Financial Aid - Veterans' Benefits

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Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid Web Site

Registration for Benefits
Withdrawals
Declaring a Major
Minimum Degree Hours
Incompletes
Deferred Grades
Audit Grades
Repeat Grades
Failing Grades (E)
No Credit Grades
Minimum Hours of VA Benefits
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Credit for Previous Training
Curriculum Requirement
Independent Study
Internships and Practica
Audit
Benefits for Children of Deceased or Totally Disabled Veterans

Registration for Benefits
All eligible students are required to register for educational benefits each semester with the Central Michigan University Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA), as well as register for classes each semester, in order to receive benefits. Registration should take place approximately six (6) to eight (8) weeks before the beginning of each semester. This time frame will insure adequate time for processing benefits and prevent an interruption of benefits. VA students in the Off-Campus Learning programs must register fourteen 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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Withdrawals
Students receiving VA benefits must notify CMU’s OSFA 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).
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Declaring a Major
All undergraduate students must declare their major with Central Michigan University and the USDVA by the time they have earned fifty-six (56) credit hours. Students must submit a copy of an academic audit (audits are completed by Undergraduate Academic Services) as soon as the major and minor are declared and acceptance into a program of study has been received. Failure to comply with this requirement will prevent certification of eligibility for future semesters. VA students in the undergraduate CMU Off-Campus Programs must submit an approved copy of their program plan to the OSFA.
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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 by contacting the OSFA as soon as possible for information about this procedure.

Requirements for Bachelor’s Degree - 124 Credits
Requirements for a Master’s Degree - 36 Credits.
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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.
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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.
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Failing Grades (E)
Students receiving VA benefits who receive failing grades must notify OSFA. The OSFA 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.
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No Credit Grades
Certification of eligibility by the university is prohibited for no credit grades.

Minimum Hours of VA Benefits

Training Time	Undergraduate	Graduate
Full Time	12	9
3/4 Time	9-11	7-8
1/2 Time	6-8	5-6
Less than 1/2 Time*	1-5	1-4

*Students enrolled less than 1/2 time are eligible for tuition and fees only.
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Satisfactory Academic Progress
All students receiving VA education benefits are required to maintain satisfactory academic progress according to published standards established and enforced by the University (see Financial Aid Policy on Satisfactory Progress). Central Michigan University’s Standards of Progress have been approved by the State Approving Agency (SAA) and accepted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA).

Title 38, United States Code, Sections 1674 and 1724 requires that education assistance benefits to veterans and other eligible persons be discontinued when the student ceases to make satisfactory progress toward completion of his or her training objective. Accordingly, the OSFA will discontinue certification of enrollment and will inform the USDVA of a termination of benefits (due to unsatisfactory academic progress) for undergraduate and graduate students who are placed on financial aid suspension. The OSFA will not certify future enrollment until satisfactory academic progress has been regained. Students have a right to appeal termination of benefits. The USDVA determines whether or not payments will be terminated and the conditions for reinstatement.
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Credit for Previous Training
Students receiving credit for previous training (transfer students) must provide the OSFA 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 certify 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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Curriculum Requirement
Students receiving VA benefits at CMU must take courses that are in a degree granting curriculum.

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".

Internships and Practica
Internships and practica that meet USDVA definitions may be certified.

Audit
The above guidelines are strictly enforced. Each semester, an audit is conducted by the OSFA to ensure the student is following the required guidelines. Any questions or concerns should be directed to the CMU OSFA, 202 Warriner Hall.
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Benefits for Children of Deceased or Totally Disabled Veterans

Public Law 634
Those eligible for educational benefits are students 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 eighteenth birthday and finish after their twenty-sixth 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 for 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 an annual fee of $2,800 until the student reaches 26 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 for undergraduate coursework.

The veteran or dependent must submit an application for benefits, and report any changes in dependency, address, place of training or mitigating circumstances.

All students covered under any of the above programs should contact the CMU OSFA, 202 Warriner Hall, 774-3674.
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