ORIGINAL CLAIM- APPLYING FOR BENEFITS
PROCESS FOR RECEIVING BENEFITS AT UCSB
CERTIFYING ENROLLMENT
VERIFICATIONS
WAVE LOGIN INSTRUCTIONS
ADVANCE PAY AND BREAK PAY
PAYMENT OF TUITION AND FEES
COURSE APPLICABILITY
MAINTAINING SATISFACTORY ATTENDANCE, CONDUCT AND PROGRESS
REPEAT COURSES
CHANGES
FAILURE TO REPORT CHANGES
CHANGING MAJORS
TRAINING TIME
CHANGE OF ADDRESS OR DIRECT DEPOSIT
WITHDRAWAL FROM SCHOOL
OVERPAYMENTS
SUMMER SESSIONS
LICENSING AND CERTIFICATION
ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
VA WORK STUDY PROGRAM
TUTORIAL ASSISTANCE
CONCURRENT AND SUPPLEMENTAL ENROLLMENTS
EDUCATION ABROAD PROGRAM (EAP)

ORIGINAL CLAIM- APPLYING FOR BENEFITS
This section explains the steps needed to apply for VA educational benefits. Once the application process is completed the student must request to receive benefits at UCSB. Please see the ‘Process For Receiving Benefits at UCSB’ section for directions on how to accomplish this and finalize the benefit process.
New Applications: If you have never applied for chapter benefits before you must fill out an application for benefits. Active duty Chapter 30 and Reserve Chapter 1606 and 1607 must fill out and submit VAF 22-1990. Dependents requesting Chapter 35 benefits must fill out and submit VAF 22-5490.
Where to get the forms:

• These forms are available on the main GI Bill website www.gibill.va.gov under the ‘forms’ section or they can be downloaded and printed from the links above.
• Hard copies of these forms are available in our office.
• Students may also submit an application online using VONAPP. If students do this, they must print the signature page and send or Fax to it to the VA.

Where to submit the forms:
Students applying for benefits can either submit these applications to our office or directly to:
VA REGIONAL OFFICE
P.O. Box 8888
Muskogee, OK 74402-8888
FAX: 1.918.781.7865

Transfer Students
Students who have received benefits before at another institution must fill out a Request for Change of Program or Place of Training. Chapters 30, 1606 and 1606 need to fill out a VAF 22-1995 and Chapter 35 recipients must fill out VAF 22-5495.These forms are available through the links above, the main GI Bill website and in our office. These forms must be submitted to our office. 

PROCESS FOR RECEIVING BENEFITS AT UCSB

All New Students at UCSB

1. Fill out and submit the appropriate VA form- see Applying For Benefits section.
   
   
2. All new students must come into our office to submit their Veterans Benefits Request Form (VBRF) and other appropriate information:
• VBRF - Fall
• VBRF - Winter
• VBRF - Spring
• VBRF - Summer


3. Copy of photo ID; driver's license, student id, California ID

** All active duty Chapter 30 students must submit a copy of their DD-214 to our office.
** All reserve Chapter 1606 & 1607 students must submit a copy of their Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE) to our office.

All Continuing Students:

1. Fill out a Veterans Benefit Request Form (VBRF) for each quarter you wish to receive benefits:
   
   • VBRF - Fall
   • VBRF - Winter
   • VBRF - Spring
   • VBRF - Summer

Certifying Enrollment
Certification is the process by which the college reports to the VA a student’s dates of attendance, degree program, and the number of registered units.  The VA will not pay any student without receiving this information.  Certifications are usually processed within a 48 hour period.  Please feel free to stop by the Office of the Registrar to ask your Certifying Official the status of your certification.

