Office of Military and Veterans Affairs
Vin Thomas, Director
Powell Student Center 137
Phone: (859) 622-2345
Fax: (859) 622-5076
www.eku.edu/va
The Office of Military and Veterans Affairs serves veterans and military students by assisting with admissions, obtaining VA benefits and credit for military training, and serving as an advocate for veterans’ issues throughout the campus community.
VA Certification Process and Details
To utilize VA education benefits and to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility, eligible veterans and military students will need to apply directly to the Veterans Administration online at www.vets.gov. Upon receipt of the certificate, please upload a copy to the student document upload portal. Additionally, a Course Enrollment Form must be submitted online each semester for each VA benefit you wish to use. Submit a Course Enrollment Form here.
Covered individuals (defined by the VA as any individual who is entitled to educational assistance under Chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, or Chapter 33, Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits) may attend or participate in the course of education during the period beginning on the date on which the individual provides to the educational institution a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for entitlement to educational assistance under chapter 31 or 33 (A “Statement of Benefits” obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ VA) website – eBenefits, or a VA Form 28-1905 form for chapter 31 authorization purposes can substitute for a COE) and ending on the earlier of the following dates:
- The date on which payment from VA is made to the institution.
- 90 days after the date the institution certified tuition and fees following the receipt of the COE.
The University will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds because of the inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement of funding from VA under chapter 31 or 33. If any late fees do appear, they will not be charged to the covered individual until after the 90-day period referenced above.
The Monthly Housing Allowance is calculated based upon the location of the campus where a student attends the majority of their classes, based upon Section 107 (FGIB). A “campus” may include internships, externships, training, practicums, etc. Students enrolled in 100% online programs will receive a reduced MHA amount, based upon their enrollment status. Hybrid courses must be certified at the on-campus rate, per VA regulations. All veterans and dependents who are eligible for benefits under the federal Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (38 U.S.C. Section 3301 et seq.), or any other federal law authorizing educational benefits for veterans or dependents, will receive in-state tuition and fees.
Veterans needing assistance in obtaining a copy of their Joint Service Transcript or CCAF transcript should email EKUVets@eku.edu or call 859-622-2345.
Rate of Pursuit for Federal GI Bill Entitlement
Students must meet full time requirements in order to receive 100% of VA benefits. If a student falls below full time requirements, the VA will prorate and adjust benefit entitlements accordingly. Reference the below table for undergraduate requirements.
Length of Term Full Time Credit Requirement
16 Weeks 12 Hours
12 Weeks 8 Hours
8 Weeks 6 Hours
6 Weeks 4 Hours
VA Regulations for Aviation Courses
Students using GI Bill® benefits to fund an aviation course must complete each flight lab within 19 weeks of initiation of the first flight event; failure to do so will result in the student being assigned a grade of NC (No Credit). Students using GI Bill® benefits must repay to the VA the cost (including a portion of stipends for living expenses) related to any course in which a grade of NC is earned. Important – All student participants receiving Veterans Administration benefits have 19 calendar weeks from the date of the first flight event to complete an Aviation flight lab.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Aviation Flight Hours & Costs/Fees
A complete listing of aviation related fees for the current academic year is published on the EKU Aviation Flight Fees website (http://aviation.eku.edu/aviation-flight-fees), and are included in materials provided by the flight instructors.
Additionally, all VA funded flight students receive this information from the EKU Office of Military and Veterans Affairs during their enrollment certification process. Students should verify through their regional Department of Veterans Affairs processing office if they have questions regarding their eligibility to use VA resources to complete the requirements of the EKU Aviation program.
Kentucky National Guard Tuition Award Program
Active members of the Kentucky National Guard can utilize the Kentucky National Guard Tuition Award Program if they meet all eligibility criteria with the National Guard. Members must maintain all minimum standards, be eligible for all positive personnel actions, and have completed basic training or its equivalent. Eligible members will be awarded up to in-state tuition for full or part-time study at any Kentucky public college while funds are available. Members must apply to utilize the Kentucky National Guard Tuition Award Program each semester. The deadline to apply for the Fall semester is April 1, and the deadline to apply for the Spring semester is October 1. The application is available online at https://ky.ngb.army.mil/tuitionstudent. For additional information, members can contact the Boone National Guard at (502) 607-1039.
Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance
DEA (Chapter 35) provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents and survivors of certain veterans. For more information on DEA eligibility visit www.vets.gov.
Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs Tuition Waiver
If you are the child or spouse of a veteran who died while serving on active duty or is entitled to 100% VA disability, you may also be entitled to a tuition waiver in addition to your DEA benefits. Under the provisions of KRS 164.505, 164.507, and 164.515, children and spouses of Kentuckians who were killed in military action or who were permanently and totally disabled during military service are eligible for this waiver. For additional information contact the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs, Tuition Waiver Coordinator at (502) 503-7911. More information and the application form can be found at veterans.ky.gov.
Veterans Upward Bound Program (VUB)
The VUB Program will prepare eligible veterans from the target counties to pursue a new career and/or enter postsecondary education by addressing any academic, social, or emotional needs. We help VETS searching for jobs, wanting to pursue a certificate, license, degree and more. Not sure what to do? Apply and let us help you figure that out!
All services are free of charge to the Veteran!
Interested veterans should fill out an application form here. Please contact EKU Veterans Upward Bound at 859-622-2345.