Source: http://www.wisconsin.edu/acss/student/WIGI_Bill_FAQs_Service_following_9-11.htm
Timestamp: 2014-08-23 05:31:20
Document Index: 474992407

Matched Legal Cases: ['§36', '§36', '§36', '§36', '§36', '§36']

WI G.I. Bill Benefits: FAQsFrequently Asked Questions for those with service following September 10, 2001
Revised 3/28/14pdf version for download & printing
WHAT IS THE WI GI BILL? 1. What is the WI GI Bill? 2. What does the WI G.I. Bill remission cover and what doesn’t it cover? 3. Am I eligible for other state veterans’ benefits if I use the WI G.I. Bill benefits? RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WI GI BILL AND FEDERAL POST-9/11 GI BILL (CHAP 33) 4. How does the WI GI Bill relate to the new Federal Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)? 5. Are there any exceptions to WI Gil Bill eligible students having to use Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits first?. 6. If I am not 100% eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, will the WI GI Bill pay the difference? 7. What if I am eligible for the WI GI Bill as a child or spouse and have also been given transferred Post -9/11 GI Bill benefits, do I need to use Post-9/11 first? 8. Are there exceptions to the requirement for children and spouses to use transferred benefits in order to be eligible for their WI GI Bill benefits? 9. Can I transfer all of my Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit to others and then use my WI GI Bill remission? APPLYING FOR WI G.I. BILL BENEFITS 10. Does this FAQ apply to anyone eligible for the WI G.I. Bill? 11. Where do I get information about these benefits and how do I apply? 12. Do I need to complete both forms in the WDVA B0105 brochure?13. Does it matter when I apply to receive the WI GI Bill tuition remission? 14. What exactly is an academic term? 15. Will I need to reapply each academic term? 16. How will I find out if I have been awarded a remission? Will WDVA or the campus inform me? 17. Might my financial aid be affected if I receive a WI G.I. Bill tuition remission? ELIGIBILITY 18. How will eligibility for the WI GI Bill be determined? 19. Does the Minnesota-Wisconsin reciprocity agreement allow me to use the WI G.I. Bill to attend a Minnesota school? 20. Will the WI G.I. Bill apply to me if I take classes while on active duty? 21. What does it mean to be a “resident” under the provisions of the WI GI Bill? 22. Can I appeal if I am denied eligibility by WDVA or denied a fee remission by the school? 23. Do I need to be a full-time student to benefit from the WI G.I. Bill? 24. For how many semesters and/or credits can I use the WI G.I. Bill? 25. What if I transfer to another UW System or Wisconsin Technical College institution? 26. What if I am concurrently enrolled in more than one UW institution or Wisconsin Technical College? 27. What does “whichever is longer” mean when referring to semester and credit limitations? 28. How are the 128 credits counted? What if I drop a course? 29. Will the semester count against the WI GI Bill limits if I withdraw during the semester? 30. How does the 2.0 Cumulative GPA requirement work?SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENT 31. What if switching to Post-9/11 in order to get the WI GI bill remission will reduce my overall benefits? 32. Will all WI GI Bill eligible veterans receiving Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits also receive a supplemental payment? 33. Will WI GI bill eligible children and spouses receive a supplemental payment?. 34. Will I need to supply additional documentation to receive a supplemental payment? 35. How do I get the supplemental payment if I’m attending more than one school during the term? 36. Will the supplemental payment affect financial aid? 37. How will I receive the supplemental payment? 38. When will I receive the supplemental payment? 39. Is the supplemental payment subject to taxes? 40. What if I my enrollment changes during the term and I receive too large a supplemental payment? SPOUSE AND CHILD BENEFITS 41. How is “child” defined under the WI G.I. Bill provisions? 42. What documentation is necessary to prove that I am the “child” of an eligible veteran? 43. What documentation is necessary to demonstrate that I am the spouse of a certified veteran? 44. What documentation is necessary to demonstrate that I am the unremarried surviving spouse of an eligible veteran? 45. Can I provide copies of the documents to verify my relationship to the eligible veteran? 46. What are the eligibility time and age delimiting factors for children? 47. Can I receive the remission for that academic term if the delimitating periods begin or end within it? 48. If a spouse or child of a qualified veteran meets all other criteria but does not meet the residency requirements, is he or she eligible for WI G.I. Bill benefits?
