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Military and Veterans Services Information

Credit Requirements

 

Education benefits are based on your student enrollment status. To receive the maximum benefit, you must be registered as a full time student.

If you are registered for less than half time, you will receive a one-time payment as reimbursement for tuition and fees only (does not include the cost of books and supplies). Maximum payment rates are established for training at less than half time but more than quarter time. You would receive reimbursement of the actual charges for tuition and fees or the established maximum, whichever is less.

Education Benefit Payment Rates

Enrollment Status for Students Receiving VA Benefits

 

Note: The VA training times indicated below are for the individual enrollment periods only. Each sub-term must be considered individually and cannot be combined with other enrollment periods for the assignment of a training time. These training times are designed for Veteran Affairs benefits only, and should not be used to calculate course loads for financial aid or outside scholarships. For all other purposes (i.e., confirmation of enrollments for lenders, insurance companies, etc.), enrollment status is determined not by individual enrollment periods, but by the entire semester.

Graduate Training Time

 

Full-Time 3/4 Time 1/2 Time <1/2 Time 1/4 Time
Graduate 8 Week Terms 3 2 NA 1 NA
Graduate 10 Week Terms 6 5 3 2 1
Graduate 16 Week Terms 6 5 3 2 1

Dropping a course

 

If you drop a course during the semester/term, the VA may consider the drop retroactive to the start of the semester/course. If dropping classes changes your enrollment status, an overpayment situation may occur.

“W” Grades

 

The VA will not credit a course toward your enrollment status if the final grade is a “W”. This can lead to an overpayment situation at the end of a semester.

Repeating a course

 

Courses which are failed or for which the grade does not meet 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.

Military Leave

  • Students called to active military duty, for a period of 30 or more consecutive days, before completing their courses have three options. They must indicate their choice in writing to the Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Services or designee, before departure.

    • If the student is close to completion of the course, he or she may make arrangements with the program director to complete the course or request a grade of Incomplete (I). The student then completes the remaining required work when they return. There are no academic or financial penalties associated with a grade of “I”. If the student does not complete the work within 90 days of his or her return, the grade of “I” will be changed to W (Withdraw) and the student will need to re-register and retake the course.
    • The student may request withdrawal from the course. There are no academic or financial penalties associated with withdrawal from a course under these circumstances. No drop fee will be charged and the student will receive a full tuition refund. The course will be removed from the transcript.
    • The student may remain in the course and complete the course for full credit. Class sessions missed due to performing active military service will not negatively impact the student’s grade or standing in the course. The student is not automatically excluded from completing assignments while performing active military service.

  • Students who have service-connected disabilities as certified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and whose service-connected medical conditions or medical treatment requirements reasonably prevent the students attendance at or progress in part or all of the students studies at any given time has three options.  Students will be asked to provide written verification of the existence of the medical condition or medical treatment.

    • If the student is close to completion of the course, he or she may make arrangements with the program director to complete the course or request a grade of Incomplete (I).  The student then completes the remaining required work when they have completed medical treatment or made sufficient medical recovery. There are no academic or financial penalties associated with a grade of “I”. If the student does not complete the work within 90 days of his or her return, the grade of “I” will be changed to W (Withdraw) and the student will need to re-register and retake the course.
    • The student may request withdrawal from the course. There are no academic or financial penalties associated with withdrawal from a course under these circumstances. No drop fee will be charged and the student will receive a full tuition refund. Any tuition refunds will be subject to the state or federal financial aid program requirements.
    • The student may remain in the course and complete the course for full credit. Class sessions missed due to medical treatment or medical condition will not negatively impact the student’s grade or standing in the course.  The student is not automatically excluded from completing assignments while receiving medical treatment or recovering from the medical condition.

  • Students who have been called to active military service or has service-connected disabilities as certified medical conditional or medical treatment requirements reasonably prevent the students attendance at or progress in part or all of the students studies at any given time may receive a full refund of amounts paid for room, board, and fees.  The refund amounts will be attributable to the time period during which the student was servicing in active military service or receiving medical treatment or dealing with the person’s medical condition and did not use the facilities or services for which the amounts were paid.  Any refund of room, board, and fees is subject to the requirements of the state or federal financial aid program regulations.  Students will be asked to provide written verification of the order to active service or of the existence of the medical condition or medical treatment before any refund can be processed.

Education Benefits

Federal and state veterans benefits can be found here.

  • To receive federal education benefits, you must file paperwork with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs online and the school must certify your registration.

    U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

    If you have not used your benefits before, you will complete a 22-5495 Application for VA Benefits. Students who have used benefits before will file the Change of Program or Place of Training, 22-1995. Be sure to send your VONAPP signature page directly to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) St. Louis Office, to avoid a delay in payment.

