Office of Military Programs
 
 

Application Forms

Application forms are available at all VA offices, most active duty stations, and American Embassies in other countries. Certifying officials should keep a supply on hand at all times. All forms are obtainable from VA regional offices.

Depending on the status of the student, i.e., the particular VA program for which he or she may qualify, and whether the claim for educational assistance allowance benefits is an original claim or a supplemental one, the proper application form must be completed by the student.

Certifying officials should inform veterans, reservists, servicepersons, and other applicants that an application for VA benefits does not constitute an application for admission to the educational institution. A formal application for admission to the institution should be completed before an application for VA benefits is submitted. Students who have not been accepted for enrollment by the institution should be referred to the Admissions Office.

Applications for VA benefits are designed to obtain the data necessary to determine eligibility for educational assistance benefits for particular educational, professional, or vocational objectives. Since the students' application forms do not include enrollment certification data, claimants should be encouraged to take their completed applications and supporting documents to the school certifying official so that the documents can be submitted as a package enrollment with Form 22-1999, Enrollment Certification.

Retroactive applications and payments Students have one year from the beginning date of their training in which to file an application and to receive benefits from the beginning date. VA will only pay educational assistance allowance retroactively for school enrollment periods up to one year prior to the date the claim and certification of enrollment are received in the VA.  Receipt of either the student's application by itself or the school's enrollment certification by itself does not constitute a claim under VA regulations.

After receipt of an original application in the VA regional office of jurisdiction, the claimant will be sent an Acknowledgment of Receipt of Claim. This acknowledgment will display the official VA claim number which the student and the school should use in all future correspondence with VA.

The forms described below should be used to apply for the education and training benefits indicated.

Form 22-1990 - Application For Education Benefits (Chapters 30 and 32, title 38, U.S.C., Section 903, Public Law 96-342, Chapter 1606, title 10, U.S.C.)

This is an original application to be used by servicepersons, veterans, and reservists to apply for the following VA education benefits; VEAP (Chapter 32), Non-Contributory VEAP (Section 903), Montgomery G.I. Bill - Active Duty Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 30), and Montgomery G.I. Bill - Selected Reserve Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 1606). If an applicant is on active duty, Part II must also be completed by the serviceperson's Education Services Officer and his or her Commanding Officer.

Form 28-1900 - Disabled Veterans Application For Vocational Rehabilitation (Chapter 31, title 38, U.S.C.) This application is used by veteran to apply for Vocational Rehabilitation benefits. If the veteran is found eligible, VA will schedule an appointment with a counseling psychologist for an initial evaluation to establish the veteran's entitlement to Vocational Rehabilitation.

Form 22-5490 - Application For Survivors' And Dependents' educational Assistance (Chapter 35) This application is to be used by eligible spouses, surviving spouses, and children of veterans who died while on active duty or as a result of a service-connected condition and dependents of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected condition, to apply for education benefits.

Form 22-8889 - Application For Educational Assistance Test Program Benefits (Section 901) This application will be used by veterans, servicepersons, and eligible dependents to apply for benefits under the Section 901 program.

Form 22-1995 - Request For Change Of Program Or Place Of Training This application will be used by veterans, servicepersons, and reservists to apply for a change of program or place of training, or to apply for reentry into training following a report of unsatisfactory progress or conduct. This form may also be used by veterans who have reentered service to apply for education benefits as servicepersons or by those who received benefits while on active duty and are now applying for educational assistance as a veteran after release from active duty. This form should also be used by those persons who have interrupted their training for 12 or more months and are now returning to the same school in the same program.

Form 22-5495 - Request For Change Of Program Or Place Of Training: Survivors' And Dependents' Educational Assistance This application will be used by eligible spouses, surviving spouses, and children to apply for a change of program or place of training, or to apply for reentry into training following a report of unsatisfactory progress or conduct.

Form 5281 - Application For Refund Of Educational Contributions This form is used by participants in the Chapter 32 (VEAP) program to request a refund of money that they have contributed. This form does not apply to the Section 903 program, because participants in that program do not make contributions.

Form 21-8924 - Application For Benefits Under The Provisions Of Section 156, Public Law 97-377 This form is used by certain spouses and school children to apply for benefits under the Restored Entitlement Program for Survivors (REPS). This program restores certain Social Security benefits that were reduced or terminated by Public Law 97-35. Claimants under this program should submit their applications to the nearest VA regional office.

Supporting Evidence

Veterans A veteran's eligibility for educational assistance benefits cannot be determined until VA receives satisfactory evidence of his or her active duty service. Veterans of the Armed Forces receive DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, when they are separated from service. Individuals who serve in the Public Health Service and in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration receive comparable documents.

