Education and Training

Question 1: Can you clarify whether SCOs are required to report Graduation in Enrollment Manager for ALL VA education benefit chapters (ex. CH 30,33,35,1606 and/or CH 31), or specific chapters only (i.e., CH 33 only)?

Answer: Required for all EDU benefits (this excludes Chapter 31)

Question 2: When reporting Tuition and Fees (T&F) in Enrollment Manager, in situations where you must report T/F for non-Chapter 33 students (active duty, less than Part Time, etc.), do SCOs follow the “Net Tuition and Fees rule” (Net payer rule) as they would reporting Chapter 33?

Answer: No. The full T&Fs must be reported for non-Chapter 33 students when T&F are required.

Note: Report the standard charges for ‘similarly circumstanced’ students – meaning ‘regular students’.

Question 3: As an Institution of Higher Learning (IHL) with Non-College Degree (NCD) programs, if a student has graduated a NCD program, should we select “Graduation” or “End of Term or Course”?

Answer: ‘End of Term of Course’ should be used for non-degree programs.

Question 4: What are the ramifications if students/beneficiaries choose not to update their biographical information? When do you anticipate that we will have the ability to deactivate students?

Answer: Student may not receive important letters from Veterans Affairs (VA).

Question 5: How does a Read Only person access Enrollment Manager (EM)? I have read the EM guide with instructions but have still not had success in getting our schools Read Only people into EM. 

Answer: To gain access to EM as a SCO Read Only user, follow the steps outlined in question three of the EM FAQs, under “First Time User Log-in". Access is granted by the Certifying Official, rather than Veterans Affairs (VA) for Read only Users and Assistants.

Note: Read only Users must be listed on the VA Form 22-8794 (Designation of Certifying Official) submitted to VA before EM access is granted by the Certifying Official.

Question 6: Can I still update a student's graduation if they happened last year, and I was not able to update?

Answer: Yes, still report the graduation. Schools are required to report graduation or program completion information to VA.

Question 7: What happens with high schools in 2026?

Answer: Congress is sunsetting the high school benefit for Chapter 35 students. After 8/1/2026, benefits will no longer be paid for high school training.

Question 8: When to report that the student is graduating, during the 1st certification or after the semester is over?

Answer: Graduation should be reported when the student has successfully completed all courses required for their program.

Question 9: Can the summer full-time modifier be expanded to Chapters 1606, 30, and 35 in the future?

Answer: There is no set full-time modifier for summer sessions or other nonstandard terms for any benefit chapter.

For undergraduate students in nonstandard terms, VA calculates equivalent credit hours based on the length of the term and the number of credits the student is enrolled in. The training time (non-Chapter 33) or Rate of Pursuit (Chapter 33) is then calculated.

For non-Chapter 33 graduate level students enrolled in nonstandard terms, the full-time modifier is determined by the school. The SCO chooses the applicable training time (full, ¾. ½ etc.) in Enrollment Manger based on the school’s published policy.

Question 10: If a student finishes a class in Spring semester, but didn't file for graduation until December, do we still have to terminate at the end of the spring semester?

Answer: Graduation should be reported when the student has successfully completed all courses required for their program termination is not tied to actual graduation or conferring of degree.

Question 11: When are Annual Reporting Fee (ARF) payments to be used?  01/01-12/31 or 8/01-7/30?

Answer: There is no time restriction for using Annual Reporting Fees (ARF).

Question 12: How do we change the delivery address for the Annual Reporting Letter?

Answer: Please contact the SAA for all address changes. Please note that VA systems only allow for one mailing address for a school. If SCOs change the address for ARF, it will change the address for all correspondence sent by VA to the school.

Question 13: Is there an easy way to determine rate of pursuit for summer courses with various start and end dates and unit hours?