VERIFICATIONS
The Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) application on the GI Bill website will allow you to verify your enrollment, change your address or establish a direct deposit. Verify your enrollment at https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave or by calling the DVA toll free Interactive Voice Response (IVR) telephone line at 1-877-823-2378.The earliest you can verify your enrollment is the last calendar day of each month. Some things you can do to speed up your payments is to verify your enrollment promptly at the end of each month and sign up for direct deposit, if you haven't already done so. The WAVE and IVR systems are not operating in "real time".  Instead, they are "batch" systems and store data to be processed at a later time.  Stored data is processed every workday to update the records and issue payments.  After the records are updated it will take another workday for the WAVE and IVR systems to be updated to reflect the successful verification since the systems are only updated daily. WAVE contains information on veterans and servicepersons who are actively receiving benefits under the Montgomery GI BILL - Active Duty and Selected Reserve ONLY. 
The following are the most common reasons for not having a WAVE record.

• If your application for benefits has not been processed by the VA Regional Office, you will not have a record.

• If you are receiving Tuition Assistance Top-Up, you will not have a record in WAVE.

• If you do not need a monthly verification of enrollment for any reason, you will not have a record in WAVE.

• If you are receiving benefits under REAP you do not need to verify and may not have a WAVE record.

• WAVE records will generally be removed in about 6 months after your award.

The most common reason for not having a record in WAVE is that the VA Regional Office has not received your application for processing. You will normally have a WAVE record the day after the VA get your application processed.

The WAVE site may not be available very late Sunday evening through early Monday morning periodically due to maintenance. The WAVE site will also be unavailable daily from 5:00 to 5:30 AM Eastern Time due to database updates.

WAVE LOGIN INSTRUCTIONS
First & Last Name:
Please enter your first name in the field labeled First Name and last name in the field labeled Last Name. No other information is necessary. EXAMPLES:  
If your legal name was "John Daniel Smith Jr."
Enter "John" in the field labeled First Name.
Enter "Smith" in the field labeled Last Name. If your legal name was "Joseph Robert Jones III"
Enter "Joseph" in the field labeled First Name.
Enter "Jones" in the field labeled Last Name.
If your legal name was "Mary Elizabeth Jones-Smith"
Enter "Mary" in the field labeled First Name.
Enter "Jones-Smith" in the field labeled Last Name.
File Number:
When entering your file number, please use your 9-digit SSN or your claim number. If your claim number is only 8 digits, please enter a space before the claim number.
EXAMPLE:   _99999999 (where the _ represents a space)
Password:
If this is your first time logging into WAVE, your password is the last six digits of your social security number. You will immediately be forwarded to a CHANGE PASSWORD screen to change your initial password to something that you can easily remember. If you have previously used the WAVE, use the personal password you chose to create for logging into WAVE. If you do not remember your password, click on "Lost PIN/Password" link to request an e-mail with your PIN/Password or to request that your password be reset.
Where to Go for Additional Help
For forms and information, one or more of the following offices or representatives can assist you:

• Any VA regional office.
• Any VA office or Vet Center.
• Local representatives of veterans’ organizations.
• Education Services Officers at military posts or installations, for persons on active duty.
• American embassies or consulates, if you reside in a foreign country (except the Republic of the Philippines).
• Consult a telephone directory under United States Government, Department of Veterans Affairs, for the telephone number of the office nearest you. Toll-free telephone service is available in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands. Call 1-800-827-1000 or for the hearing impaired call 1-800-829-4833.

VA supervisory personnel occasionally monitor telephone calls. They do this to ensure that the public receives accurate information and courteous responses. The person monitoring a call does not keep a record of the caller's name, address, file number, or telephone number. To obtain information on other sources of assistance, contact your UCSB Certifying Official at (805) 893-8905 or email at e-mail address.

