VETERANS BENEFITS

Financial Aid for Veterans & Dependents

Scholarships, Grants & Tuition Assistance for Service Members

Thank you for your service, and welcome Raider Veterans, Service Members and Military Dependents!

The VA Certifying Official is in the Veterans Resource Office and is responsible for certifying VA educational benefits. For questions related to your enrollment certification for VA Chapter Education Benefits please email vabenefits@sou.edu. For questions about Federal/Military Tuition Assistance contact Rokess@sou.edu. For questions about applying for benefit, resources available, and assistance from Admission to graduation you can reach out to the VA directly at 888-442-4551 or you can contact The SJEC Veterans and Military Families:

Hours of Operation

VMF Spaces: Monday – Friday from 1000 – 1630 (times may vary)

For virtual & in-person appointments:

Email: vmf@sou.edu
Call: 541.552.7114

If you have documents ready to submit for processing you can submit them using our secure link.

VETERANS & ACTIVE MILITARY RESOURCES

How To Receive Veteran Education Benefits at Southern Oregon University

1) Apply for your Veteran Educational Benefits. Once your application is processed you will receive a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA.

2) Submit the SOU Veteran Benefit Claim Form. On this document you will submit information needed to set up your file with SOU and the VA and agree to the Rights and Responsibilities to receive Benefits. This form is only needed once unless you are returning after a break of more than a term.

3) Submit your COE to our office using our secure link. If you are planning to utilize Chapter 35 benefits, be sure to submit the social security number of the Veteran to our secure box as well. This is your file number with the VA and very important for processing your certification each term. The VA will not allow SOU to submit your certification without this.

4) Register for classes each term and remain eligible for your benefits by continuing to follow the Rights and Responsibilities. We recommend referring back to them each term.

5) That’s it! We will continue to certify your courses each term unless you email us to inform us not to. You also need to make sure to always let us know of any changes to your schedule (even if it doesn’t result in a change of credit) and/or if you change your program of study, add a certificate, add a minor, etc. You are responsible for notifying our office of any changes. Changes can lead to a change in your benefits and must be reported to the VA. You can email us at vabenefits@sou.edu to report any changes.

The amount of benefits you receive is directly proportional to the number of credits you take.

VA benefits are paid based on the following course load status:

Undergraduate

Full Time: 12 credits
3/4 Time: 9-11 credits
1/2 Time: 6-8 credits
Less than 1/2 Time: 4-5 credits
Less than 1/4 Time: 1-3 credits

Graduate

Full Time: 9 credits
3/4 Time: 7-8 credits
1/2 Time: 5-6 credits
Less than 1/2 Time: 3-4 credits
Less than 1/4 Time: 1-2 credits

For information regarding certification of Veterans Educational Benefits, please contact our certifying team at vabenefits@sou.edu.

SOU Financial Aid Tuition Waivers

Voyager is an SOU benefit program that is available to Oregon veterans who served as members of the National Guard or Reserves in an active duty capacity in a combat zone on or after September 11, 2001. Under this program, eligible student veterans will be awarded funding for the difference between campus tuition/mandatory fees and expected military tuition benefits (i.e., federal military tuition assistance [TA] and VA Education Benefits). This program is meant to work in conjunction with other educational aid programs; thus, the student is responsible for obtaining TA benefits and VA education benefits. If they are not eligible for these, they must demonstrate proof of ineligibility for those programs as well as a copy of their DD-214 in addition to the application linked below. Completed forms and documentation of ineligibility for other programs can be emailed to finaid@sou.edu.

Voyager Tuition Assistance Request (PDF)

If you are interested in reviewing and applying for the Veterans Dependent Support Waiver (PDF) please review the application carefully before submitting the application and appropriate documents to our secure link above. Completed forms can be returned to finaid@sou.edu.

PLEASE NOTE: These waivers are an SOU tuition waiver managed by the Office of Financial Aid. It is not a state fund. For more information on the waiver, please contact our office.

The Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 requires educational institutions to make certain disclosures to students using federal military and/or VA educational benefits. You can access a personalized datasheet by visiting the SOU Net Price Calculator and selecting Freshman or Transfer depending on your status. Additional financial information can be found at the NCES College Navigator site and the Department of Education College Scorecard.

New and Prospective Student Veterans should reach out to vabenefits@sou.edu with your entry term information. In compliance with the above information, SOU has a more personalized welcome packet with the required information and more available that will be provided to you.

Allowing Veterans to Attend or Participate in Courses Pending VA Payment

Background

Section 103 of Public Law (PL) 115-407, ‘Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018,’ amends Title 38 US Code 3679 by adding a new subsection (e) that requires disapproval of courses of education, beginning August 1, 2019, at any educational institution that does not have a policy in place that will allow an individual to attend or participate in a course of education, pending VA payment, providing the individual submits a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under Chapter 31 or 33.

Pending Payment Compliance

In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679(e), Southern Oregon University adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post-9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from VA. Southern Oregon University will not:

Prevent the student’s enrollment;
Assess a late penalty fee to the student (any late fees will be immediately reversed once benefits are paid to student account);
Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding;
Deny the student access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.

However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:

Produce the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by the first day of class;
Provide a written request to be certified;
Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

VA Educational Benefits COVID-19 FAQ

Will my benefit payment be delayed because of COVID-19?