    After filing your paperwork, please submit a copy of your DD-214 and a Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE) to Student Central so we may certify your registration.

    After your registration has been certified, the process may take up to three months before receiving your first check. We recommend registering early for all your courses each semester to speed the process along.

    Please remember that any veterans education benefits you receive must be reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you have specific questions, please contact the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, St. Louis Office toll-free at 1-888-442-4551 or go to their website.

  • Once you are certified for your benefits, you must verify your enrollment with the VA.

    To verify enrollment, go to the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) or call 1-877-823-2378.

    Chapter 30, 1607, and 1606 recipients: Once you are certified for your benefits, you must verify your enrollment with the VA at the end of each month before you will receive your payment.

  • The Military Tuition Assistance (TA) program provides financial assistance to students currently serving in the National Guard, reserves, or on active duty. TA is available for courses that are offered in the classroom or by distance learning and is part of an approved academic degree or certificate program. We suggest that you get approval from your Educational Service Officer before you enroll in classes.

    Minnesota Department of Veteran Affairs Benefits and Resources

    Each service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application process, and restrictions.

    For additional information, follow the links below for your service branch’s website:

    TA enrollment requests must be submitted and approved prior to the course start date.

    Students can use the following documents when applying:

    Degree Plan/Degree Audit Report: Upload letter on university letterhead with the list of required courses for your degree. The letter can be requested from the certifying official at Student Central.

    Enrollment Verification/Class Schedule: Upload a PDF of your schedule located in the My Schedule section on the Student Portal.

    Tuition Bill: Upload a PDF of your bill located in the My Bill section on the Student Portal.

    Once approved, authorization forms should be submitted to certifying official at Student Central via email to StudentCentral@smumn.edu. All other application and approval questions should be addressed to your unit or the GoArmyEd helpline at 651-282-4589.

  • Tuition Assistance (TA) is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire term for which the assistance is awarded.  When a student withdraws), the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of TA funds awarded.

    To comply with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) policy, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota will return any unearned TA funds on a prorated basis through the 60% portion of the period for which the funds were provided.  TA funds are considered unearned at the point the service member stops attending during the enrollment period.  TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending. The unearned TA funds will be returned directly to the military, not to the student.

    The return of TA funds may result in a balance due on the student account.  However, if a student stops attending due to a military service obligation, Saint Mary’s University will work with the student to identify solutions that will not result in a student debt for the returned portion.  Students should contact Student Central to discuss these solutions.

    A eligibility will be recalculated for students who withdraw or are administratively withdrawn from the course prior to completing 60% of the instructional days of the enrollment period.   The amount of unearned TA that is returned is based on the date the withdrawal was requested or last date of attendance when administratively withdrawn from the course. After 60% of the enrollment has passed, TA will not be evaluated for a return.

    Schedule for returning unearned TA: Bold type identifies the 60% complete point

    8-Week Course Withdraw (56 Calendar Days)
    Drop initiated before and through calendar day 12  –  100% return
    Withdraw initiated on calendar day 13 to 20  –  75% return
    Withdraw initiated on calendar day 21 to 28 – 50% return

    Withdraw initiated on calendar day 29 to 34  – 40% return (60% of course completed)

    Withdraw initiated after calendar day 34 – no return

    6-Week Course Withdraw (112 Calendar Days)
    Drop initiated before and through calendar day  23  – 100% return
    Withdraw initiated on calendar day 24 to 40  –  75% return
    Withdraw initiated on calendar day 41 to  56  –  50% return
    Withdraw initiated on calendar day 57 to 68  –  40% return (60% of course completed)
    Withdraw initiated after calendar day 68   –   0%  return
    The calculation and return of the unearned funds will be processed within 30 days of determining that the student is no longer eligible for the full amount of TA funds originally awarded.
    Example
    Student enrolls in a three-credit, eight-week course for the spring semester. The full cost of the three-credit course is $1750.00. If the student initiates a withdrawal from the course on the 29th day or is administratively withdrawn by failing to attend or participate as of day 29, Saint Mary’s University is obligated to return 40% of the TA to the military.

State Education Programs

  • The Minnesota GI Bill® provides financial assistance to Minnesota veterans and service members who served on or after Sept. 11, 2001. Full-time undergraduate or graduate students may be eligible to receive up to $1000 per term, and part-time students can receive up to $500 per term.

  • Educational benefits are provided in the form of a maximum $750 one-time grant to veterans who have exhausted their federal benefits. Applications and requirements can be found on the Minnesota Department of Veteran Affairs website.