1. What is the WI GI Bill?
To be eligible to receive the WI GI Bill tuition remission, spouses and children of eligible veterans must themselves be residents for tuition purposes (as defined by Wis. Stats. §36.27.2). Non-resident children and spouses are not eligible for WI G.I. Bill benefits. Further questions about the WI GI Bill benefit can be directed to each UW System institution by the School Veterans Certifying Official. A list of those individuals and their contact information is available at http://uwhelp.wisconsin.edu/studentlife/gicontacts.asp
2. What does the WI G.I. Bill remission cover and what doesn’t it cover? The Wisconsin G.I. bill includes two programs:
Academic fees are commonly referred to as either “resident tuition” or “in-state tuition.” Segregated fees are separate non-instructional fees charged to all students for the support of student life activities such as the student center and recreational sports, among others. Academic fees over and above regular tuition and fees for undergraduate, graduate or professional courses are also eligible for remission including courses funded on a self-supporting or “cost recovery” basis. These courses, including distance education and online programs, are operated without state support. If you have questions about the remission of tuition and fees for a specific course contact the veterans' services coordinator at your campus for more information.
The Wisconsin G.I. bill remission does NOT apply to the following: Academic fees charged by a UW institution for study abroad programs where the fees collected are subsequently paid by the UW institution to a non-Wisconsin institution. It also does not apply to any non-instructional fees charged in connection with a study abroad program such as for travel or living expenses. Other fees that are assessed in addition to academic student fees and segregated fees are not covered. Examples of costs that are not covered by the remission include, but are not limited to, travel, books, supplies, meals, parking, textbook rental, laptop rental, and other miscellaneous expenses. The excess credits surcharge, the United Council assessment and housing and meals plans are also not covered by the remission. Special course fees, such as laboratory fees, may also not be covered by the remission depending on the purpose of the special course fee.
Fees charged for continuing education courses (where continuing education units – CEU’s – are granted). The Wisconsin G.I. Bill applies only to tuition remissions for eligible individuals enrolled in academic, university-credit courses. Prior to registration, you are urged to check with the School Veterans Certifying Official at the campus you plan to attend to obtain specific information about any costs that may not be covered by the WI GI Bill Tuition Remission for your planned course of study. You will be assessed and are responsible to pay for any fees not covered by the WI G.I. Bill remission. Once the certification and eligibility process is completed you will be provided a bill indicating what fees are due and a due date by which to pay them. You will be responsible for the assessed fees.
