Office of Veterans Affairs
Certifying and Using Your Benefits
How Payments Are Made
All VA Educational Benefit Payments are made directly to the student, except for tuition for Chapter 33 Post-9/11 recipients.
Direct deposits are the best way to receive benefit payments. A student may request direct deposit by calling the VA Direct Deposit Center at 1-877-838-2778. Be sure to provide the financial institution鈥檚 routing number, account number, and type of account (checking or savings).
When Payments are Made
Payments are issued monthly in arrears. For example, a student will receive the August payment at the beginning of September. Students must be enrolled and attending classes to receive payment. There are no payments issued between semesters.
How Amount is Determined
The amount a student is paid is based on:
- The type of benefit received,
- Current rates determined by VA, and
- The student鈥檚 enrollment (full-time, half-time, etc.) in eligible courses.
The payment will be prorated for partial months based on a 30-day calendar month. For example, if the monthly rate is $1,000 and classes begin on Aug. 15, the payment on Sept. 1 will be $500.
Current VA Educational Benefit Rates:
Most up to date rates and payment information can be found on the VA's website .
Payment Status
The ULM Office of Veterans Affairs does not have access to students鈥� payment status or records with the VA.聽 For questions about payment status, students are asked to contact the VA directly:
- Phone: 1-888-442-4551
- Portal
- Portal
Questions about Benefits: Any student with questions about why they have not received their benefits after ULM has submitted the enrollment certification to the VA for processing is encouraged to call the GI Bill庐 hotline at 1-888-442-4551. Please be reminded that it can take up to 30 days for the VA to process enrollment certifications.