Veteran Resources

Getting Your VA Education Benefits Started

Step 1: Apply to Clarendon College application.clarendoncollege.ed u or www.applytexas.org

    Testing - Call (806) 874-4867 or (806) 874-4837 to schedule testing

    See Advisor and get registered (All courses must be required for your program.)

Step 2: Complete VONAPP - Veterans Online Application

*** It is recommended that you understand all details for each chapter BEFORE submitting this application. ***

    New applicants need to submit the 22-1990

    Transfer applicants need to submit 22-1995

Step 3: Visit with VA Representative (Financial Aid Office)

    You will need to first complete the Benefits request form
    Please bring Certificate of Eligibility with you.

    The Department of Veteran Affairs also requires that all College, High School/GED and Military Transcripts along with DD-214’s are added to your VA file with the certifying official. (Benefits will not be certified without them).

Requesting a DD 214, Certificate of Eligibility, and Military Transcripts web addresses:

DD 214

Certificate of Eligibility

Military transcripts

The Texas Veterans Commission is a State agency assisting veterans and their families with state and federal veteran’s benefits and services. Contact Larry Witthar, the District 9 Student Veterans of America Liaison Officer at the Texas Veterans Commission in Amarillo, TX for more information at 806-468-1883 or lwitthar@va.gov.

VA Educational Benefits

VA educational benefits differ between each Chapter. The following chart is a summary of each Chapter along with a brief description. Students using VA benefits should contact the VA directly with questions about which type of benefit they should be using. Additional information can also be acquired via the GI Bill® website at: www.gibill.va.gov.

CHAPTER 30

Chapter 30 has four eligibility categories. The benefits generally apply to Veterans who began active duty service for the first time after June 30, 1985, had their pay reduced $100 a month for 12 months, and received an honorable discharge. This would exclude those Veterans with a General Discharge under Honorable Conditions or any other discharge other than Honorable. Also excluded are officers who obtained their commission after 12/31/76, through a military academy, or through an ROTC scholarship program.

CHAPTER 33- Post 9/11

Generally, an individual who served a minimum of 90 days on active duty after September 10, 2001, will be eligible for educational assistance under the Post-9/11 GI Bill®. The following periods of active duty service are excluded:

• ROTC under 10 U.S.C. 2107(b)
• Service academy contract period
• Service terminated due to defective enlistment agreement
• Service used for loan repayment

In general an individual’s eligibility to use Chapter 33 benefits expires 15 years from the date of the last discharge or release from active duty of at least 90 consecutive days. In order to retain eligibility, after meeting the service requirements, an individual must:

•Be honorably discharged from Armed Forces; or
•Be released from Armed Forces with service characterized as honorable and placed on the retired list, temporary disability retired list, or transferred to the Fleet Reserve or the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve
•Be released from Armed Forces with service characterized as honorable for further service in a reserve component.

Individuals eligible under Chapter 33 are generally entitled to 36 months of educational assistance. Individuals are limited to a maximum of 48 months of entitlement when using benefits under two or more programs. Individuals eligible for benefits under the national call to service program and Chapter 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, or 36 of title 38; or Chapter 107, 1606, 1607, or section 903 of title 10; or the hostage relief act of 1980; or the omnibus diplomatic security and antiterrorism act of 1986 may not receive assistance under two or more such programs concurrently.

The tuition and fees payment is paid directly to the school on behalf of the student when the school’s enrollment certification is processed. The tuition and fees payment is prorated by the student’s benefit level. A monthly housing allowance is paid directly to the student at the beginning of each month for the previous month. The housing allowance is prorated by the student’s length of service percentage. The housing allowance is only paid if the student’s rate of pursuit is more than 50%. Individuals only enrolled in distance learning courses will be eligible for a monthly housing allowance equal to 50% of the national average of all Basic Allowances for Housing. The books and supplies stipend is a lump sum payment (each quarter, semester or term attended) paid directly to the student when the school’s enrollment certification is processed. The books and supplies stipend pays $41.67 per credit certified, up to 24 credits for the academic year. The stipend is prorated by the student’s length of service percentage. The maximum stipend is $1,000 per academic year.

CHAPTER 35

Educational Assistance paid to dependents of Veterans who have a service connected permanent and total disability or died as a result of service connection. Persons who may be eligible are:

• A child (between ages 18 and 26, with some exceptions) of a veteran who is permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition; or who died in service; or who died of a service-connected disability; or who died while evaluated as having total and permanent service-connected disability; or who is listed as a POW or MIA.

• The surviving spouse of a veteran who died of a service-connected disability, or died in service, or died while evaluated as having total and permanent disability resulting from a service-connected disability. Surviving spouses whose benefits stopped when they remarried can receive DEA benefits again if their remarriage ends by death or divorce, or they cease to live with the person to whom they presented themselves in public as married.

• A spouse of a veteran or serviceperson who has a total and permanent disability resulting from a service-connected disability; or who is listed as a POW or MIA.

• The spouse or child of a service member who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment for a service connected permanent and total disability and is likely to be discharged for that disability.

For further information on chapters listed above or on Chapter 31 (VR&E), Chapter 32 (VEAP), Chapter 1606, or Chapter 1607, please visit the GI Bill® website: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs