Frequently Asked Questions

• If this is your first time using VA Educational Benefits (Chapter 1606 (Reserve) – Montgomery GI Bill, Chapter 30 (Active Duty) – Montgomery GI Bill, Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill, or Chapter 35 – Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance) you'll need to complete your benefit’s application to activate them with the VA. Once you complete the application and submit it, it can take up to 30 days to process your request through the VA. Once processed, the VA will mail you a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to your home mailing address. Keep this for your records, as you will need to submit a virtual copy of it with your Veteran’s Clearance Form after you have successfully registered for courses to complete the certification process at ODU.
• Chapter 31: Veteran Readiness and Employment students need to complete the VRE application process with the VA. If approved, you will need to contact your VA assigned VR&E counselor who will submit an e-authorization to ODU in lieu of the Veteran’s Clearance Form. 
  • Not sure where to start? Get started here.

• Have you picked a traditional or online degree program?
• Have you ensured your degree program is eligible for VA benefits?
• Have you applied for your VA benefits, been approved, and received a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA?
• Have you met with your Academic Advisor and made an academic plan and enrolled in classes?
• Have you confirmed with the Military Connection Center to make sure you've filled out all of your paperwork properly?

If all the above steps have been completed. Please fill out the Veterans Clearance form and visit this page for additional information and what to expect next.

• Typically, for students to use TA (Tuition Assistance), you must first obtain approval from the command’s educational counselor or resource officer, get accepted at ODU, obtain a Degree Plan from your academic advisor and supply it to your command’s education liaison. The student would then follow the procedures for requesting TA as governed by their branch of service as outlined on the Military Connection Center Tuition Assistance webpage. Then, once your command/education office approves your Degree Plan for use of TA, the command provides the service member with a tuition voucher. The student will then provide this tuition voucher to the Third-Party Billing department at thirdpartybilling@sanmingzhi.net.
• Tuition Assistance must be requested at least 45 days prior to the start of the semester, and it must be approved via your command at least 15 days prior to the semester.
• TA processes vary by branch. For specific details on completing the TA process at ODU, you will need to speak to your command and review the steps specific to your branch as provided on the Military Connection Center Tuition Assistance Webpage.

If you have used your benefits previously at another college, you will need to file a “Request for Change of Program or Place of Training” VA Form 22-1995. This form can be accessed online, and once you complete the form and submit it, it will take the VA up to 30 days to process your request. Once processed, the VA will mail you a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to your home mailing address. Keep this for your records, as you will need to submit a virtual copy of it to your Veteran’s Clearance form after you have successfully registered for courses to complete the certification process at ODU.

• Students using VA Educational Benefits (Chapter 1606 (Reserve) – Montgomery GI Bill, Chapter 30 (Active Duty) – Montgomery GI Bill, Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill, or Chapter 35 – Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance) need to submit a Veteran Clearance Form with their Certificate of Eligibility from the VA attached to it. You will receive a confirmation email once you have submitted the form, and another a confirmation email from ODU’s School Certifying Officials after you have been certified.
• A new Veterans Clearance Form is required when there is a change in major, duty status (Active Duty/Veteran), selected Chapter benefit, a break in enrollment, or after a student has requested not to be certified for a term and would like to be re-initiate benefits.
• Active duty military, MEM Ashore, and certificate students using GI Bill benefits must complete the Veterans Clearance Form EACH semester AFTER registering for ODU classes.
• If you have not made any changes and were certified for VA Benefits in the prior semester, you DO NOT need to submit a Veterans Clearance Form. You will be certified automatically and receive a confirmation email from the ODU’s VA Services after you have been certified.
• Chapter 31 students DO NOT need to complete the Veterans Clearance Form. Chapter 31 students will coordinate with their assigned VA Educational Counselor.