ADVANCE PAY AND BREAK PAY
Advance Pay:

• Advance payment provides funds at the beginning of a school term to help the student meet expenses concentrated at the beginning of the term.
• Advance payment is the amount payable for the initial month or portion of a month the quarter or semester begins plus the amount payable for the following month. For example, if fall quarter starts on the 27th of September then a student who receives advance payment will receive a check for 4 days of September combined with a full month for October.
• Advance Pay is authorized for all chapters except 1607.
• Advance Payment is requested by marking the ‘Advance Pay’ box on the Veterans Benefit Request Form (VBRF)

If approved, the advance pay check will be sent to the veteran’s office at the university and the student will be notified when the check is received. Your check will be held at the Billing Office on campus for you. To receive your check, you must have registered for a minimum of 12 units and have paid your registration fees for the current quarter.  If you fail to register for 12 units before the deadline, the advance payment check will be returned to the Department of the Treasury. You may either:

• Apply your advance pay check toward your BARC account (and receive a refund check for the difference) or
• Pay your account in full (with cash or a personal check) and receive your advance payment check.

Advance Payment can be paid if:

• The student requests advance pay
• The student’s request for advanced pay is received by our office at least 33 days before the term.
• There is more than 30 days between terms
• Break pay will not be paid
• The student is enrolled at least half-time

Break Pay:
Break pay is payment for the interval time between terms and will automatically be paid unless the student requests otherwise.
If a student is enrolled full-time during summer sessions and there is not a 30 day period or longer between your sessions and/or spring and fall quarters, then they will be receiving break pay. Students will also receive break pay between the fall and winter quarters and between winter and spring quarters. For more information and details about break pay see the Break Pay Explanation Sheet.

PAYMENT OF TUITION AND FEES
Except for Chapter 31, students must pay their tuition and fees from their own resources and be prepared to meet expenses until their first check arrives.  All benefits are retroactive back to the first day of classes. Chapter 31 (Voc Rehab) students are required to submit or make sure the VA Form 28-1905 has been submitted to UCSB prior to the beginning of classes, without this form tuition, fees, books, parking and supplies will not be paid.

COURSE APPLICABILITY
Only Units that apply toward completion of the student’s program can be certified to the VA. If a student takes a course that does not fulfill a program requirement, it cannot be certified for VA purposes. It is each student’s responsibility to monitor academic progress within their program and to request certification only for classes that will count towards graduation. Requesting certification for units that will not count towards your program will result in an overpayment causing a debt to the VA.  There are two exceptions to this. First, during the last quarter before graduation, all units taken can be certified if one or more of the units satisfy a graduation requirement. There is only one last quarter! Second, if the university allows a substitution for a program requirement, then that substitution will be certifiable. A student’s program includes:

1. Major Requirements
2. Minor Requirements (if applicable)
3. General University Requirements
1. UC Entry Level Writing Requirement
2. American History and Institution Requirements
3. Unit Requirement
4. Academic Residence Requirement
5. Grade-point average requirement

MAINTAINING SATISFACTORY ATTENDANCE, CONDUCT AND PROGRESS
Students must maintain satisfactory progress and a failure to meet the standards of progress will result in an “Insufficient Progress” designation being reported to the VA. Students are expected to meet the minimum grade and GPA requirements of the university.  This in turn may affect your monthly benefit. 
Grades:
F:  Students who receive a grade of ‘F’ will be required to submit a statement of course attendance signed by their professor/ T.A. verifying that their failure was not due to attendance and was strictly for academic reasons. This statement is only required if the class that was failed changes the student’s training time status. For example, if a student is in 16 certifiable units and receives an ‘F’ in one 4 unit course, then the student does not have to fill out the statement - it does not affect his/her full time unit status. However if the student was in 15 units then failing a 4 unit course, this is an example of how  the status from full-time to ¾ requires a statement.
If the failing grade was received for attendance reasons or the student fails to submit the statement of course attendance by the deadline, we notify the VA.  The student is then responsible to return any benefit received over and above the units completed with a passing grade.
NP/U:  Students who receive a grade of NP or U will be responsible for benefits received from the VA.  These grades are non punitive grades that do not qualify for benefits.   
NG/NR: Students who receive a grade of NG or NR must communicate to the Veterans Specialist as to the circumstances surrounding the grade and must keep the Veterans office up to date as to the situation. A failure to communicate could result in a termination and create an overpayment with the VA, as NG and NR grades are not passing grades.
I/IP: Students who receive a grade of I or IP must communicate to the Veterans Specialist as to the circumstances surrounding the grade and must keep the Veterans office up to date as to the situation. A failure to communicate could result in a training time adjustment being reported to the VA.  The VA allows a student 1 year (with petition extensions to complete the work required.  Our office tracks students’ progress. 
W: Students who receive a ‘W’ will have to pay back the VA if it affects their training time.

