How to Use Your Benefits
Request to Certify
All students* wishing to use VA education benefits must fill out a Request to Certify form each semester, after registering for classes — even if they are currently or have previously processed benefits. After registering for courses, it will take 24- 48 hours for the system to recognize and reflect the changes.
*Law School, Paralegal, and FST Students do not use this form. These students should contact their program directly to certify benefits.
Certification Process
Student Responsibilities
- Apply for FAFSA (Note: FAFSA is not required to use VA Benefits, but highly encouraged to be notified of all available opportunities.)
- Apply for VA benefits at ebenefits.va.gov
- Receive Certificate of Eligibility from VA
- Check the MySanDiego portal for red flags or holds, and complete those requirements.
- Meet with your academic advisor or program coordinator
- Register for classes: After registering for courses, it will take 24- 48 hours for the system to recognize and reflect the changes.
Student Responsibilities
- Complete the Request to Certify Form
- Attach a Certificate of Eligibility using a copy from the VA or screenshot of entitlement eligibility with months and percentages (see examples).
MVP Staff Responsibilities
- MVP and Office of Financial Aid will reach out to student if more information is needed
- Once form is approved, an automatic payment deferral is placed on student account while benefits are processed
- Students may receive an automated bill but do not need to make any payments, all students using VA Benefits are awarded an automatic, temporary, deferral for benefits to process
Disclaimer: Each student's award is unique, and financial aid packages will be recalculated according to multiple policies for different sources of funding. Students should consult with Financial Aid directly once their financial aid package has been adjusted.
Student Responsibilities
- Consistently monitor student email for all communication from MVP and university staff and respond as quickly as possible
- Submit Financial Aid's Change of Status form and contact MVP with updated units in the case of any change after certifying (i.e. Add/ Drop/"I"/"W")
- Track remaining benefit entitlement with the VA and/or ebenefits.va.gov to ensure ample benefit entitlement remains when requesting to process benefits for each semester
- Understand that information about VA education benefits represented on student financial aid accounts at the beginning of a term is estimated and will be adjusted if needed when actual payment is received by USD from the VA
- Monitor financial aid and student account information to ensure accurate benefit information is applied and notifying military@sandiego.edu if there are any discrepancies - VA education benefits are not guaranteed to cover the entire student bill for any given semester
- Understand your own benefit entitlement and student bill - torerohub@sandiego.edu is available to help explain specific account information and line items
MVP Staff Responsibilities
- Update tuition after the semester's add/drop deadline
- Report any changes in units
By Requesting to Certify, students agree that they understand the following Student Responsibilities for using VA Educational Benefits at USD:
- The student is responsible for tracking remaining benefit entitlement with the VA and/or ebenefits.va.gov to ensure ample benefit entitlement remains when requesting to process benefits for each semester.
- Information about VA education benefits represented on student financial aid accounts at the beginning of a term is estimated and will be adjusted if needed when actual payment is received by USD from the VA.
- The student is responsible for monitoring their financial aid and student account information to ensure accurate benefit information is applied and notifying military@sandiego.edu if there are any discrepancies. VA education benefits are not guaranteed to cover the entire student bill for any given semester.
- The student is responsible for understanding their own benefit entitlement and student bill.
Exceptional Circumstances for Using VA Benefits
Occasionally, students may encounter extraordinary scenarios while using VA Educational Benefits, for example — Adding/Dropping Classes, a desire to Study Abroad, etc. Please explore the information below, and reach out to our office with any additional questions about VA Benefit processing at military@sandiego.edu.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The absence of the registration symbol ® does not constitute a waiver of VA's trademark rights.