Veterans and Military Benefits Certification
Summary
The Office of the University Registrar serves as the liaison between the University, its students, and the various federal, state, and local agencies concerned with Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits and Department of Defense (DoD) tuition assistance. Stanford certifies enrollment for students in degree seeking programs and VA approved certificate programs offered through the Stanford Center for Professional Development and Graduate School of Business. Other non-matriculated and certificate programs are not eligible. All students eligible to receive Veterans education benefits while attending the University are urged to complete arrangements with the appropriate agency in advance of enrollment.
Policy Statement
Stanford University has made a good faith effort to comply with the Principles of Excellence established by Executive Order 13607. Stanford University participates in the Department of Defense Voluntary Education Partnership program so that eligible active duty service members are able to obtain Tuition Assistance from their military branch as administered by the Department of Defense. The VA Certifying Officer in the Student Services Center serves as the first point of contact for Veterans education benefits assistance and DoD tuition assistance.
Stanford certifies enrollment for Veterans education benefits for students in degree seeking programs, and students in VA approved certificate programs offered through the Stanford Center for Professional Development and the Graduate School of Business. Non-matriculated and unapproved certificate programs are not eligible. All students eligible to receive Veterans education benefits or DoD tuition assistance while attending the University are urged to complete arrangements with the appropriate agency in advance of enrollment.
Stanford University is required to certify only those courses that meet minimum graduation requirements. Courses not directly related to a student's degree program or courses beyond those required for a specific degree program are not certified. Undergraduates should meet with an adviser to develop a course enrollment plan. Graduate students should have their departments approve their study lists as meeting graduation requirements on a quarterly basis.
To comply with federal regulations concerning credit for previous training (38 CFR 21.4253), Stanford University is required to evaluate all previous education and training completed elsewhere to determine what credit, if any, should be granted to students eligible to receive Veterans education benefits or DoD tuition assistance. Stanford is required to complete an evaluation; credit is granted when appropriate. Credit is evaluated toward the degree program registered with Veterans Affairs or DoD as determined by the Office of the University Registrar in conjunction with the relevant academic department(s) or program(s). All relevant policies regarding transfer credit apply. In addition, this evaluation occurs each time a student's degree program is changed. Subject to current federal and university guidelines, students eligible for receipt of Veterans education benefits or DoD tuition assistance have their prior education and training evaluated up to the credit limits outlined in the Graduate Residency and Undergraduate Transfer Credit policies. As an exception to that policy, students in master's programs in the schools of Education, Engineering, Humanities and Sciences, Sustainability, Law, Medicine, and Graduate Business are allowed a maximum of 6 transfer (quarter) units.
Certification
Stanford’s VA Certifying Officer certifies enrollment to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) quarterly, using a two-step certification process. Up to 30 days prior to the start of the quarter, students enrolled full-time per their degree program will be certified for the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). See the Stanford Academic Calendar for exact dates in each quarter.
After the Final Study list deadline, Stanford’s VA Certifying Officer confirms student enrollment and completes the certification for tuition and fees. Students are certified based on the terms indicated in the VA Education Benefits Enrollment Application that must be submitted annually. Should an adjustment need to be made, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the VA Certifying Officer at vabenefits@stanford.edu as soon as possible to provide an update.
Stanford receives tuition, fee, and Yellow Ribbon (if applicable) payments directly from VA for Chapter 31 and Chapter 33 recipients. All other funding is paid directly from VA to the beneficiary.
Programs Subject to Restriction
Note that the following programs cannot be certified due to VA and federal regulations:
Certificate programs for non-matriculated students: The VA defines “matriculated” as having been formally admitted to a college or university. Per the VA, educational benefits cannot be paid to “non-matriculated” college or university students. Hence, any certificate program that does not officially admit its students into Stanford University cannot be certified. All Stanford approved certificate programs are listed via the Web Enable Approval Management System (WEAMS).
Visiting Students Programs: Stanford cannot certify visiting students unless they meet one of the following conditions:
The student has an approved parent letter from the home institution which guarantees the courses can be transferred back to their original program.
The student is pending admission to a Stanford degree program and is required to take a prerequisite course(s). In that case the student can be certified for two terms.
Medical Residencies/Fellowship programs that are not certified by the ACGME: these residencies are not allowed to be certified as on the job training. This is according to VA guidelines and the Federal Code of Regulations. See the School of Medicine for a full list of the fellowship/residency programs.
All students eligible to receive Veterans education benefits while attending the University are urged to complete arrangements with the appropriate agency in advance of enrollment.
In order to activate students’ VA education benefits at Stanford, students are required to submit the following forms:
A copy of the Certificate of Eligibility distributed by the VA
DD-214 (if applicable)
Any official transcripts from other institutions
It is the students’ responsibility to ensure that all forms are submitted to the VA Certifying Officer in order to activate the student as a VA education benefits receiving student.
Implementation Information
In order to comply with VA regulations, students are responsible for the following:
Obtain official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended, whether VA education benefits were received or not.
Report any changes in enrollment status to the VA Certifying Officer.
Report any changes that are made to a degree plan. Undergraduates declaring or making changes to their major(s), minor(s), honor(s), or degree program(s) in Axess and Graduates adding or removing degree programs through the Graduate Program Authorization Petition in Axess should email the VA Certifying Officer at vabenefits@stanford.edu to report a degree plan change.
Overpayment funds which were paid to the student (generally-- housing and book stipends) are the student’s responsibility to repay to VA. Overpayment funds which were paid to Stanford (generally-- tuition, fees, and Yellow Ribbon) will be returned to VA by Stanford. If there is a discrepancy between VA and Stanford’s refund calculation, the student will be responsible for any difference.
Stanford University is required to certify only those courses that meet minimum graduation requirements. Courses not directly related to a student's degree program or courses beyond those required for a specific degree program are not certified. Undergraduates should meet with their adviser to develop a course enrollment plan. Graduate students should have their departments approve their study lists as meeting graduation requirements on a quarterly basis.
If concurrently enrolled with another college/university, notify both Stanford and the host institution.
Undergraduates only: VA regulations require undergraduates to declare their major by the end of their sophomore year. Stanford cannot certify enrollment to the VA beyond sophomore year unless a major has been declared. Note that a student can change their major at any time.