Answer: The following is true for undergraduate credits at semester schools. (You must count actual number of days in the class session, including non-school days):

• 1 hour is Full-time when taken in a session that is 10 days or less.
• 2 hours are Full-time when taken in a session that is 24 days or less.
• 3 hours are Full-time when taken in a session that is 31 days or less.
• 4 hours are Full-time when taken concurrently in a session that is 45 days or less.
• 5 hours are Full-time when taken concurrently in a session that is 52 weeks or less.
• 6 hours are Full-time when taken concurrently in a session that is 66 days or less.

Different chart available for quarter schools. Where terms overlap the hours are added together to determine the training time or rate of pursuit.

Question 14: If my school has more than one facility code, should I receive separate ARP fee letters for each facility code?

Answer: Extensions are included with the primary facility code, but if you are assigned multiple main or branch campuses, then yes, expect additional letters/rosters.

Question 15: If a student graduates from an Associate of Arts degree and is coming back for a Bachelor of Science degree do I put in EM that the student has graduated?

Answer: Yes, as they have completed one program and moving towards a new program.

Question 16: I don't remember receiving that annual reporting fee letter. I assume it was opened by the business office. Should I follow up with them?

Answer: Yes, please check with your business office, and you may ask your ELR via their corporate mailbox for a copy if the school did not receive it.

Question 17: If a student's program is an associate degree, but they have two embedded certifications within that associate program, do you report graduation when student completes certification but has not yet completed the associates?

Answer: If the student’s program has been reported to VA as an associate degree, then it’s not necessary to report completion of embedded certificate programs within it.

Question 18: Will there be an update so we can add the Student ID number if it was not available when the student was entered in Enrollment Manager?

Answer: Yes. SCOs can add or update a student’s ID on the student’s Programs Tab. Please be aware that in some cases the Student ID is not updating properly. However, we have a request in to update that in the future.

Question 19:  A full semester course that has a school break of 7 or less days should be paid their housing counting the break days?  Student and Veterans Readiness and Employment (VR&E) are debating each other, and VR&E wanted the break days excluded in EM. School states that the term is not over during the break. School has submitted the end of the semester/term date.

Answer: Vacation periods are not reported within a standard semester or quarter.  Housing is paid for the entire term, from the 1^st day through the last reported day without regard to vacation periods within the term.  EDU is unable to speak to VR&E reporting requirements.

Question 20: Will I be notified when a new enrollment is no longer under review?

Answer: For Flight and OJT/APP (all chapters), all Chapter 1606, 35, 31 (VR&E), VRRAP claims, and all non-automated Chapter 30 claims: The status reflected in EM will remain at “Under VA Review” even after the claim has been processed. 

Note: We will communicate with SCOs when system updates are made that impact how statuses appear within EM. 

Question 21: At our institution (IHL w/NCD) students can earn a certificate, associate degree, and bachelor's degree (and we also offer short term programs), do I report graduation with each cert/degree earned by the student?

Answer: It depends on how the student’s matriculated program was reported to VA.  For example, if the student’s program has been reported to VA as an associate degree, it’s not necessary to report completion of an embedded certificate program within it.

Question 22: I understand that when certifying credit hours for Chapter 33, two certifications must be submitted. Do I have to do two separate cards and submit tuition and fees in only one card, or do I work in only one card?

Answer: All actions are taken on the same enrollment certification. The second (verification) certification is reported by amending the initial certification and must be submitted after the drop-add period. Tuition and fees (T&F) may be submitted on the initial certification.

• If T&F were submitted, amend the certification, make no changes and submit in order to report the second (verification) certification.
• If T&F were not submitted on the initial certification, amending the certification to report the T&F acts as the second (verification) certification.

Note: Please see the Two Certification Requirement section in the SCO Handbook for additional information.

Question 23: If the course ends early, end of term or course must be selected?

• First amend the enrollment to report the revised end date. Note: for Chapter 33 students, please wait approximately 10 minutes before the next action in Enrollment Manager.

• Second, amend the enrollment to report end of term or course.
  

Question 24: When will the bug for automated payments for CH33 students be fixed? We report (for example) $5000 in T&F and the VA only pays $32. Everyone says it's a bug in the automatic payments, but it puts the students in a bind with the institution.

