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University of Colorado Denver

Veteran Student Services
 

Complete Application Process

For new students, transfer students and status changes
​New Student & Initial Benefit Set-up:
(for students who have never used GI Bill benefits before)
 
1. Apply for Education Benefits:
  •  Go to VONAPP (Veterans ONline APPlication).         
  • If you are the Veteran, fill out: VA Form 22-1990, Application for VA Education Benefits
  • If you are a dependant (Chapter 35), fill out: VA Form 22-5490, Application for Survivors' and Dependents' Assistance
 
 
4. After you are accepted to CU Denver and have registered for classes, bring the following forms to the CU Denver Office of Veteran Student Services:
  • DD214 (Veterans only)
  • New Student Packet (PDF)
    • Class Card - Fill out entirely.
    • Letter of Intent - Initial, sign and date.
    • Student File Check List - Fill out top half.
    • Acceptance into Academic Program (Graduate students only)
    • Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for VA Education Benefits - First page (This is the letter that you will receive from the VA about 4-6 weeks after you complete the VONAPP form above, which states your remaining benefits and percentages.) IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED THIS, WE CAN TAKE THE REST OF YOUR PAPERWORK AND CERTIFY YOU UNDER THE CONDITION THAT YOU WILL TURN THIS INTO US WHEN YOU DO RECEIVE IT. If you have it, send it with the rest of your paperwork, if not, go ahead and turn in the rest of the paperwork and get us a copy of your COE when you do receive it.
 
5. After steps 1-4 are complete, the CU Denver Veteran Student Service Manager will certify your enrollment, and you should start receiving benefits in 4-6 weeks.
 
 
Transfer Students & Changes in Major or Educational Institution:
(for students who have used GI Bill benefits before at a different school) 
 
1.  Go to VONAPP (Veterans ONline APPlication).
  • If you are the Veteran, fill out: VA Form 22-1995, Request for Change of Program or Place of Training.
  • If you are a dependant (Chapter 35), fill out: VA Form 22-5495, Change of Program/Place of Training Survivors and Dependents' Educational Assistance.
2. Perform steps 2-4 of NEW STUDENT/INITIAL BENEFIT SET-UP. (See above)  
 
For effectiveness and efficiency, please turn in all of these forms to the Office of Veteran Student Service at once. You can scan and email, fax or hand-deliver this paperwork to any of our office locations. If it is faxed, please notify our office, so we can ensure that we received it.

important

Here are some important things to consider before your fist semester:

  • Remember that you need at least 12 credit hours as an undergraduate student or five credit hours as a graduate student in order to be considered a full-time student and receive your full VA education benefits. Anything less than full time will result in your VA education benefits being prorated.
  • If you are using Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, then you must have at least one class that is physically on campus. If all of your classes are online, you will only receive 50 percent of the national average for your monthly living allowance—which is between $600 and $700. Possessing an all-online schedule will result in a monthly income loss between $700 and $800. Please, ensure that not all of your classes are online if you wish to receive your full Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.
  
 
Tuition and Fee Billing Process
 
According to VA policy, the Office of Veteran Student Services must certify or bill the VA first just for your credit hours, so they can begin processing your monthly Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) stipend. This will ensure that your monthly living allowance is not delayed. Then, after census date (the last day to drop/add; see academic calendars), our office will bill them again for your tuition and fees.
 
This allows students to change their schedules appropriately before we bill the VA for their tuition and fees in order to prevent payment issues. Originally, our office billed the VA each time a student made a schedule change, which resulted in many overpayments, debts and conufsion. Now that we wait until after the census date, schedules are more finalized and we only have to bill the VA once for tuition and fees, which mitigates a lot of the payment issues that students were previously facing.
 
Be aware, however, that you have the entire semester to pay your tuition and fees—so losing your courses is not a risk. CU Denver is fully aware of the VA's processes, and as soon as the university sees that your tuition and fees are paid by the VA, they will waive any service charges from your account. We assure you that any fees and penalties will be taken care of, so please do not be concerned with these charges.
 
Finally, since you will already be in the system—credit hours processed, BAH processed and books paid for—the school will most likely receive your tuition and fee payment within 3-4 weeks.
 
 
Financial Aid
 
Federal Student Aid is also something to consider. This can be done by completing a Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). Many veteran students think that this is not necessary because they possess GI Bill benefits, but there are grants available, which do not need to be paid back and do not go against the VA Education Benefits. Any Financial Aid over the amount of the GI Bill goes into the student’s pocket. Grants are need-based awards determined by income and cost of living. If a veteran student is only eligible for federal student loans and not grants, then they can just decline the loans. At best, filling out the FAFSA will make you eligible for grants. At worst, it will save you $200 for your deposit every semester. So, it’s definitely beneficial to complete a FAFSA.

Financial Aid takes into account the previous year’s income from the student's tax returns, so recently separated veterans sometimes make too much money in the military to be eligible for grants. However, they can fill out a Financial Aid appeal form stating that they are now separated and that the previous year’s income is no longer applicable, and the Financial Aid office will evaluate the appeal to determine if the student is eligible to receive additional funds. This is not guaranteed, but it is definitely worth looking into.

Another thing to keep in mind is that there is a $200 registration deposit required before a student can register for classes, in order to reserve a spot for class as well as to guarantee the school attendance on the first day. If paying the $200 deposit represents a financial burden for you, we recommend applying for Financial Aid. If a student fills out a FAFSA, CU Denver will waive the deposit for Financial Aid applicants.
 
A FAFSA can be completed at any time using the above process, but the sooner the better, because grants are sometimes awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. We recommend that a student fills one out as soon as they decide on a school or during their applicaiton and registration process.
 

Residency
 
According to the Colorado House Bill 1039 (GI Promise Act), student veterans are granted in-state residency by petition for the purposes of tuition. They will be automatically granted in-state as long as they prove they are intending to make Colorado their permanent state of residence. In order to petition for in state residency, a student must provide a DD214 and two of the following four forms:
  • Colorado Drivers License
  • Colorado Voter’s Registration
  • Colorado Vehicle Registration
  • Proof of off-campus employment (pay stubs)

 

important

If you are petitioning for in-state residency status, remember tha ALL PAPERWORK MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF THE SEMESTER. If not, then you will have to wait until the next semester to achieve in-state residency status, and the GI Bill WILL NOT COVER THE ENTIRE COST OF OUT-OF-STATE TUITION.

 

 
 

Office of Veteran Student Services

Phone: 303-556-2630 or 303-556-2745

Street Address: Tivoli Student Union, Suite 124, 900 Auraria Parkway, Denver, CO 80204 • Mailing Address: P.O. Box 173364, Campus 155, Denver, CO 80217-3364

E:mail: vaoffice@ucdenver.edu

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