School Certifying Official

IPFW School certifying official certifies to the VA that you are registered for classes at IPFW, so that they can disburse your education benefits.

Veterans Affairs education benefits information and counseling for first-time, continuing, or transfer students is available from the Military Student Services office.

Please visit the Military Student Services Office in Kettler Hall, room 104 to be certified.

* You must first be registered in classes for the semester you are certifying for, before the IPFW School certifying official can process your paperwork.

After registering for classes and prior to the beginning of each semester, students are required to complete Military Student Services Request to be certified form for each semester they wish to receive Bill education benefits. Forms are available by clicking the forms tab above and also at the Military Student Service Office Kettler 104.

The IPFW School certifying official can only certify courses that meet requirements for your educational objective as listed in the appropriate program bulletin. The IPFW School certifying official cannot certify courses that have been taken twice. The VA will not pay for incomplete grades.

• Active Duty - First time applicants for Chapter 30 benefits must apply by completing the Education Benefits form 22-1990 online via VONAP 

• National Guard and Reserves - First time applicants for Chapter 1606 or Chapter 1607  benefits must apply by completing the Education Benefits form 22-1990 online via VONAP  

* Please note that if you complete and submit a paper application it will take significantly longer to be accepted than the VONAP process.

• If you are qualified for or considering Chapter 33 the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefit you must apply by completing the Education Benefits form 22-1990 online via VONAP . For the most update information about Chapter 33 (9 11 GI bill) benefits click here.

• For detailed information on Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) Chapter 35 click here. First time applicants for Chapter 35 benefits must apply by submitting a completed Application for Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) (VA Form 22-5490) by mail to the VA Regional Processing Office for your schools region.

  Central Region:

  VA Regional Office

  P. O. Box 66830

  St. Louis, MO 63166-6830

Important!

1. National Guard and Reserve Students who are receiving benefits under Chapter 30 and Chapter 1606 and 1607 must submit a monthly attendance verification on the last day of each month you are enrolled, in order to receive your check or direct deposit. You may do this by contacting the VA Regional office at 1-877-823-2378 or by visiting VA GI bill web site and selecting the "Information for Benefit RecipientsB" link and then the "Certify Your Attendance (WAVE)" link. If you have not heard from the VA in more than eight weeks, you may wish to contact the St. Louis office to check on the status of your benefits at 1-888-442-4551. WAVE can also be used to check the status of processing for your benefits, processing for your monthly verification, to start or change direct deposit, and to set up an e-mail reminder about your monthly verification.

2. Recipients now have the option of having their monthly check deposited directly to their checking accounts. Please call 1-888-442-4551 to establish direct deposit. You will need to provide your checking account routing number and account number (written along the bottom of your checks).

3. If Direct Deposit has not been elected, benefit checks will be sent to the veteran’s address provided on their application. An individual may request the advance pay option if he/she is enrolled at least half-time. The advance paycheck will cover the initial or partial month and the following month at the beginning of the semester. The first check for the advance pay option will be sent to the Office of the Registrar and distributed by the VA-benefits certifying official. Application for the advance pay option should be made in writing and submitted to the VA-benefits certifying official in the Registrar's office eight weeks before the start of the semester.

4. The VA is not responsible for paying your tuition. Veterans must have tuition paid in full or have payment arrangements made with the Bursar's office by the semester payment deadlines.

Do not Lose Your Veteran's Benefits

Veterans are required to keep the IPFW School certifying official informed of their current status, especially with any add/drop to the class schedule or changes to the major area of study.

All veterans are required to notify the School certifying official of the changes listed here:

1. Non-attendance in class (last date attended)
2. Dropping any classes (date you dropped)
3. Increase in credit hours (number and date)
4. Changes to audit (date)
5. Non-payment of fees
6. Classes not pertaining to your degree
7. Deployment (provide a copy of your orders)

• If you are already receiving benefits and are changing schools or majors,complete the Request for Change of Program or Place of Training VA Form 22-1995 on VONAPP and then print and provide the IPFW School Certifying Official with a copy.

• If you are presently qualified under GI Bill Chapter and wish to transfer a different Chapter you must submit a new application form 22-1990 through VONAPP requesting the new Chapter.

You can now save time by utilizing these Military Student Services fillable forms to get your VA Education benefits!

Request to be certified for the semester form   

• You will not automatically receive your GI Bill benefits every semester. You must submit this form to Military Student Services each semester to receive benefits.    

Adding / dropping classes after submitting your Request to be certified form

• If you have added / dropped classes after submitting your Request to be certified form for the semester you must fill out and submitted this form to Military Student Services as soon as possible.

*After completing one of the forms print and turn it into the Military Student Services office in Kettler 104

Please remember that it is your responsibility to make sure your certified credit hours is correct.

Any changes to the number of credit hours you are taking needs to be reported to the IPFW School Certifying Official immediately. This will help keep you from owing money to the VA.