4. How does the WI GI Bill relate to the new Federal Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)? The Post-9/11 GI Bill is a federal veterans’ benefits program administered by the federal Veterans Administration (VA) that began in August of 2009. The Post-9/11 GI Bill applies only to those who have had active duty military service following September 10, 2001. Veterans who are eligible for the federal Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit must elect that federal benefit in order to use the WI GI Bill. Veterans who are eligible to receive, but elect not to apply for Post-9/11 benefits will not be eligible for WI GI Bill benefits including tuition remission and supplemental payments. In the unlikely event a Post-9/11 eligible veteran elects to use the Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30) or another federal veteran’s education benefit program instead of the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) that veteran will not be concurrently eligible for WI GI Bill tuition remission and supplemental payments. Effective retroactive to January 1st 2010 credits and semesters supported by the Post-9/11 GI Bill at University of Wisconsin institutions or Wisconsin Technical Colleges will not be deducted from the total 128 credits or 8 semesters, whichever is longer, that a student can receive from the WI GI Bill. If you were a Post-9/11 eligible student on or after January 1st 2010 and have questions about the number of credits or semesters you have available under the WI GI Bill please contact your campus veterans’ services coordinator for more information. NOTE: The relationship between the federal and state legislation is extremely complex and depends upon an individual’s status and eligibility for a wide range of federal and state benefits. A flow chart is provided at the end of this document to visually capture some of the “what if” situations. 5. Are there any exceptions to WI Gil Bill eligible students having to use Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits first? For WI GI Bill eligible veterans: Yes, if a veteran has fewer than 12 months of eligibility remaining under Chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty), Chapter 1606 (Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserve), or Chapter 1607 (REAP) as of the first day of the academic term in which he or seeks to enroll, he or she may be exempt from the requirement to switch to the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. Or, if a veteran has no Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit eligibility based upon his or her own military service but has received transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits from a parent or spouse, the student is not required to use the transferred benefits in order to use the WI GI Bill. For WI GI Bill eligible children and spouses: Yes, if the student is eligible for the WI GI Bill as a child or spouse, and the student also has Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit eligibility based upon his or her own military service, the student may continue to use the WI GI Bill without using his or her own Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.
6. If I am not 100% eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, will the WI GI Bill pay the difference? Students certified for partial Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and for the WI GI Bill remission can use both benefits in a single term. The WI GI Bill remission will pay the difference for any tuition and fees that it would normally cover, as described above in Question #2. 7. What if I am eligible for the WI GI Bill as a child or spouse and have also been given transferred Post -9/11 GI Bill benefits, do I need to use Post-9/11 first? Yes, if a WI GI Bill eligible child or spouse (who is not themselves a veteran), has received transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits from a parent or spouse, the student (that is the child or spouse) must use the transferred benefits before he or she can receive benefits under the WI GI Bill. If the child or spouse has received transferred Post-9/11 Bill benefits and does not elect to use them, he or she will not be eligible to receive the WI GI Bill tuition remission until such time as he or she does elect to use the transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit first.
If the WI GI Bill eligible child or spouse has fewer than 12 months of eligibility remaining (as of the first day of the academic term in which he or she seeks to enroll) under Chapter 35 (DEA), Chapter 1606 (Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserve), or Chapter 1607 (REAP), he or she may be exempt from the requirement to use transferred benefits first. 9. Can I transfer all of my Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit to others and then use my WI GI Bill remission?
No. Veterans who have transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to a spouse or children must have retained or reclaimed for their own use sufficient months of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits in order to use the WI GI Bill for that term. If a veteran transfers all of their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to a child and/or spouse, the veteran will be ineligible for the WI GI Bill until such time as the child or spouse completely exhausts the transferred benefits, or the veteran reclaims some benefits for him or herself.
Students attending University of Wisconsin System institutions. If you are a student in the Wisconsin Technical College System, contact the appropriate School Veterans Certifying Official. They are listed in the brochure described in the next question.
This information is also available from your County Veterans Service Office (CVSO) or the School Veterans Certifying Official at your educational institution. Your CVSO provides information and assistance in obtaining state and federal veterans benefits. For a listing of CVSO’s go to http://dva.state.wi.us/CVSO.asp. 12. Do I need to complete both forms in the WDVA B0105 brochure? Yes. To be considered for the WI G.I. Bill benefits you must submit the form entitled “Request for Certification…” (#2030) to the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) AND submit the form “Application for WI G.I. Bill Benefits…” (#2029) to the educational institution you plan to attend. When WDVA determines the eligibility of the veteran, they will notify the educational institution of their determination. To have the certification process proceed in a timely manner, you must submit your application to the educational institution at the same time you submit your certification request to the WDVA. Certification by WDVA is only the first part of a two part WI GI Bill eligibility process. WDVA certifies the veteran is eligible, and the post-secondary educational institution determines if a student (be it veteran, spouse, or child of a veteran) is eligible for tuition remission based upon state statute.
