1. When will the on the terms of GW’s participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program for 2012-2013AY be announced?
The Yellow Ribbon Participation Form will be available mid-to-late May 2012. Procedures for 2012-2013 are posted here: http://colonialcentral.gwu.edu/VeteranServices/YRP/
2. How do my Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) benefits affect my GW financial assistance package?
Each case varies. For specifics, please contact the Office of Veteran Services directly for information regarding your account.
3. Do I need to pay my application fee if I am a veteran or on active duty?
For undergraduate applicants: Yes, you will need to pay the application fee.
For graduate applicants: Military personnel who have been on active duty within three years of submitting their application for admission are eligible to receive an application fee waiver. To receive the application waiver, please contact the admissions office of the school you are applying for.
4. Do I need to pay my tuition deposit if I am a veteran or on active duty?
For undergraduate applicants: Yes, you will need to pay the deposit. After receiving your "Certificate of Eligibility" GWU will refund your tuition deposit, or waive any deposit payment requirements, if you are a Yellow Ribbon Program participant.
For graduate student applicants: this depends on the school - please contact the admissions office of the school you are applying for.
5. How do veteran students apply for Veteran Education Benefits at The George Washington University?
Once student veterans are admitted to GW, we recommend they follow this checklist, which is available on the Veteran Services website at: http://colonialcentral.gwu.edu/VeteranServices/checklist/
a. Contact the Veterans Administration (VA) to discuss your eligibility for education benefits (1-888-442-4551) or visit the Department of Veterans' Affairs GI Bill website for more information: http://www.gibill.va.gov/
b. Submit your application for GI Bill benefits at: http://www.gibill.va.gov/.
c. If you wish to apply for Federal or additional Institutional student aid, please visit the Financial Assistance Website at: http://colonialcentral.gwu.edu/paying/. Instructions and information for both Undergraduate and Graduate students are available.
d. Once you have received the “Certificate of Eligibility” from the VA, submit this document to the GW Certifying Officer at your campus or educational center (see individual contact information for certifying officers under the response to FAQ #7).
e. In addition, Yellow Ribbon Program (YRP) participants should complete the GW YRP Participation Form, available on the Veteran Services website: http://colonialcentral.gwu.edu/VeteranServices/YRP/. This form may be completed before a student receives their Certificate of Eligibility to ensure a student is reserved one of our limited number of slots. The application will not be processed until a student submits their Certificate of Eligibility.
e. Register for courses on GWeb or with your academic advisor.
f. Complete the GW Request for Certification Form each semester you are taking courses and return it to your GW Certifying Officer. This document is available on the Veteran Services website: http://colonialcentral.gwu.edu/VeteranServices/forms/
g. Contact your GW Certifying Officer if there is a change in the courses for which you are registered – this will affect your certification. The GW Certification Officer will update your certification for VA benefits accordingly.
h. Veteran education benefits are certified on a semester basis – be sure to complete the GW Request for Certification Form each semester.
6. What does the GW certifying officer do?
The GW certifying officer is the individual who reports student veterans’ enrollment information to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) so student veterans can receive VA education benefits.
7. Who is my GW certifying officer?
The GW certifying officer depends on the student’s campus location/educational center. The following details the officers by campus/educational center location:
8. Do I need to complete the “GW Request for Certification Form” each semester?
Yes, Veteran education benefits are certified on a semester basis – be sure to complete the GW Request for Certification Form each semester.
9. Do I need to complete a GW Yellow Ribbon Program agreement each semester?
No, but the GW Yellow Ribbon Program Agreement must be completed each year.
10. What are the major education benefits available to GW’s student veterans?
The major benefits include, but are not limited to, the following:
Chapter 30: Montgomery GI Bill
Chapter 31: Vocational Rehabilitation
Chapter 33: Post 9/11 GI Bill
Chapter 33: Yellow Ribbon Program
Chapter 34: Vietnam Era
Chapter 35: Dependent/Survivor
Chapter 1606: Selective Reserve
Chapter 1607: REAP
Active Duty Tuition Assistance
Eligibility criteria for VA education benefits are available on the VA’s website: http://gibill.va.gov
11. What is the Yellow Ribbon Program?
In 2008, the GI Bill was updated with enactment of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, giving veterans with active duty service on, or after, September 11 2001, enhanced educational benefits that cover more educational expenses, provide a living allowance, money for books and the ability to transfer unused educational benefits to spouses or children. The Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program (Yellow Ribbon Program) is a provision of the Post-9/11 GI Bill. This program allows institutions of higher learning (degree granting institutions) in the United States to voluntarily enter into an agreement with VA to fund tuition expenses that exceed the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition rate. The institution can contribute up to 50 percent of those expenses and VA will match the same amount as the institution.
