There are online resources through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as well as through state offices, but all too often veterans and other military-connected students (active duty and reservists) find themselves struggling to succeed in higher education. For some, it’s financial, while others may be dealing with physical or psychological injuries.
Financial restraints
“Many student veterans do not fully understand their education benefits when returning to higher education and this can cause added stress to an already stressful transition for veterans who have been away from academics for many years,” says Christopher Campbell, treasurer of the National Association of Veterans’ Program Administrators (NAVPA), an organization that works to ensure that its member schools have staff properly trained in VA education benefits.
The way in which GI Bill benefits are processed, which is that the money often arrives well after a semester has started, can be a huge stumbling block.
“The VA has come a long way; however, as we know, institutes of higher learning in many cases require that you have deposits made or that a majority of your tuition is paid prior to the first day of classes,” says Dave Bellefeuille, director of education and employment for the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Higher Education Veterans Program. “The VA always pays a month behind.”
The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System (MNSCU) has the practice in which an individual waiting for his or her GI Bill benefits will not be dropped from classes or charged late fees. While this is obviously a best practice, some states do not have that policy; therefore, a military-connected student dependent on VA benefits must be fully aware of the situation and reach an understanding with the institution.