13. Does it matter when I apply to receive the WI GI Bill tuition remission? Apply early! Please submit applications for WI G.I. Bill benefits to WDVA and to the UW institution you plan to attend no later than 14 calendar days from the official start of the fall or spring term, by June 1st for summer terms, and by the due date for term fees for interim terms in order to have your remission processed in a timely manner. Applying within the suggested timeline allows for financial aid to be accurately determined and reduces the risk of receiving an overpayment that would need to be repaid to the institution. Be sure to submit the request for certification to WDVA at the same time as you submit the application to your educational institution in order to allow time for WDVA to process the application, request additional information if needed, and send the completed certification to the educational institution. You are responsible for responding in a timely fashion if WDVA requests additional information. If WDVA certification is not received by the educational institution by November 1 for fall, April 1 for spring, and July 1 for summer, you may not be eligible to receive the remission for that term. Certifications received after these dates will be processed for the subsequent term.
Once you have applied, have been granted certification by WDVA, and have been determined eligible by the educational institution, you do not need to reapply if you are continuously enrolled at that same institution. However, if there are changes to your residency, marital status, or to other items requested as part of the WI G.I. Bill benefits application (Form #2029), you must inform the school. If there is a break in your enrollment, excluding summer, or if you transfer to another UW System institution, you will need to reapply to the educational institution you plan to attend. Once a specific UW institution has deemed that you are eligible for the WI G.I. Bill tuition remission, you will continue to receive this remission unless you inform the School Veterans Certifying Official in writing, within 14 calendar days from the official start of the fall or spring term, or by June 1st for summer sessions, that you do not wish to receive it.
It is your responsibility to notify WDVA of any changes in the disability assessment of the eligible veteran. 16. How will I find out if I have been awarded a remission? Will WDVA or the campus inform me?
18. How will eligibility for the WI GI Bill be determined? Eligibility for the WI GI Bill benefit is determined in part by the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) and in part by the Wisconsin public institution of higher education where you will attend. WDVA determines some components of eligibility and the institution of higher education determines other components. You will be required to submit to the UW System institution you wish to attend, an application (Form #2029), and other materials to demonstrate if: ►You have been certified as eligible for the benefit by WDVA.
►You maintain or enroll with a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 2.0.
The application packet for the WI GI bill has a checklist of the documentation that will be needed depending upon whether you are applying for the WI GI Bill as a veteran, child, or spouse. If you have questions about what documents are needed, confer with your Veterans Certifying Official at the higher educational institution. 19. Does the Minnesota-Wisconsin reciprocity agreement allow me to use the WI G.I. Bill to attend a Minnesota school? No, the WI G.I. Bill legislation is only for students attending University of Wisconsin institutions or Wisconsin Technical Colleges.
There are multiple references to “resident” in the WI G.I. Bill and in the statute exempting certain veterans from non-resident tuition. There are two different uses of the term “resident” in Wisconsin statutes. One use refers to the WDVA definition of resident under Chapter 45 of the Wisconsin Statutes, and the other is to the UW System definition of resident under Wis. Stats. §36.27(2).
To be considered an “eligible veteran” under Wis. Stats. §36.27(2)(b)(4) and Wis. Stats. §36.27(3p), the applicant must meet WDVA’s definition of “resident” under Chapter 45 of the Wisconsin Statutes.
In contrast, the term “resident” as it is used in Wis. Stats. §36.27(3n) relating to fee remissions for certain family members of eligible veterans has a different meaning. In that section, “resident” refers to residency for tuition purposes under Wis. Stats. §36.27(2). In other words, the family member (eligible child or spouse) must be determined to be a “resident for tuition purposes” to satisfy one of the criteria for eligibility for G.I. Bill benefits.
If you are denied eligibility by WDVA, you will receive notice of the denial directly from WDVA. You may appeal this denial to WDVA according to WDVA’s own appeal protocol as described in the notice of denial. If you are denied a tuition remission after having been determined eligible by WDVA, you will be informed by the educational institution. Typically, the School Veterans Certifying Official will contact you in writing to inform you of the denial and the basis for the denial. If you wish to appeal the institutional decision, contact the School Veterans Certifying Official at your institution to request information about the institution’s appeal protocol.
