FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
I have received my Certificate of Eligibility from the VA, what do I do with it now?
Once you have finished registering for classes and are fully enrolled (no wait-listed classes) you will attach a copy of your COE to your first declaration. You will have to submit a declaration every semester that you are wanting to receive G.I Bill benefits. You only have to upload your COE on your very first declaration at Boise State University.
How do I get the hold on my account lifted?
Please submit a hold lift request, once the hold has been lifted and you have made the needed changes, please submit a new declaration for the semester. The hold lift request can be found here: https://www.boisestate.edu/veterans/veteran-hold-lift-request/
Once the hold is lifted from your account and you have made changes to your classes you will have to submit a new declaration.
Submit Hold Lift Request Here!
I plan on using Tuition Assistance to pay for my classes, what do I need to do?
Please contact Laura Porter at militaryprograms@boisestate.edu. She handles our active duty/guard/reserve students who wish to utilize tuition assistance. More information can be found at https://www.boisestate.edu/flex/tuition-assistance/.
How many credits do I need to be considered full-time by the VA?
Depending on whether you are an undergraduate or a graduate student most students attending classes in the Fall and Spring semesters take full-length classes that are 16 weeks long. In this case, you are considered by the VA to be full-time if you are taking 12 or more credits as an undergraduate student. Most graduate students take two 7 week classes per semester. If you plan on taking classes that are different lengths then was described, please contact Veteran Services for clarification on your enrollment status.
Summer semester classes vary greatly in the length of classes offered. Please be cognizant of the classes you choose to enroll in and the length that they are offered.
How are my benefits affected if I am attending school while enrolled less than full-time?
The VA will adjust your benefits according to your enrollment status and whether you re considered to be an in-person or a distance learner. You will receive the adjusted housing allowance determined by the location of the school if you take at least one in-person or hybrid class (remote classes are considered in-person while the campus is closed). You will receive the base, unadjusted housing allowance if you take strictly online classes.
Another factor that will affect the amount of housing allowance you receive per month is based on whether you are enrolled full-time, 3/4 time, or half-time. Anything below half-time will not receive a housing allowance. You can see how your enrollment status will affect your payments using the GI Bill® Comparison Tool: https://www.va.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool/
As far as how your benefits will be charged changes with your enrollment status as well. If you are a full-time student that attends 4 months of classes, 4 months will be deducted from your balance. If you attend classes in a half-time status for 4 months, then the VA will deduct 2 months from your balance. For more information, contact the GI Bill® Helpline at 1-888-442-4551.
I am attending BSU from another state, will I be charged out-of-state tuition/fees?
Currently, the VA requires the school to charge resident-rate tuition and fees for GI Bill® and Vocational Rehabilitation and Education recipients, regardless of your current location. However, this may not be the case for beneficiaries of other programs. Contact the GI Bill® helpline any questions regarding your status at 1-888-442-4551.
I need to drop a class after the drop period has passed, how will this affect me?
If you must drop a class, you need to be aware that any fees incurred by dropping the class must be paid by the student. The VA will also demand that the tuition and fees for the remainder of the class be reimbursed to them. Any difference between what the school pays back to the VA and what the VA demands returned must be covered by the student. In this situation, if you stay enrolled in the class and receive a non-passing grade, you can repeat the class at a later date if it is required for your major. Depending on the circumstances you can also file an appeal with student services or the registrar’s office, call Veteran Services for more information on the appeal process.
If you are able to drop the class while the school will still fully reimburse the tuition and fees, then there should be no issues. The school will return the funds to the VA, however, you will still be held liable for any stipends/allowances paid by the VA to the student for the class dropped, if applicable.
Will the VA extend my benefits to the end of the semester?
In most cases, yes if you are the veteran. However, if you are not taking a full-semester course you might be missing out on some benefits. If your benefits are set to run out during the semester, we recommend taking at least one class that runs the entire semester to ensure you get full benefits for the whole semester. The VA’s Enrollment Manager only sees terms, so if you take only 3-week classes sequentially then your benefits will stop at the end of a 3-week term, not the end of the semester (spring, summer, or fall).
What classes can I take to get up to a full-time courseload?
The GI Bill will only count classes for full-time status that apply to your degree plan. If you have space in your plan for electives, then they can be whatever you and your advisor agree on that will support your progression.
How does my course mode affect housing allowance?
To receive Boise housing allowance if applicable, you must be in at least one remote, hybrid, or in-person class. If your program is completely online, you will receive half of the median US housing allowance per month.
Why didn’t my housing allowance (MHA) go up on January 1st?
Housing allowance for qualifying remote or in-person students is the same as the active duty E-5 with dependents rate. The housing allowance for VA purposes takes effect on August 1st, not January 1st like DOD. For Boise, it will go from $1734 to $1914 on August 1st and stay there until August 2023.
What does Chapter 35 cover?
Chapter 35 / Dependent Educational Assistance, which is for dependents of 100% P/T disabled veterans, is a stipend directly to the student and does not pay tuition and fees directly to the school. Chapter 35 Fry Scholarship is for dependents of those who have died as a result of service-connected conditions or while on active duty. Fry Scholarship benefits provide the same benefits as Chapter 33 / Post 9/11 GI Bill.
GI Bill®
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The absence of the registration symbol ® does not constitute a waiver of VA’s trademark rights in that phrase. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at US Department of Veterans Affairs.