Find and apply to a college or university that has programs which are approved for VA training or education. If you aren't sure if a school's program is covered, the Department of Veterans Affairs can assist you.
Note: If you haven't settled on a school you can still apply to the DVA to determine your eligiblity for GI Bill benefits. In fact doing this will save you time and money later when you do select a school.
Step Two
Complete VA Form 22-1990, Application for Education Benefits. Your school's registrar's office usually has copies of the form on hand.
If you are Active Duty you will need to have your Education Service Officer or a Command representative sign Section VII of the VA Form.
It is a great idea to use this form to establish your eligiblity as soon as possible. However it is not usually a good idea to use your GI Bill while on active duty. Learn more about when to use the GI Bill.*In addition you should speak to a counselor in your Voluntary Education Services Office to determine if you are eligible to participate in the GI-Bill Buy-up program before you start using your GI Bill. It could be worth up to an extra $5,400 in benefits.
If you are a Veteran you will need to include a copy of your DD 214 Discharge Paperwork. If you are a member of the Selective Reserve you may need to include a copy of DD Form 2384-1, Notice of Basic Eligibility which was given to you by your unit when you became eligible for the MGIB-SR.
Step Three
In most cases the school will send your application along with their paperwork to the VA Regional Processing Office with jurisdiction over the geographic area where you will train. This will expedite the process. However if you have not found a school yet, you can still apply for your VA Eligibility Determination by mailing your completed VA Form 22-1990. Click here to find the address for your VA Regional Processing Office.
Within 10-12 weeks you should receive a declaration of eligibility and a letter explaining your VA GI Bill benefits. Keep in mind that it is not uncommon to get a letter from the VA requesting more information. You will have to answer the VAs requests to be determined eligible and complete the process.
Step Four
Once you begin receiving your benefit checks (Direct Deposit) you will have to complete the Web Automated Verification of Eligibility (WAVE) each month to continue to receive your monthly benefits payments.
The WAVE is a simple process that requires you to either log-on to the WAVE website or call their toll-free number at 1-888-GIBILL-1. It only takes a couple of minutes, but you will not get your monthly payment until you do.
These four simple steps will lead to over $38,000 in education benefits -- the ones you earned! It's well worth the effort, so don't wait until it is too late, get started today!
Next Step:
If you haven't found a school that has VA-approved programs, then the best way to get started is Military.com's "School Finder", which will help you get information from fully accredited "military friendly" colleges and universities that are VA-approved and experienced with the VA process.