Veterans who use Form 22-1990 to submit their claims should attach a copy of DD Form 214 as supporting documentation. In addition to receiving the original copy of the DD Form 214, the individual is usually given copy 4 also. Veterans of the Armed Forces who have been released from active duty since October 1979 should be advised to submit copy number 4 of DD Form 214 with their claim for VA benefits, if available. The original of this form (July 1979 edition and later) omits certain information regarding the individual's period of service that is essential to VA's determination of eligibility for benefits. A veteran who has recorded his or her original service document with a state or local government office may submit a copy of that document which is certified by the public custodian of records instead of the original document. School certifying officials may not certify copies of an applicant's DD Form 214.

If one of the types of evidence described is not available, VA must verify active duty service by alternate methods.

If a veteran previously claimed VA benefits, his or her file probably already contains service verification. Service may also be verified by the VA regional office through the VADS record (Veterans Assistance Discharge System). This record is a computerized system into which service information is entered for most veterans shortly after they are separated from active duty. VADS records do not exist for all veterans, however, which means sometimes service must be verified with the appropriate military service or department. Similarly, for M.G.I.B. claimants, VA is able to access basic eligibility criteria through a computer interface with the Department of Defense's Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC). This record is now the primary document VA uses for determining eligibility for Chapters 30 and 1606.

Certifying officials should encourage veterans who do not have copies of the documents issued to them at the time of separation from service to submit any other type of information available to them that describes their periods of active duty. This includes, for example, a photocopy of the DD Form 214. Often a photocopy of a service document can be used in conjunction with information obtained from a VADS or DMDC record to provide necessary service verification. A photocopy of the DD Form 214 can also expedite an inquiry to the service department.

IN NO CASE SHOULD A SCHOOL OFFICIAL DELAY THE SUBMISSION OF A VETERAN'S CLAIM BECAUSE HE/SHE DOESN'T HAVE A COPY OF HIS/HER DD-214.

Reservists DD Form 2384, Selected Reserve Educational Assistance Program (GI Bill) Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE), is provided to eligible reservists by his or her National Guard or Reserve component. This is a supplementary document the reservist should submit, if available, in support of his or her claim to establish the date of eligibility or to reestablish eligibility. If VA has an eligible DOD record, the NOBE is not required, in order to establish eligibility. However, the reservist should submit one, if available, but it is not mandatory. A photocopy of the NOBE is also acceptable.   NOBE's are only valid for the processing of claims for 120 days after the date of eligibility.

 Dependents Under certain VA programs (Chapters 30 (chapter 34 conversion) and 31, as well as certain recipients eligible for VA compensation, pension, or Dependents' Indemnity Compensation, or death pension), persons may have the monthly amount of their VA benefit payment increased based on the number of his or her established dependents. Under the educational assistance programs (Chapters 30 and 31), additional allowance for dependents is not available when the veteran is training at a less than half-time rate, is not available to servicepersons, for those training under any other VA-administered education program, or to persons while they are incarcerated for conviction of a felony offense. Documentary proof to establish the relationship of the individuals claimed as dependents is required.

To claim dependents, Form 21-686c, Declaration of Status of Dependents, should be submitted. In addition, if an individual is out of school for more than six months, he or she must submit another Form 21-686c, in order to continue to receive additional allowance for dependents.

Only the following individuals may qualify as dependents for VA purposes:

* The veteran's spouse; * The veteran's child. The term "child" includes a natural child, adopted child or stepchild. The child must be unmarried, and (a) under 18 years of age, or (b) between the ages of 18 and 23 and attending school, or (c) over the age of 18 and must have been determined to be permanently incapable of self-support due to a physical or mental handicap before reaching the age of 18. * The veteran's mother or father, if dependent upon the veteran for support.

Certification of Documents Although NOT required, the preferred documentary evidence is a certified copy of the public or church record of marriage or birth. A certified copy means a copy obtained from the official custodian of the recorded document. The copy should include certification by the custodian as to its authenticity. The certifying official of the school may certify a copy of the original document. If a student is unable to obtain a certified copy of marriage or birth certificate, he or she should contact the VA Regional Office for information on other types of evidence which may be accepted by VA to establish the relationship of the claimed dependent.

The individuals authorized to certify documents to VA include:

* Any accredited representative of a veteran service organization, * Military personnel appointed to this task by orders of the commander of a military installation, * Any official of an approved educational facility who is authorized to certify enrollments. Such official must be listed on Form 22-8794, Designation of Certifying Officials.

NOTE: A notarized copy is not acceptable evidence for VA benefits purposes. Notary Publics are not authorized to certify documents.

When a document is authenticated, the certification must contain the following language or an equivalent:

"I certify that this is a true and exact copy of the original document (or a certified copy issued by a public custodian of records) that I have personally examined."

