Military Benefits
Certification processing at the VA Regional Office is currently taking about 8-10 weeks, depending on the time of the semester. We suggest and recommend applying for Financial Aid in addition to your benefits to help cover educational costs, as benefits may not arrive before the due date(s).
If you have specific questions regarding payment amounts, please contact the VA General Educational Benefits line at 1-888-442-4551. We are not able to answer payment questions. If you call and they say they do not "see" your certification, it does not mean that it has not been submitted, it just means they have not processed the payment yet.
If you are a Traditional student, your courses will be certified after the drop/add period (first ten days of class) is over for the term. Please contact us as you start your first term to make sure all documents are in order. Also, if you add or drop a second half semester or Continuing Studies course after this date, it is your responsibility to notify us.
If you are a Cohort student, your cohort courses will be certified right after they are registered. Your first term is registered about two weeks before the start of class and subsequent terms are registered about a month before the new term starts. Please contact us about two weeks before your first term to verify that we have you listed as a VA student on the cohort class list.
If you take or drop a Continuing Studies course at any time, it is your responsibility to notify our office, so that we may adjust your certification accordingly. These courses are not automatically certified.
Fill out the Information form and follow instructions for submitting any applications or forms to the VA or to Student Financial Services that apply to your situation.
Further resources are available on VA's website at www.gibill.va.gov. This is where the initial application for benefits also resides.
The General Educational Benefits line at 1-888-442-4551 is another resource. If your question is more related to the courses here and your certification, contact the Certifying Officials in Student Financial Services.
Please feel free to stop in at any time with questions or just to meet us.
GI Bill Benefits/Certifying Official: Alan Stage - stage@csp.edu or (651) 641-8805