REPEAT COURSES
Courses that are failed or for which the grade does not meet the minimum requirements for graduation may be certified for VA purposes if they are repeated. Courses that are successfully completed may not be certified for VA purposes if they are repeated.  If students must take additional courses in order to raise their GPA to graduate, the courses must be courses that have not already been successfully completed by the student. To be paid for a repeat course that was not failed, the requirement must not be able to be met by any other course. For example:
A philosophy major must take 3 courses from Philosophy 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E, 100F or 116 to satisfy major requirements. Part of this requirement is passing these 3 courses with a grade of C or better.  If the student has passed 100A and 100B with A’s but receives a grade of D+ in 100C; even though the student is eligible to retake the class according to university regulations, the course would not be certifiable for VA purposes because the student could fulfill the requirement by taking another course that s/he has not yet been certified for.

CHANGES
All changes made after your initial application or certification should be brought to the attention of the Certifying Official(s) so the change can be reported. The most commons changes include:

• Changes in credit hours
• Withdrawal from school
• Change in major
• Change of address and contact information
• Change in status of dependents

FAILURE TO REPORT CHANGES
Failure to report changes can be considered as   fraud and is the primary cause for delays in the delivery of your educational checks and occurrences of overpayment.  Changes may be reported to the Certifying Official in person, by telephone, or via email reg-veterans-benefit-programs@sa.ucsb.edu.  Periodic audits are conducted and changes in schedule are caught but it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to report these changes before incurring an overpayment or possibly an underpayment.

CHANGING MAJORS
Students wishing to change their major or add a second major must first do so with their college through the established protocol set forth by the university. Once the major change has been approved, the student must complete the appropriate Change of Program/Place of Training form and submit it to the VA office at UCSB as soon as possible. Students who change their major and fail to turn in the Change of Program form will not be certified for any subsequent quarters until they do so. Chapter 30, 31, 1606 and 1607 students must fill out a 22-1995 change of program form. Chapter 35 Dependents educational assistance students must fill out a 22-5495 form. These forms are available in our office, on our website and on the main GI Bill website.

TRAINING TIME
Benefits are paid according to training time status. During the standard terms (fall, winter and spring quarters) undergraduates are considered ‘full-time’ if they are in at least 12 certifiable units. Graduates students are considered ‘full-time’ for VA purposes if they are in 8 or more certifiable units. See the equivalency charts below to determine status that is not full-time for standard terms.

Hour Requirements For Fall, Winter and Spring Quarters
           

Summer Sessions is considered a non-standard term and status is determined by the number of weeks in the term along with the number of certifiable units the student is taking. Each summer session is considered an individual term and training time status is determined for each session individually. See the Credit Hour Equivalency chart for undergraduates or graduate students to determine training time. A change in training time status must be reported to the VA office in order to prevent further overpayments.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS OR DIRECT DEPOSIT
Address and direct deposit information must be kept current. Chapter 30, 1606 and 1607 students can use the WAVE system to update address and financial institution information. Students can also call the direct deposit center at 1-877-838-2778 to begin and change direct deposit.
Change of Address- All Chapters
Go to www.gibill.va.gov
Click on "Questions and Answers “(Ask a Question to find an Answer)"
Click on the tab at the top "Ask a Question"
Enter your e-mail address
Under "category" go to
"Survivors and Dependents (CH35)” as an example
In the subject section - put "Ch 35 Change my address"
Then in the text section ask them to change your address by reviewing your old and giving them your new address.  Add your name, Chapter, Social Security  # for identification.
Click on the “Submit Question” radio button at the bottom of the page. Students can also call the general education line at 1-888-442-4551 to change their information.