Answer: Please provide more specific details.  We are unable to comment without more information.

Question 25: How to report graduation for a student with dual program?

Answer: Report graduation when the full program (as previously reported) has been completed.

Question 26: Is "End of Term or Course" to be used every semester?

Answer: This is not necessary unless the student has completed their program of student at the end of the term in question.

Question 27: EM enrollment verification question:   Is the requirement for schools to verify enrollment every month, or just after they start their program (such as in a 3-month program- 1 time verification, or 3 times?

Answer: SCOs are required to verify Chapter 33 enrollments once, within 30 days of the last date to avoid financial or academic penalty for the term (but no later than 60 days from the start date of the term).

Most students are required to verify their enrollment at the end of each month while actively enrolled.   

Question 28: With chapter 33 processing being paused at the end of April and starting back up at the beginning of May but we are still inputting into EM during this period of time, how is the backend system going to process all of the pending 33 certification during that two-week period?

Answer: As you have heard, Chapter 33 processing was not paused as planned.  When Release 6 is deployed at a later date, more information will be shared regarding the expected outcome to enrollment processing.  

Question 29: What should be reported (amended) if an IHL only does a May graduation but the student finished the courses in December?  Should we still amend the last (fall) certification in May to report the graduation?

Answer: Graduation should be reported when the student has successfully completed all courses required for their program (termination is not tied to actual graduation or conferring of degree.) If the student finished all required courses in May and was using VA benefits through that entire term, that term should be terminated to report graduation.

Question 30:  How do you decline ARF?  Do we get ARF for each extension campus? Should the money be put into a VA budget, within our school’s financial accounts?

Answer: To decline receiving Annual Reporting Fees, please contact your ELR of jurisdiction. Yes, extension campuses are included. If your school receives Annual Reporting Fees for 100 or more students in a calendar year, the funds must be maintained in a separate account.

Question 31: How do we report Guest students that graduate at another school?

Answer:  It’s not necessary to report graduation of guest students enrolled in your institution. The degree granting school is responsible to report graduation.

Question 32: Can a student change benefits in the middle of the semester?

Answer: Only if the education benefit used initially exhausted within the term and another benefit is available to the student.  Typically, VA should do this automatically. It’s not necessary to submit another enrollment. Have student contact VA if the second benefit isn’t processed.

Question 33: Wondering about Rate of Pursuit (RoP) and how it affects the amount of GI Bill® that students have left. If I attend school 50% of the time (art time) will that lengthen/double the length of time I can use the GI Bill?

Answer: Yes.  

Question 34: New SCO here, how many training hours are required a year? 

Answer: Please go to the SCO Training Webpage to review the training requirements, as it varies by school type.

Question 35: Can a student attend two institutions without one being the parent school?

Answer: No.

Question 36: Where would I find in writing that a student cannot attend two institutions without one being the parent school?

Answer: From the SCO Handbook:

Supplemental And Concurrent Enrollments:

A student may take courses at more than one school that apply to his or her degree. The school that will grant the degree is the student’s “primary” school. All other schools are “secondary” schools. 

Question 37: Does the Annual Reporting Fee (ARF) reflect student amendments made to prior calendar year certifications or only those actively enrolled in courses during the calendar year indicated on the ARF?

Answer:  ARF payment covers only those actively enrolled in courses during the calendar year indicated on the ARF.

Question 38: For students awarded CalVet Plan C, are they also allowed to use their Chapter 35 benefits?

Answer:  There is no prohibition to receive funds from CalVet Plan C while receiving Ch35 benefits, but there may be a prohibition for receiving Chapter 35 while using CalVet Plan C.

Question 39: Can a school use the ARF funds for SCO salary? My finance department said since my salary exceeds the amount, we get for ARF they can use it for general university funds. Is that in compliance?

Answer: Annual Reporting Fees may be used for SCO salary, but it is not recommended as ARF is variable.

