Alvernia University welcomes all veterans, eligible dependents, members of the Guard and Reserves, and Active Duty personnel. Your Veterans Affairs, Federal, and State education benefits are part of your compensation for the time you devoted to or continue to spend serving your country. These benefits are designed to help you (and your dependents) pay for a college degree - an education that can be key to building a successful and satisfying future.


Please don't hesitate to contact the Alvernia Office of Student Financial Services with questions at sfs@alvernia.edu or 610-796-8201. You can also contact campus certifying official Joseph Berardi at joseph.berardi@alvernia.edu or 610-790-1982.
 

Steps to Receive VA Education Benefits

Veterans' Benefits

Financial aid
Office of Student Financial Services
The Department of Student Financial Services is committed to serving students by helping them to secure the necessary financial resources to meet their educational goals and financial obligations to Alvernia.
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Education Benefits 

  • Montgomery G.I. Bill (Chapter 30): You are eligible if you enlisted after July 1, 1985; served at least 2 years on Active Duty; your pay was reduced by $100 per month for the first 12 months of service; you have an honorable discharge; and you have not passed the 10-year delimiting date.
  • Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Chapter 33): You may be eligible if you served at least 90 aggregate days on active duty after September 10, 2001, and you are still on active duty, in the selected reserves, or were honorably discharged from US Armed Forces.
  • Montgomery G. I. Bill - Selected Reserves (Chapter 1606): You are eligible if you incurred a 6-year enlistment in the Selected Reserves or the National Guard after July 1, 1985; completed initial active duty training; are serving in good standing in your unit; and you have not passed the 14-year delimiting date.
  • Montgomery G. I. Bill - Reserve Education Assistance Program (Chapter 1607): You are eligible if you were a member of the Selected Reserves or the National Guard and were deployed in a contingency operation for 90 consecutive days or more.
  • Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance (Chapter 35): Dependents of veterans (spouses and children ages 18-26) are eligible if the veteran has a 100% service-connected disability or the veteran's death was service connected.
  • Vocational Rehabilitation (Chapter 31): Veterans who suffered a service-connected disability while on active duty and need vocational rehabilitation as a result of their disability (normally 20% or greater) may be eligible for benefits. Contact the VA Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor at the Federal Building, Harrisburg, PA or call (717) 221-3476 or (717) 221-4445.
  • Tuition Assistance: Members of the Selected Reserves and National Guard and Active Duty personnel may be eligible for tuition assistance from your respective service. Contact your unit of assignment or service education office for eligibility criteria and application forms.
  • Education Assistance Program (EAP): Pennsylvania Army National Guard and Pennsylvania Air National Guard members may be eligible for 100% tuition payments for full-time attendance (12 credits or more per semester) or 50% tuition payment for part-time attendance. Contact your unit of assignment for eligibility criteria and application forms.
  • State Grant for Veterans: Former active duty personnel who have been residents of Pennsylvania for 12 months; have an honorable discharge, be enrolled at least one-half time in an approved program of study of at least two academic years; and not in default of an educational loan may be eligible for the grant. Contact PHEAA at 1-800-692-7392 for additional information and application procedures.
  • Other Financial Aid: Additional financial aid may be available depending on your need and eligibility in the form of Federal Pell Grants, Federal Stafford Loans, Federal plus Loans, and college-based aid. You must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for these programs.


How to File for Benefits

The following is a guide to the basic paperwork needed to initiate educational benefits. Contact the Veterans Certifying Official for detailed information on the application process. Once you have completed the initial paperwork to apply for your benefits, you only need to complete and submit a Veterans Benefits Request Form (Green Sheet) when you register for classes for summer or winter sessions only if you want to use benefits for those sessions. The Veterans Benefits Request Form is available on the Student Financial Planning webpage as well as in the Office of Student Financial Services.

VA certifications policy & procedures

Student Financial Services will only require a “green sheet” to be completed for a winterim session, or summer sessions (since those 2 short sessions can affect the overall “training time” as well as “rate of training” for a VA recipient).  VA recipients can choose to use their benefits or not to use them for those short sessions.  If no “green sheet” is completed for summer or winterim, we will not certify benefits.