WITHDRAWAL FROM SCHOOL:
Should it be necessary for you to withdraw from UCSB, you should contact a VA certifying official in the Office of the Registrar immediately.  There are many details you should be aware of before you process a Complete Withdrawal. 
If you are called to active duty, a student whose enrollment is interrupted with active duty in the current military conflict will be given full refund of fees regardless of the date of withdrawal.  A copy of the student’s official orders is required and must be presented at the Office of the Registrar. Students will be dropped from all classes and a message will appear on their transcript which states:  Compulsory withdrawal for active military duty “date”. Readmission procedures will be streamlined, waiving readmission fees. Financial Aid loans will continue in deferred status.  Students living in University-owned housing will be accommodated on a case by case basis. For more information go to the ‘called to active duty’ section for more information.

Mitigating Circumstances
The law requires that VA must collect all benefits paid to a veteran or dependent for a course or courses for which the grade assigned was not sued in computing the requirements for graduation.  This includes withdrawing from a course unless there are mitigating circumstances. Mitigating circumstances are unanticipated and unavoidable events or situations beyond a student’s control that prevent him or her from completing a course with a credible grade.  In most cases, if mitigating circumstances are not shown, the student will be forced to repay the VA or have the overpayment deducted from future benefits.  The following are some general categories of mitigating circumstances.  The list is not all-inclusive:

• Serious accident or illness of the eligible veteran or dependent.
• Serious illness or death in the eligible veteran or dependent’s family.
• Immediate family or financial obligations, which require a change in terms, hours or place of employment, which prevent pursuit of a course.
• Cancellation of a course by the college.
• Active duty military service, including active duty for training.
• An unavoidable geographical transfer resulting from the student’s employment.
• An unavoidable change in the student’s work hours or condition of employment.

The VA expects documentation to substantiate the student’s claim for mitigating circumstances.  The student must submit a description and the supporting evidence to the VA within one year of being notified of an overpayment.
Examples of unacceptable mitigating circumstances include withdrawal to avoid a failing grade, dislike of instructor or too many courses attempted.  If the VA does not accept the claim, the student may appeal the decision in writing. The Six-Credit Exclusion:  The VA waives the mitigating circumstances provision the first time a student using educational benefits withdraws from courses.  This applies to a maximum of six weeks semester hours.  In this case, the student is not required to show proof of mitigating circumstances.  The six-hour exclusion only applies to the first instance of withdrawal.  It does not apply across the board for the entire semester of a student’s first withdrawal.  In order for the full six hours to be accepted, the last date of attendance must be the same for all six hours.  For Chapter 31, please seek the assistance of your VA counselor.

OVERPAYMENTS
There may be a time when a student receives an overpayment from the VA while attending .  An overpayment can occur for any of the following reasons:

• Withdrawal from school.
• Withdrawal from one or more classes which changes the training time.
• Changes in dependency status
• Taking course not in the selected degree program.

This list is not all-inclusive.  Other reason may also trigger an overpayment.  Under certain circumstances, the VA may allow of the money to be kept, depending on the mitigating circumstances.  If you should experience any kind of change that may affect either your eligibility status or your training rate, you should contact your certifying official.
VA Actions Once an Overpayment is Created:

• Add interest charges or collection fees to your debt.
• Withhold future benefits and apply them to your debt.
• Collect the debt form your federal income tax refund.
• Turn your debt over to a private collection agency
• Withhold approval of you VA home loan guarantee.
• File suit in federal court to collect your debt.