12. What are the benefits offered to individuals who are eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program?
For the 2011-2012 academic year, the following are the benefits for eligible GW students:
Under this commitment, GW will:
- Provide tuition assistance to veterans beyond what they are provided from their base GI Bill rate of compensation. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will match GW’s contribution dollar-for-dollar up to 50% of the difference between the student’s tuition benefit (which includes the GI Bill Base Benefit) and the total cost of tuition and fees.
- Enable up to 150 YRP-qualified undergraduate students and an unlimited number of YRP-qualified graduate students to receive benefits for the 2011-2012 academic year. This is expected to cover all YRP-qualified individuals enrolled as degree-seeking students at GW, including Foggy Bottom Campus/Mount Vernon Campus, for distance education courses, Virginia Science and Technology Campus, Arlington Education Center, Alexandria Education Center, Southern Maryland Education Center, Hampton Roads Center, and other GW locations.
Under this commitment, YRP participants should note:
- Pursuant to University Policy, the combination of University aid and outside aid designated for tuition (such as GI Bill Base and Yellow Ribbon Program Benefits) shall not exceed the cost of tuition and fees.
- Neither non-degree students nor visiting undergraduate students from other institutions are eligible, under University policy, to participate in GW’s Yellow Ribbon Program.
- GW cannot certify Post 9/11 GI Bill or YRP benefits retroactively. GW will not certify any student for past semesters in which a student may have been eligible for YRP benefits, but did not properly enroll with the University to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Yellow Ribbon qualified undergraduates will receive:
- GI Bill Base Benefit: $17,500 per admitted YRP-qualified undergraduate per year; plus
- Yellow Ribbon Program Benefit:
- GW shall provide up to $17,500 per YRP-qualified undergraduate per year, not to exceed the cost of tuition, plus
- The VA shall provide funds to match GW up to 50% of the difference between the student’s tuition benefit (which includes the GI Base Bill Benefit) and the total cost of tuition and fees. In most instances, the VA will be matching GW’s $17,500 YRP contribution.
- The total benefit should, depending on program and course of study, enable most YRP-eligible undergraduates to attend GW at no cost (tuition and fees only).
- Tuition and required fees only are included in these educational benefits.
- Example: Undergraduate Student A, a YRP-qualified student, has tuition costs of $44,103 per year. Undergraduate Student A will receive $17,500 as a GI Bill Base Benefit. This leaves a remaining tuition cost of $26,603. GW will provide half of that amount in YRP benefits, and the VA will match the other half that is equivalent to 50% of the remaining tuition cost. In this scenario, Undergraduate Student A will have a balance of $0 for tuition.
Yellow Ribbon qualified graduate students will receive:
- GI Bill Base Benefit: $17,500 per admitted YRP-qualified graduate student per year; plus
- Yellow Ribbon Program Benefit:
- GW shall provide up to $5,120 per YRP-qualified undergraduate per year, not to exceed the cost of tuition, plus
- The VA shall provide funds to match GW up to 50% of the difference between the student’s tuition benefit (which includes the GI Base Bill Benefit) and the total cost of tuition and fees. In most instances, VA will be matching GW’s $5,120 YRP contribution.
- The total benefit should, depending on program and course of study, enable YRP-eligible graduate students to attend GW at a significant discount.
- Tuition and required fees only are included in these educational benefits.
Example: Graduate Student B, a YRP-qualified student, has tuition costs of $22,230 per year. Graduate Student B will receive $17,500 as a GI Bill Base Benefit. This leaves a remaining tuition cost of $4,730. GW will provide half of that amount in YRP benefits, and the VA will match the other half as it is less than 50% of the remaining tuition cost. In this scenario, Graduate Student B will have a balance of $0 for tuition.
13. What are the requirements for a student to receive Yellow Ribbon Program benefits at The George Washington University
To receive benefits:
o Students must be admitted to the University through the usual admissions process.
o Yellow Ribbon qualified students will need to complete a GW Yellow Ribbon Program application form.
o Eligible students who submit the GW Yellow Ribbon Program application form will receive the Yellow Ribbon Program benefits.
14. What is GW’s policy if I students are called to Active Duty?
If students are activated or called to active duty, they will receive a full refund
of all tuition and fees. Please note Housing and dining (GWorld) charges
(and other charges) are not included in the fees, but are refunded on the
prorated basis according to GW policy.
