All
students applying for or receiving benefits from the United
States Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) should be aware
of the guidelines that will affect the receipt of their
benefit payments while they are enrolled at CMU.
After acceptance into the College of Graduate Studies, student
veterans should promptly contact the CMU Veterans Programs
Office (VA office) in 201 Warriner Hall. New or transfer
students need to complete the forms required to initiate a
claim for VA benefits. The VA office then certifies the
enrollment of each student veteran and forwards the
information to the VA regional office in St. Louis, MO, to start
payments.
Registration for Benefits
Program Compliance
Withdrawals
Program
Plan
Minimum
Degree Hours
Incompletes
Deferred Grades
Audit Grades
Repeat Grades
Failing Grades
No Credit Grades
Minimum Hours of VA
Benefits
Satisfactory
Academic Progress
Credit for Previous
Training
Standard
Class Sessions
Curriculum Requirement
Independent Study
Internships and Practica
Benefits
for Children of Deceased or Totally Disabled Veterans
Public
Law 634
Public
Act 245
Registration for Benefits
In order to receive benefits, all eligible students are
required to register for educational benefits each semester
with the CMU VA office, as well as register for classes each
semester. Graduate students should register approximately six
to eight weeks before the beginning of each semester. This
time frame will insure adequate start-up cycles for payments
and prevent an interruption of payments. VA students in the
Extended Degree Programs must register 14 days before classes
begin and apply for VA educational benefits at the center in
the area where the courses will be offered.
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Program Compliance
Withdrawals
Students receiving VA benefits must notify CMU’s VA office
when a change is made in their enrollment status. If this
notification is not given, CMU will notify the USDVA that the
last day of attendance was the first day of the course(s).
Program Plan
All graduate students must submit a CMU program plan when they
apply for veterans benefits. Failure to comply with this
requirement will prevent certification of eligibility for
future semesters.
Minimum Degree Hours
Certification of eligibility will be denied once the minimum
hours required for a degree from CMU have been completed.
Exceptions can be made, however, students must contact the CMU
VA office as soon as possible for information about this
procedure.
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Incompletes
“I” grades must be removed and a regular grade received
for that course(s) within one year from the date of receipt.
“I” grades are not counted in determining a student’s
enrollment status for certification of eligibility for future
semesters.
Deferred Grades
Certification of eligibility by the university is prohibited
for deferred grades (Z).
Audit Grades
Certification of eligibility by the university is prohibited
for audit grades (X).
Repeat Grades
A student may be certified for a repeat course only if the
grade received was not accepted by the university as a passing
grade.
Failing Grades
Students receiving VA benefits who receive failing grades must
report to the CMU VA Office. The VA Office of CMU will notify
the USDVA Office of the failing grade if the student did not
take the final exam or if the course is a repeat. The student
will be required to repay the funds received for that course.
No
Credit Grades
Certification of eligibility by the university is prohibited
for no credit grades.
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Minimum Hours of VA
Benefits
| Training
Time |
Graduate |
| Full
Time |
9 |
| 3/4
Time |
7-8 |
| 1/2
Time |
5-6 |
| *Less
than 1/2 Time |
1-4 |
*Less
than 1/2 Time is paid tuition and fees only.
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Satisfactory
Academic Progress
The cumulative grade point average requirements by CMU for
certification to the USDVA is 3.0 for graduate students.
Failure to maintain the required cumulative GPA will result
in the student being assigned probation status. If at the end
of two semesters (or two enrollment periods in the Extended
Degree Program), the student’s cumulative GPA does not
meet the required standard of progress, CMU will notify the
USDVA of unsatisfactory progress and the university will not
certify future eligibility. To regain certification, a student
must attend without VA benefits until the GPA meets minimum
requirements.
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Credit for Previous
Training
Students receiving credit for previous training (transfer
students) must provide the CMU VA office with an official
transcript from all previous schools attended by the end of
the first semester or enrollment period of attendance. Until
this requirement is met, CMU will not continue certification
of eligibility for any future semesters or enrollment periods.
The USDVA and the student will be notified of all previous
credits approved that are applied to their program to reduce
the current program training time.
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Standard
Class Sessions
Classes for which students are receiving VA benefits
must consist of at least one contact hour per credit, per
week. The definition of a contact hour is meeting with the
instructor in a regular class session for 50 minutes seat
time.
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Curriculum Requirement
Students receiving VA benefits at CMU must take courses that
are in a degree granting curriculum.
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Independent Study
Certification by the university for independent study is at
the rate of tuition and fees only. Independent study courses
count toward full-time only if concurrent with 3/4 of a credit
load “in residence.”
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Internships and Practica
Internships and practica that meet USDVA definitions may be
certified.
The above guidelines are strictly enforced. Each semester, an
audit is conducted by the CMU VA office to ensure the student
is following the required guidelines. Any questions or
concerns should be directed to the CMU Veterans Programs
Office, 205 Warriner Hall.
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Benefits
for Children of Deceased or Totally Disabled Veterans
Public Law 634
Those eligible for educational benefits are young
men and women whose veteran-parents died of injuries or
disease resulting from military service. Students generally
must be between 18 and 26 years old; however, children will be
permitted to begin school before their 18th birthday and
finish after their 26th in some instances.
To be eligible for full benefits, a student covered under the
above program must carry at least 12 semester hours of credit.
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Public Act 245
Sons or daughters of a veteran who died of service-connected
causes or who is totally disabled as a result of
service-connected causes of any war in which the United States
has been a participant, may be eligible for benefits under
Public Act 245 of the Public Acts of 1935, as amended. The
benefits waive the regular fees each semester up to $2,800 until the
student reaches 25 years of age. Anyone who believes he or she
is eligible should request an application from the Michigan
Veterans’ Trust Fund, Lansing, Michigan. Recipients must be
full-time students and must maintain a minimum cumulative 2.25
grade point average.
The veteran or dependent must submit an application for
benefits, and any changes in dependency, address, place of
training or mitigating circumstances. Questions pertaining to
other VA benefits and check problems should be referred to
this office.
All students covered under any of the above programs must
contact the Veterans Programs Office, 201 Warriner Hall.
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Disclaimer
