rate of pursuit). This amount will be rounded to the nearest tenth. For example a student enrolled with a rate of pursuit at 75 percent would receive 80 percent of the BAH rate.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Public Health Service personnel are now eligible to transfer their entitlement to eligible dependents.

New Voc-Rehab Stipend Option -- Vocational Rehabilitation participants may now elect the higher housing allowance offered by the Post 9/11 GI Bill^® if otherwise eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill^®.