The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will begin issuing payment transactions to the Department of Treasury on August 1, 2009 for Chapter 33 benefits, including:
- Tuition and fees
- Yellow Ribbon, if applicable
- Books and supplies stipend
- College fund “kickers”
Payments for the monthly housing allowance will be issued beginning September 1, 2009.
VA Once modifications will allow schools to report the following additional information for the Post-9/11 GI Bill program:
- Tuition charged
- Fees charged
- Distance learning credit hours
- Maximum amount the institution is contributing toward the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Tuition and fees are required fields for all education benefit programs. Schools should also report the full-time measurement for all graduate level training in the “Remarks” section.
Tuition and fee payments will be issued to the school on behalf of each student via Electronic Funds Transfers (EFT). An Automated Clearing House (ACH) payment will be made for each certified Chapter 33 student. Schools will receive one payment for tuition and fees and one payment for Yellow Ribbon benefits, if applicable.
Each payment will include an addenda field with students’ identifying information (VA file number, student name and term dates for payment). To receive addenda information, it must be requested from the school’s financial institution and the school must request that it be provided in a readable format.
If the VA does not have active direct deposit information for a school, payments will be made by paper check to the address on file in VA’s Web-Enabled Approval Management System (WEAMS) and a stub containing student’s identifying information will be attached to each check. Payments will include student identification information and the semester, quarter or term the payment is covering.
Each week, the school’s certifying official should receive a Vet Rep Listing Report that lists all the VA education benefits that the school’s students are receiving. The report will include a subsection labeled Chapter 33 Tuition and Fees and Yellow Ribbon Payments.
The only time a school would refund payment to the VA is if the students dies during the term and a refund is due, if the student enrolled but never attended, and if payment was sent to the wrong school.
To refund payment to the VA, send a check payable to VA Agent Cashier to the regional processing office. Include student’s name and VA file number.
If the school has received a paper check that needs to be refunded, the uncashed check can be returned to the U.S. Department of Treasury, Financial Management Service, P.O. Box 51318, Philadelphia, PA 19115-6316.
If payment is received via EFT, the refund may be made through ACH. Request that the bank return the full payment using an R31 ACH return code.
Payment for Yellow Ribbon
VA-Once modifications will allow schools to certify Yellow Ribbon information on a VA Form 22-1999, Enrollment Certification
Schools should report charged tuition, charged fees, and the amount the institution is contributing for the Yellow Ribbon Program. VA will pay the lesser of the amount of Yellow Ribbon certified or the difference between the amount certified and the individual’s unmet tuition and fee charges.
Yellow Ribbon Program payments will be issued to the school on behalf of each student via EFT. Payments will include student identification information and the semester, quarter or term the payment is covering.
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