U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs main website

U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs G.I. Bill website

U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs "Veterans ON-line APPlication" 

 

Procedures for Post - 9/11 G.I. Bill Eligibility Certifications

Step 1: Apply for Admission to University of Cincinnati

Apply for formal admission to University of Cincinnati by following the procedures outlined by either the office of Undergraduate Admissions or Graduate School, as appropriate. 

Step 2: Confirm Your Degree Program and Major

To successfully apply for your veteran education benefits, you must be certain of both the specific degree (e.g., associate, bachelors, masters, etc.) that you will be pursuing upon entry to University of Cincinnati and the major discipline of study within that degree (e.g., biology, accounting, nursing, history, computer science, etc.).  Your college office will notify you of its admission decision.  If you are admitted, the college will provide you with information regarding the specific degree requirements for your particular major.  The college also will evaluate any prior study you have completed and will advise you in selecting the appropriate classes for registration.

After you receive notification from University of Cincinnati confirming that you have been admitted to your UC college, be sure to formally accept the offer of admission and pay any required matriculation fee by the deadline.  Please be aware that registering for classes does not mean you are accepted by and matriculated into a degree program.

If you have any doubts as to whether or not you are matriculated into a degree program, check with the UC Admissions Office, the Graduate School, or your UC college office.

Important Note:  as required by U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs regulations, to be certified at University of Cincinnati for VA educational benefits, you must be matriculated in an approved program of study. 

For a list University of Cincinati programs approved by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, follow these steps: 

• Go online to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs G.I. Bill Web Site;

• Under the main banner, click "Find a School";

• On the resulting page, click "Search for Approved Education and Job Training Programs";

• On the resulting page, enter 'University of Cincinnati' into the "institution name" box.  Do not click Ohio on the U.S. map;

• On the resulting page, click the link "University of Cincinnati Vet Certification"; and

• On the resulting page, click the link "Programs" in the grey box placed at the top of the page.

If your program is not included on this list, immediately contact Veterans Programs & Services at 513-556-6811.  
 

Step 3: Complete the Veterans ON-line APPlication (VONAPP)

Go online to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs "Veterans ON-line APPlication" (VONAPP).  Follow the instructions to apply for your education benefits.  

Where the VONAPP application asks you to name identify a specific VA regional office to which to electronically submit your benefits application, be certain to enter "St. Louis, MO VA Regional Office."  This is the regional office affiliated with University of Cincinnati.

Following its successful processing of your benefits application, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs will issue a "Certificate of Eligibility" to you by mail. 

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) currently estimates that processing will require twenty-eight calendar days.  University of Cincinnati cannot be responsible for complications or delays in benefit awards due to VA delays in application processing.

Once you have received the VA "Certificate of Eligibility," you will submit that certificate to Veterans Programs & Services by following Step 5.

Step 4.  Stop in (2nd floor Univ Pav) or phone our office (513-556-6811) to complete a questionnaire.

Students applying to use VA Educational Benefits at UC for the first time are required to complete our questionnaire.  If you've attended any other colleges you should indicate all previous college study on this questionnaire (whether or not you used VA benefits for that study) since VA regulations require all prior student be reviewed by the current college.  If you intend to submit a copy of your military transcript to UC, include it as one of your previous "colleges".  We also need to know if you expect to receive AP credit or CLEP credit, please indicate University of Cincinnati as your college for these types of credits.

Step 5: Read & Review the Orientation Presentation

Completion of a Veterans Educational Benefits PowerPoint orientation review is required.  Students are required to read and review the orientation PowerPoint in advance of receiving benefits.

This PowerPoint orientation will provide you with updated information specific to your benefits eligibility and the steps you must take each term to ensure that your education benefits are disbursed by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs in a timely manner.

After reading and reviewing the PowerPoint orientation, if you have any questions please contact our office Monday - Friday, 10am-4pm.

Step 6: Work With a College Advisor to Select Appropriate Courses

Contact your college advisor to arrange an advising appointment.  Work with the advisor to select classes required for completing your current degree program.  Keep in mind that the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs will pay benefits only for classes that progress you toward graduation in your current degree program or classes that are required refresher / pre-requisite courses approved for VA benefit payment.  So be sure to register carefully.

If you register for any classes that are not required by your current UC college for your current program, you must identify these non-required classes to our office (in writing).  The student "N/A" notes are due by the 2nd Friday of the term.

Step 7: Complete the Annual Declaration form and submit it to our office.

Bring a copy of your finalized schedule to Veterans Programs & Services.

Step 8: Check Your Eligibility for Ohio In-State  Tuition through the "Ohio G. I. Promise" and Apply if Appropriate

Veterans of the U.S. Armed Services, their spouses, and dependents, may qualify for immediate classification as Ohio residents-for-tuition-purposes.  Review the Ohio G.I. Promise eligibility criteria and, if appropriate, submit your application. 

 

If you have questions about the steps outlined above, contact Veterans Programs & Services.

Veterans Programs & Services' walk-up window is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST.  Our phone hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST.  The VPS telephone number is 513-556-6811.