You can complete the application for benefits online at https://benefits.va.gov/benefits/. Once the Veteran’s Administration has processed your application, you will receive a letter stating whether or not you are eligible to receive benefits. This letter is called the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and will show how many months your eligibility will last and at what percentage you will receive the benefits. You should send a copy of your COE (fax, email, or in person) to the VA Certifying Official, Tamara M. Burgess, Assistant Registrar at Wofford. The COE must be on file before an enrollment certification can be submitted to the Veteran’s Administration.
Wofford College participates in the Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program which assists qualified Post-9/11 veterans with their tuition costs. Participation in the program is voluntary and Wofford has agreed to award an additional $5,000 to five eligible students. The Department of Veterans Affairs states that veterans must have served an aggregate period of active duty after September 10, 2001 of at least 36 months, and be honorably discharged from active duty to be eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program. The student’s eligibility will be noted on their Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Only those eligible at the 100% rate will be considered for the Yellow Ribbon Program. For more information, please visit the VA website.
Once the COE is on file with us, we can then certify the student with the Veteran’s Administration. Student enrollment information will be submitted through the Enrollment Management online tool for every term a student is eligible for benefits. This includes certifying the number of credits for which a student is registered and the net tuition for the term. The net tuition is a calculation of tuition for a term after any tuition-specific scholarships have been removed. Tuition and student fees are combined for this calculation. Any changes in enrollment status, including change of major, should be reported to the certifying official immediately.
Benefit payments are made directly to Wofford College from the VA for recipients under Chapter 33. Payments are sent directly to the student for Chapter 35. Non-tuition payments such as housing allowances and living stipends will always be sent directly to the student. Wofford College will not impose any penalty including late fees, denial of access to classes, library, or other institutional facilities, or require that any covered individual borrow additional funds because of the individual’s inability to meet his/her financial obligations due to the delayed disbursement of funding from the VA under Chapter 31 or Chapter 33. For more information about benefit eligibility, please visit the VA website or contact them by phone at the designated number listed on their website.