According to GW’s Bulletin: http://www.gwu.edu/~bulletin/ugrad/unrg.html
“Any student who is a member of a military reserve unit or the National Guard and is activated or called to active duty early in a semester or summer session automatically will be entitled to a full refund of all tuition and fees that he or she has paid toward the expenses of that academic term. If the notification of the call to active duty comes after the mid-term examinations or after other substantial graded work has been completed, the student will have the option of either taking a full refund of tuition and fees or taking an Incomplete in his or her courses with the privilege of returning to complete all required course work at some future date without payment of any further tuition and fee charges. It is the responsibility of the student to present evidence of his or her activation to the Office of Student Accounts and to request the appropriate refund. Should a degree student called up for active duty find it necessary to interrupt active pursuit of the degree, he or she may petition the dean for a leave of absence for a specified period of time, generally limited to one calendar year. Deans are encouraged to grant any request to extend the leave of absence for longer than the customary period should military service require an absence of more than one year. All students on active duty will be automatically exempted from the request for a $50 voluntary library contribution without requiring any communication from them or their initials on the bill.”
15. How should student veterans learn more about the best benefit package for them?
GW’s Veteran Services staff members and certifying officers are good points of contact to discuss general benefits with student veterans. Above all, however, we recommend student veterans contact a VA counselor at 1-888-442-4551 to discuss their decisions regarding educational benefits.
16. Whom do I see on my campus about resources for students who are veterans?
GW’s Office of Veteran Services staff in Colonial Central is the place to go ask questions about GI Bill processing as well as student and academic support services, including the University Career Center, University Counseling Center, Disability Support Services, Student Activities Center, among many other services. GW’s Office of Veteran Services is conveniently located in Colonial Center (ground floor of the Marvin Center), and the following is the contact information:
GW Veteran Services
Colonial Central, Marvin Center Ground Floor
800 21st Street, NW
Washington, DC 20052
(202) 994-9570; Fax: (202) 994-9009
vetserve@gwu.edu
There is also a comprehensive resource list available on the Veteran Services webpage:
http://colonialcentral.gwu.edu/VeteranServices/services/
Another great group is GW’s student organization dedicated to supporting and building community among student veterans, “GW Student Veterans”: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/GWVets
17. Who should student veterans contact if they are having issues with late fees and interest?
Student veterans should contact veteran services to discuss their particular situation:
GW Veteran Services
Colonial Central, Marvin Center Ground Floor
800 21st Street, NW
Washington, DC 20052
(202) 994-9570; Fax: (202) 994-9009
vetserve@gwu.edu
18. What should student veterans do when their total number of credits registered for changes?
When students change the total number of credit hours, they should contact their GW Certifying Officer. The certifying officer should be contacted when students drop or add courses resulting in a change in your total number of credit hours, withdraw from the university, or take a leave of absence. Your registration actions may result in your having to pay back the VA, depending on the circumstances.
19. What should vocational rehabilitation students do to get their book vouchers?
Each semester, GW’s certifying officers will need a copy of your Vocational Rehabilitation Form (22-1905 “Authorization in Certification of Entrance or Re-entrance into Rehabilitation and Re-certification of Status”) from your rehabilitation counselor. Please fax or hand deliver this document, and then we can prepare the voucher for you.
20. What if I’m a veteran and interested in applying to GW for graduate school?
Applying to a Graduate Program at GW
Here at GW, we operate on a more decentralized structure; therefore each of our nine schools has its own Office of Graduate Admissions. If you have questions about the graduate admissions process, we strongly suggest you contact your Office of Graduate Admissions. Contact information for each school is attached and is also available online at www.gwu.edu/staticfile/GW/G&PA%20-%20Apply/Grad%20admissions%20contact%20list%202009.
Military personnel who have been on active duty within the past three years are eligible for an application fee waiver. To learn more, visit our Web site www.gwu.edu/gradapply.
If you are in the DC area, the Graduate Student Enrollment Management office provides tours every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 12:30PM sharp. You may RSVP online at www.gwu.edu/gradapply.
21. What if I’m a veteran and interested in applying to GW as an undergraduate?
Office of Undergraduate Admissions Point of Contact
If you have specific admissions-related questions, please email Admission Counselor Alex Trempus in GW’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions at atrempus@gwu.edu.
In addition, because oftentimes student veterans have questions about transfer credits, please visit the following page on GW’s Undergraduate Admissions website if you have such questions: http://www.gwu.edu/apply/undergraduateadmissions/applytogw/transferadmission