SUMMER SESSIONS
Only students, who are matriculated, meaning incoming or current UCSB students, may be certified for summer sessions without additional requirements. All non-UCSB students must have a signed parent school letter if they wish to receive chapter benefits for summer session classes at UCSB. Non-matriculated and non-UCSB students who wish to receive certification should see the Supplemental and Concurrent Enrollments Section. Training time for summer sessions is determined for each session individually and students will be certified for each session accordingly. To determine your enrollment statuses for summer sessions see the training time section.  Students attending summer sessions will receive break pay if they qualify and do not request otherwise. See the advance pay and break pay section to find out more.

LICENSING AND CERTIFICATION
You can receive reimbursement for licensing and certification tests you take on or after March 1, 2001. (Chapter 30, 32 & 35 beneficiaries only.) Effective January 6, 2006 Chapter 1606 & REAP participants became eligible for this program. These tests must be specifically approved for the G.I. Bill. VA can pay only for the cost of the tests and not other fees connected with obtaining a license or certification.

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
We suggest veterans seek additional financial assistance through the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships.  Scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study jobs are additional sources of financial aid that you may be eligible for to supplement your Veterans’ Educational Benefits.  The financial aid office is located on the second floor of the Student Affairs Administrative Services Building or you can go to their website: http://www.finaid.ucsb.edu

VA WORK STUDY PROGRAM
University of California-Santa Barbara is an approved VA Work-Study site.  The VA Work-Study program provides additional payments of VA educational assistance benefits in return for services performed.  Students participating in the VA work-study program receive payments equal to the minimum wage for each hour of service performed.  For further details please contact your certifying official in the Office of the Registrar.

TUTORIAL ASSISTANCE
Many students, upon entering their college program find that they need additional help in order to obtain passing grades in their course work. One method is through individual tutoring by a knowledgeable student or faculty member. For Chapters 30, 32, 1606, 1607 and 35, the VA will help defray the cost of such individualized tutoring as found necessary. This benefit will reimburse eligible VA students for the actual cost of the tutorial sessions up to 100.00 per month. The maximum amount of tutorial assistance to which any VA student will be eligible is $1,200.00  
A total of $600 in tutorial assistance may be paid to a student without a charge to the student’s entitlement. For more information on this program, contact the VA representative in the Registrars office or call 1-888-442-4551.

Delimiting Date
Most educational benefits programs allow the veteran 10 years to use the benefits.  The delimiting date, or the late benefits may be used, is determined by adding 10 years to the day following the date of release or discharge. There is no delimiting date for chapter 1607.Chapter 35 generally required sons and daughters to be between the ages of 18 and 26 to use the entitlement, but this can be adjusted in certain instances.  Spouses are allowed 10 years from the date the veteran was found permanently disabled or from the date of the death of the spouse from whom eligibility is derived. Note:  In all cases, the DVA determines the delimiting date.  The veteran will be informed of this date in an award letter.

CONCURRENT AND SUPPLEMENTAL ENROLLMENTS
Students who wish to take a course at another university or college for credit may receive VA benefits if the course will go towards the student’s degree program. To facilitate this, the student must get a signed letter from an advisor in either their department or college stating how the courses will apply towards the student’s program. The student must then bring the letter into the Registrar’s Office and hand-deliver it to a VA program representative. The proposed courses will be assessed by a degree auditor and if they are found to be courses that will count towards the completion of the students program, then the VA programs representative will issue a Parent School Letter. The parent school letter will be given to the student to take to the VA office at the supplemental school the student will be attending. The VA office at the supplemental (secondary) school will be the certifying official for courses taken at their school and they must have a parent school letter to do so. All non-UCSB students wishing to receive VA educational benefits by taking classes at UCSB must have a signed parent school letter from their primary institution. Our office will not certify any students without this letter.

EDUCATION ABROAD PROGRAM (EAP)

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