If your school receives Annual Reporting Fees for 100 or more students in a calendar year, the funds may not be merged with general university funds and must be maintained in a separate account.

Question 40: What happens if graduations are not reported for Chapter 33 students in EM?

Answer: Reporting graduation is required by law. Failing to do so could jeopardize the school’s ability to retain programs approved for VA benefits. Additionally, it is in the school’s best interest to report this information, as graduation rate metrics are displayed to students in the VA Comparison Tool.

Question 41: Is the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) for a non-standard term such as 9 credits does the 50% still apply?

Answer: Yes. For any length term a student is required to be attending at greater than 50% Rate of Pursuit to qualify for MHA under Chapter 33. Please, keep in mind, VA calculates equivalent credit hours for non-standard terms. Less credits are generally required during a shorter than standard term to qualify for MHA.  For example, 6 credits over a 6-week term is full-time rate of pursuit.

Question 42: I have a student finishing her undergraduate degree at UNCC but starting her graduate degree here at our school, it is 2 different schools so not parent/guest, can she be certified for both at the same time?

Answer: No. The student should request certification from the school that would be most advantageous.

Question 43: Non-College Degree graduation question: often my students finish after their contract end date, should I be changing their effective date or leave it as the date I am updating their enrollment?

Answer: If the student does not complete the program on the end date certified due to absences, you cannot extend their end date.

Once the student has completed the program, amend the enrollment and report End of term or course. Enrollment Manager automatically enters the enrollment end date certified as the Effective Date when reporting End of term or course and SCOs should not change that date.

Question 44: What is meant by “school’s general fund”? Can ARF be merged with the budget for the office in which the SCO sits?

Answer: ‘School’s general fund’ refers to school accounts that may be used for any school budgetary use. If your school receives Annual Reporting Fees for 100 or more students in a calendar year, the funds may not be merged with general university funds and must be maintained in a separate account.

Question 45: What will happen to a student’s payments if they do not correct their direct deposit? Will VA choose where to pay?

Answer: Correct. A single direct deposit account will be selected by default on behalf of the student.

Question 46: If a student is enrolled in more than one program in the same school, is there a way to manually connect a specific program to certain enrollment periods? 

Answer:  If a student is enrolled in a dual degree program you do not need to connect the enrollment certified to one of the programs.

Question 47: Do we certify remedial course for math classes?

Answer:  If test results require the student to take remedial math, it can be included in the enrollment certification. Unless the student is using Chapter 35 or Chapter 31 benefits, the credits can be included with the resident credits. If using Chapter 35 or Chapter 31, remedial credits must be reported in the remedial/deficiency field. Additionally, for Chapter 31 please select the VBA Remark “Remedial course(s) taken. Required for VR&E students only and provide the remedial course name/number in the free-text field that activates.

Question 48: Where do we get the list of students that are included in our ARF payment? 

Where can I get a replacement copy of the ARF? 

Answer: It was mailed to your school to the address provided on your State Approving Agency’s (SAA) approval.

Please verify that it has not been received before reaching out to VA, as they are often misrouted to the wrong office at schools. If it is not found, please reach out the ELR corporate mailbox.

Question 49: If a student has used their allotment of $27,120.05 for the year and all Yellow Ribbon, can they still be certified for the summer to receive Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA)?

Answer:  If the student wishes to use their benefits without the ability to receive tuition and fees, they can be certified but it is generally not in their best interest to do so. 

The student will use the same amount of entitlement as they would if tuition and fees were payable. You should make certain the student understands this and wishes to be certified before submitting the term.

Question 50: If a student has one remaining course in a program, can they begin a new program concurrently?

Answer: No. The only way for the student to be able to receive payment for the remaining course and courses under the new program is if they are able to Round Out. Please see the SCO Handbook for the requirements and restrictions for Rounding Out. 

Question 51: Can a Parent Letter be issued for a student attending a guest school if they haven't attended the parent school since 2018?

Answer:  Yes, as long as the student is still considered a matriculated student at the parent school and the credits will apply to the matriculated program.