Education Benefits

1. Fill out the New Student Intake form. Your social security number and COE will be required. Your SSN must be current with IU, so be sure to submit or check your SSN before submitting. You will only fill out this form once while attending IU Bloomington.  
2. After you've registered for classes, fill out the Request for Enrollment Certification (REC). The REC is required for every semester you use benefits. This is the request used to initiate VA benefits each semester. Your social security number and COE will be required. Your SSN must be current with IU, so be sure to submit or check your SSN before submitting. We WILL NOT certify you without this being submitted. Once we certify your benefits with the VA, an automatic email will be sent to your email from the VA. If you know you have submitted your REC for the current semester, and did not receive this VA email, please call the VA at 888-442-4551 to confirm certification.

The VA will pay your tuition and fees after IU’s Office of the Bursar initial due date at the start of term. We will place a code on your account ensuring that you don’t receive late payment fees. If you still receive automated emails from the Office of the Bursar stating that your bill is late, disregard them. To inquire further, please call the VA at 888-442-4551.

Payment from the VA can occur any time after certification, but our expectation is that the first full stipend payment will be received on October 1 for the fall semester and March 1 for the spring semester. If you do not receive payment after these date(s), please call the VA at 888-442-4551. Our office cannot see any funds paid to the student directly.

Once you’ve applied to use your VA benefits on the VA website, you will receive a Certificate of Eligibility in the mail from the VA Regional Office. This document verifies that you are eligible to use VA benefits.

The VA office typically takes up to 30 days to process benefit applications. If you have specific questions about your application or your COE’s terms and conditions, please call the VA at 888-442-4551.

If you haven't already completed a Request for Enrollment Certification (REC), we ask that you do so and indicate that you are a new student with our office. The form will then prompt you to upload a photo or PDF of your COE. If you've already completed a REC, you can send a copy of your COE from your IU email address to vetserv@iu.edu.

Your  Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) will submit Purchase Order (PO) numbers through a third-party vendor system called Tungsten to IU directly. Your counselor can submit POs for book fees, tuition, regularly assessed fees, and/or a parking pass. Sometimes, but not always, they're all on one PO. If you have further questions concerning your PO, please contact your Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor.

Ensure that your Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) included a line about your parking pass on your Purchase Order (PO). Our office will see this and request a parking pass on your behalf. We will then send an email to let you know we have requested the pass.

Your assigned Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) will provide you with the Purchase Order number, and they should send the school the PO. You may need two separate PO numbers. One PO number for tuition, fees, and a semester parking pass, and a separate PO number for the bookstore to buy books and school supplies. When you order your books online, you will use this PO number during checkout.

 
You can view a detailed version of your bill, payments received, financial aid, and remaining balance on One.IU. Please contact Student Central via their secure contact form for questions about billing and your bursar account. Our office cannot see state benefit payments for students. IU Bloomington Student Central's Financial Aid department can be reached at 812-855-6500 (mention the Indiana Tuition and Fee Exemption specifically).

You can view a detailed version of your bill, payments received, financial aid, and remaining balance on One.IU. Please contact Student Central via their secure contact form for questions about billing and your bursar account. Our office cannot see state benefit payments for students. IU Bloomington Student Central's Financial Aid department can be reached at 812-855-6500 (mention NGSG specifically).

VPSO-08 allows for certain non-resident, military-affiliated students to be charged tuition at the same rate as Indiana residents. Learn more about if you qualify on IU’s policy page.

If our office certifies you for any form of VA benefits, if you are attached to a National Guard unit, or if you are assigned orders placing you in Indiana, our office can process requests for VPSO-08. Please note that we will require official documentation if you are in the National Guard or are assigned orders. If you are not using VA benefits, but believe you qualify, or if you have questions regarding your eligibility, please email us at vetserv@iu.edu and include "VPSO-08 Request" in the subject line.

You must submit a Tuition Assistance Request to IU every semester you want to receive TA. You can do so on this sponsor form. You can also find the form by going to One.IU and searching “sponsor voucher.” Without this submission, your military TA will not pay your bursar bill.

For Army and Air Force, please submit the course name, course number, start, and end dates. For all other branches, please consult your unit education representative.

IU’s Short Term Military Activation policy can be found on IU’s policy page. It is your responsibility to notify your course directors and provide them with official documentation in a timely manner concerning any short-term military obligations.

Under IU Policy VPSS-02, students have the option to withdraw (graded W) and receive a 100% refund of tuition and fees, receive an incomplete grade and complete coursework in collaboration with their instructor, or re-enroll in the same courses with no additional tuition/fees up to 4 years after release from Active Duty. Submit your MLOA here.

Contact our office to request verification for CHAMPVA. We will automatically request verification for you each semester. If you have any questions/concerns about your CHAMPVA verification, please fill out the contact form below.

Doing a VA Work Study offers you the opportunity to work with other students like yourself who are using VA benefits at IU. You may be eligible to take part in the work-study program if you meet all the following requirements: 

• You’re using an approved VA education benefits program to pay for your education
• You’re enrolled at least ¾-time 
• You can finish the work-study contract while you still qualify for education benefits 

Contact our office with your resume if you’re interested. 

The VFSG is offered to veterans enrolled full-time who are supporting dependents under the age of 18. The Veteran Family Support Grant (VFSG) application window opens on August 1 and closes on October 15 for each academic year. The grant will be applied to your bursar bill within three weeks after that. Eligibility information and application can be found on the Family Support Grant webpage.

You will need to provide documentation of your relationship with your dependents (birth certificates, adoption papers, tax documents etc.), proof of military service, and a completed online application form. The application opens on August 1 and closes on October 15 each year.

The Veteran Family Support Grant (VFSG) application window closes October 15 and will be applied to your bursar bill within three weeks after that date. Please note that the grant will be applied to any balance on your bursar bill first, and then any remainder will be refunded to you.

Tillman Scholar Program

As a Pat Tillman Foundation partner university, IU is able to host one Tillman Scholar each year. Benefits of the Tillman Scholar Program include:

• Academic scholarships
• Professional development and leadership opportunities
• Access to the Tillman Scholar Community, a network of Tillman Scholars at universities across the country

The application cycle opens in February each year. Learn more about the Tillman Scholar program.

USS Indiana Scholarship

Indiana University is proud to present the USS Indiana Scholarship program in recognition of the new United States submarine (SSN-789) named for the great state of Indiana, and the men and women who serve on the ship. The scholarship also recognizes the 100th anniversary of IU’s first educational partnership with the US Navy which began on October 1, 1918. IU is connected to the USS Indiana by serving as home of the memorial to the previous USS Indiana (BB-58) outside IU Bloomington’s Memorial Stadium.

The USS Indiana Scholarship is a one-time award of $5,000 toward education-related expenses at any IU campus. It is awarded to one current or newly admitted, full-time graduate or undergraduate student each year. It is available for use in the academic year of the student’s choice. To be eligible, a student must be currently serving or have served in the past on the USS Indiana.

Applications should be submitted by May 1 of each year. The recipient will be notified by June 1.

Service members on active duty or in the National Guard or Reserves, as well as veterans of the United States Armed Forces, including Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard, are entitled to wear a twisted cord of red, white, and blue. ROTC graduates who will be commissioned on or immediately after graduation are also eligible. You can request a military graduation cord on the Military Honor Cord form.