The certification must be legible, it must have the signature of the individual who is certifying the document, the legibly printed name of the certifying official and the title and the name of the organization. Facsimile signatures for certifying officials of approved educational facilities and institutions are acceptable, if shown on Form 22-8794.

Certifying officials may certify copies of birth certificates, marriage certificates, and all other dependency evidence for veterans training at their facility under Chapters 30 and 31. The certifying official should view the original document to be copied and be satisfied as to the document's genuineness and freedom from alteration. Each document copied must be annotated as noted above. Certifying officials may not certify discharge documents (DD Form 214) or other forms verifying service.

Form 21-674, Request For Approval Of School Attendance This form must be completed by the veteran to provide evidence of a child's school attendance after the child's 18th birthday. Qualifying school attendance requires that the child be attending a minimum of three regular class sessions per week. The instruction or training must be offered by an institution recognized as standard and accredited for such course.

Additional amounts of educational assistance may be payable for unmarried children between the ages of 18 and 23 who attend school. If Form 21-674 is submitted before the child's expected beginning date of education or training, the veteran will be requested to complete Form 21-674b, School Attendance Report, after the child's school attendance actually begins.

On original applications, marital status and dependency information should be entered in Block 19 of the Form 22-1990. Any change in the number of a veteran's dependents should be reported promptly to VA by the veteran. Form 21-686c may be used to report the change. If the change is a claim for an allowance for an additional dependent(s), the required documentary evidence should be attached to the Form 21-686c.

When a veteran loses entitlement to an allowance for a dependent (e.g., through divorce, death, marriage of a child, departure from the veteran's household of a stepchild), the amount being paid on account of that dependent must be discontinued no later than the end of the month in which the loss occurs. Therefore, in order for such veterans to avoid an overpayment of their educational assistance, prompt reporting of dependency changes to VA is essential.

Except as noted below, applications, enrollment certifications, correspondence, and inquiries or questions regarding an eligible student should be sent to your Regional Processing Office. As always, telephone inquiries should be made to this regional office.

Section 901, Educational Assistance Test Program. Completed applications and Enrollment Certifications should be sent to the following VA regional office.

Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office 1400 North Valley Mills Drive Waco, TX 76799

For Section 901 students, the school must sign and date the Enrollment Certification after the beginning of the term, quarter, or semester and mail it to the address above. The school may certify only one term, quarter, or semester on each Enrollment Certification. A student under Section 901 may not receive an advance payment of benefits. All changes in a student's enrollment under Section 901 and any changes of address should be promptly reported to the VA regional office in Waco at the address shown above.

Certificate of Eligibility

When VA receives a completed application form without an Enrollment Certification, a Certificate of Eligibility (C/E), Form 22-1993a, may be issued to the student, if eligibility exists and the selected program is approved. Two copies of the C/E, with instructions, are mailed to the veteran, serviceperson, reservist, or eligible person.

The C/E is valid only at the institution named and only for the objective indicated. The student should present a copy of the certificate to the certifying official. The student's presentation of a C/E to the certifying official assures the school that the student's eligibility and entitlement to VA benefits have been established.

It should be noted, however, that a student does not have to have a Certificate of Eligibility. The issuance of a C/E merely indicates that VA has already examined the student's records and has established eligibility for the program of education shown thereon with any applicable limitations. The absence of a C/E on behalf of a student generally implies only that the student has not applied to VA for a particular program of education at a school and that a determination of eligibility or entitlement to the program being sought simply has not as yet been made.

Award Letter

When payment of education benefits is authorized, VA will, without exception, mail an award letter to the student. Only one copy of this letter will be issued. The letter provides the student with:

* Notification that his or her enrollment has been processed for a specific period. The inclusive dates for which payment will be issued will be shown. * The monthly rate of payment the student can expect to receive. * The student's original net entitlement. * Delimiting date. * The amount of entitlement remaining at the end of the term, quarter, semester, or academic year, if the student continues to attend at the certified rate for the entire period. (For a serviceperson, the entitlement used is shown.) * Information regarding appeal procedures.

Generally, the award letter is computer-generated through VA's Target System. Where applicable, a copy is also provided to the claimant's accredited service representative.

Availability of Educational/ Vocational Counseling (Chpts 30, 31, 32, 35, 1606, & Sect 903)

In addition to informing veterans, servicepersons, reservists, and eligible persons of the institution's academic and advisory counseling, it is recommended that the certifying official remind them at the time they submit an application for VA benefits of the free professional counseling services offered by the VA. Although the counseling itself is free, associated costs of travel, meals, and lodging must usually be borne by the student.
 
 

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