For both Fall and Spring semesters, Student Financial Services will begin certifications as soon as bills are generated.  Sooner certifications means fewer delays in benefits for recipients.  Student Financial Services will initially certify all classes for which the student is registered at the time the bills are generated.

Any changes subsequent to that certification (either adding or dropping classes), will not be changed until after the drop/add period is over at the beginning of each fall and spring semester.

Students receiving VA benefits are required to advise the SFP office VA certifying official immediately of any classes that are dropped, added, or withdrawn, so that we can update certifications in a timely fashion.

Chapter 30 (Montgomery G.I. Bill)

Never Applied for Benefits

  • VA Form 22-1990
  • DD Form 214 (Copy of Record of Discharge)
  • "Kicker" documentation
  • Cash Collection Voucher (if lump sum payment was made)


Previously Used Benefits

  • VA Form 22-1995
Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 G. I. Bill)

Never Applied for Benefits

  • VA Form 22-1990
  • DD Form 214 (Record of Discharge)(Copy only)
  • "Kicker" documentation
  • Cash Collection Voucher (if lump sum payment was made)


Previously Used Benefits

  • VA Form 22-1995
Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 G. I. Bill – Dependents)

Never Applied for Benefits

  • Service member complete DoD transferability paperwork on DoD website
  • Student complete VA Form 22-1990E


Previously Used Benefits

  • VA Form 22-1995
Chapter 32 (VEAP)
  • If you believe that you qualify for this benefit program please contact the Certifying Official in the Office of Student Financial Services.
Chapter 35 (Eligible Dependents)

Never Applied for Benefits

  • VA Form 5490 or Letter of Eligibility


Previously Used Benefits

  • VA Form 22-5495
Chapter 1606 (Montgomery G. I. Bill Selected Reserves and National Guard)

Never Applied for Benefits

  • VA Form 22-1990
  • DD Form 2384 (Notice of Basic Eligibility - NOBE)


Previously Used Benefits

  • VA Form 22-1995
Chapter 1607 (Montgomery G. I. Bill Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP)

Never Applied for Benefits

  • VA Form 22-1990
  • DD Form 214 (Copy of Record of Discharge)


Previously Used Benefits

  • VA Form 22-1995
Chapter 31 (Vocational Rehabilitation)

Never Applied For Benefits (Application is made to the Dept. of Veterans Affairs)

  • Apply for VA Disability Rating with VA Form 21-526 and DD Form 214
  • Apply for Vocational Rehabilitation with VA Form 28-1900
  • Contact Rehab Counselor at (717) 221-4445


Previously Used Benefits

  • Contact Rehab Counselor at (717) 221-4445
Members of the Pennsylvania National Guard
  • Education Assistance Program(EPA) - Contact your Unit of Assignment
  • Federal Tuition Assistance - Contact your Unit of Assignment
Members of the Selected Reserves
  • Federal Tuition Assistance - Contact your Unit of Assignment  
Veteran/Military Student Checklist for G.I. Bill Benefits

Apply for Benefits:

  • Go to VA.gov and apply using VA form 22‐1990, 33 Dependent – VA Form 22‐1990E, Chapter 35 – VA Form 22‐5490.
  • Electronically Attach DD‐214 or NOBE to application when applying online
  • Electronically attach any additional entitlements you may be eligible for (IE: Kicker, NOBE, College Fund)


Print out the application along with a Copy of your DD‐214 or NOBE and bring to your VA briefing appointment

  • Dependents using Chapter 33 will also be required to submit Transferability Paperwork from the DoD website
 Other Reminders
  • Federal Tuition Assistance FTA (Army National Guard and Reserves) is done through student’s unit of assignment each semester
  • Educational Assistance Program EAP (National Guard) is also completed through student's unit of assignment each academic year
  • Contact Alvernia’s VA Certifying Official EVERY semester to confirm EAP status
  • Once you have received your certificate of eligibility you MUST bring a copy into the Student Financial Services Office to be kept on file
  • Don’t forget to submit a Green Sheet EVERY semester after you register for classes


GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)