No. The VA is currently processing all benefit payments as normal. This includes payments for disability, pension, education payments to SOU and more.

View your VA benefit payments online

What happens to my GI Bill benefits if my SOU changes to online classes?

This depends on the action taken by SOU, and your attendance. Please be sure the VA has your current email address on file. They can send certain information only electronically.

You can sign in to update your email online through our “Ask a question” tool. Or call the Education Call Center toll-free at 888.442.4551, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 7 pm ET.

If SOU changes to Remote Delivery classes:
If you’re currently receiving GI Bill benefits, payments will continue automatically. You don’t have to do anything. You’ll continue to receive the same monthly housing allowance payments you received for resident training until December 21, 2020, or until SOU resumes normal operations.

If SOU is in session, but you can’t attend due to COVID-19:
The VA can pay you through your last date of attendance, but not through the end of the term. This may result in debts and overpayment. If this happens, you can submit a waiver request.

Learn more about how COVID-19 may affect your education benefits
Learn more about electronic communication
Get more information about on-the-job training, apprenticeships, and work-study

Can I still file a claim or get help from my regional office?

Yes. The VA has temporarily closed all 56 regional offices for in-person visits due to COVID-19.

You can still file a claim online, by mail, or with the help of a trained professional. And they can still answer your questions by phone and through the online customer service tool. They are also continuing to support services like educational counseling, collecting information for fiduciary claims, and specially adaptive housing assistance by phone or video conferencing tools like VA Video Connect.

Learn how to file a claim online, by mail, or with the help of a trained professional for:

To get help with education benefits, call 888.442.4551 toll-free. They’re open Monday through Friday, 8 am to 7 pm ET. If you have hearing loss, call TTY 711.

To get help with other benefits, call 800.827.1000 toll-free. They’re open Monday through Friday, 8 am to 9 pm ET. If you have hearing loss, call TTY 711.

To check on the status of your claim or appeal, use the online claim status tool.

For other benefit questions, use the online customer service tool called IRIS (Inquiry Routing & Information System).

To stay updated on closures or service interruptions:

Visit the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) news page.
Call the benefits hotline toll-free at 800.827.1000 .
Follow them on social media.

VBA Facebook
VBA Twitter: @VAVetBenefits

Get more information about submitting paperwork and requesting extensions here.

On-the-Job training, apprenticeships, and work-study answers.

As of right now, you can’t be paid for hours you haven’t worked. However, they have implemented temporary guidance to continue benefits to as many students as possible.

For on-the-job training and apprenticeships – If your training facility:

Changes to an online format, you’ll continue to receive your regular monthly housing payments.
Remains open, but you stop training due to furlough, illness, or other reasons, you’ll continue to receive your payments through the last day of your training.
Temporarily closes, you’ll receive your payments through the end of the program or 28 days, whichever is sooner.

For work-study students – If:

The VA has processed a new contract and you requested advanced payment, they will still process your advancement as long as they’ve received your signed agreement.
Your work-study facility temporarily closes, you can switch your contract location as long as the new site supervisor accepts you and the VA receives a new application for the new site.
Your SOU employment can offer you temporary off-campus remote work, the VA will continue to pay for submitted hours as long as the work satisfies your work-study requirements.

Learn more about how COVID-19 may affect your education benefits
Learn more about electronic communication

Is the VA is currently granting extensions under good cause provisions?

The VA is currently granting extensions under good cause provisions for any claim or appeal paperwork deadlines if:

You or your authorized representative requests an extension due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and
The time limit on your claim or appeal expires on or after March 1, 2020

To request an extension for filing a claim or appeal:
Simply add a note to your late-filed application that you’re requesting an exemption for timely filing due to COVID-19.

If you’ve already filed a claim and need more time to submit evidence or other documents:
Continue to submit your requests for exemptions due to COVID-19 in writing or by phone at 800.827.1000 .

Please tell the VA how much extra time you need. We won’t take final action on your claim until you’ve submitted your additional evidence or other documents to support your claim, or the extension period ends.

If you need to sign paperwork:
The VA doesn’t require physical or wet signatures (meaning signed in ink) on claims applications or other documents, as long as your claim information and signature show no irregularities. Please work with your VA representative to find out which type of signature you’ll need for a specific benefit or service.

If you have any questions, please call us at 800.827.1000 . They are open Monday through Friday, 8 am to 9 pm ET.

What if I can’t pay my existing VA debt?

As of April 3, 2020, the VA has taken action to stop collection on newly established Veteran debt and make it easier for Veterans to request extended repayment plans and address other needs during this time. Please check back regularly for updates.

If you have VA debt that has already transferred to the U.S. Department of the Treasury:
The U.S. Department of the Treasury won’t take any more action on your debt during this time. This means they won’t add more fees or interest, reduce or withhold part of your federal or state payments or job wages to pay your debt, or refer your account to a private collection agency.

If you have VA debt being managed by VA:
They’ll work with you to decide whether you’d prefer to temporarily stop collection action, including stopping the addition of fees and interest, during this time or extend your repayment terms.

If you have debt related to VA benefits, please contact the VA Debt Management Center at 800.827.0648 to make arrangements. They are open Monday through Friday, 7 am to 7 pm ET.