You can receive the WI GI Bill tuition remission for a combined total of up to 128 credits or eight semesters (whichever is longer) at any public higher educational institution in Wisconsin (i.e., all UW institutions and all Wisconsin Technical Colleges) beginning the first time you are granted the WI G.I. Bill remission, provided that you maintain the other eligibility status requirements. The WI G.I. Bill was first implemented for the fall 2005 academic term. Students cannot receive remissions for semesters or credits used prior to that time or for any academic term for which there is no WDVA certification. 25. What if I transfer to another UW System or Wisconsin Technical College institution?
If you are concurrently enrolled in more than one UW System institution and/or WTCS institution and have been granted a WI G.I. Bill tuition remission, your credits earned/semesters attended at UW System institutions and WTCS institutions are cumulative under the WI G.I. Bill, the same as they are in the case of transfer between institutions (see question #25). 27. What does “whichever is longer” mean when referring to semester and credit limitations?
If a grade is assigned in a course, then those credits will count towards the 128 credit limit. All courses graded on an A-F scale, pass/fail, or audit basis will count toward the limit. If you drop a course prior to the institutional add/drop deadline, the course will not appear on the transcript and will not count toward the 128 credit limit. Courses dropped after that deadline will appear on the transcript with a grade (e.g. W or DR) and will count toward the 128 credit limit.
If you withdraw from the institution prior to the 100% refund deadline, the semester and credits will not be counted toward the eight semesters and 128 credits allowed for the WI G.I. Bill benefits. If you withdraw from the institution after the 100% refund deadline, the semester and credits will count against the eight semesters and 128 credits you are allowed under the WI G.I. Bill. If you are eligible for a partial refund because of the timing of your withdrawal, the University will refund the appropriate percentage of tuition paid by the federal VA. For example, if you are eligible for a 50% refund, 50% of the tuition paid by the federal VA will be refunded. Remember, because of federal VA rules regarding dropping and withdrawing, you may be responsible to repay the VA more than the amount refunded to you by the University. Please note that the semester and all credits will count against the eight semesters and 128 credits you are allowed under the WI G.I. Bill.
State law has mandated since January 1, 2014 that you must have at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA to qualify for any tuition and fee remissions under the WIGI Bill program. This means that if your cumulative GPA is not at least 2.0, you will not qualify for tuition and fee remissions and you are responsible for any tuition and fee costs associated with enrolling in classes. The 2.0 cumulative GPA requirement covers grades earned at any point in your post-secondary academic career that your institution determines count toward your cumulative GPA. What if I earned a low cumulative GPA several years ago and plan to return to the same institution now? Your cumulative GPA does not change or reset at the institution where it was earned regardless of when the GPA was calculated. The integrity, consistency and accuracy of student records is an important job on campus and subject to regulation by state and federal law. The state law creating the 2.0 cumulative GPA requirement does not include provisions that would enable institutions to modify or ignore grades earned in the past.
Can I use the Wisconsin GI Bill if transfer a UW institution other than the one where I earned a cumulative GPA less of than 2.0? It depends on polices in place at the institution where you are planning to enroll. In the same way that requirements for admission differ across UW institutions so do rules around how they accept and count grades earned at other institutions. UW institutions may start transfer students with a “clean” 0.0 cumulative GPA and exclude grades earned at other institutions. Depending on policies in place, institutions and academic departments may include grades earned at other institutions in their cumulative GPA calculations for transfer students. If you are planning to transfer with less than a 2.0 cumulative GPA, contact the admissions office and the Veterans Certifying Official to check on institutional rules covering grades for transfer students. Remember that if you enroll in classes with less than a 2.0 cumulative GPA you will not use any credits against the Wisconsin GI Bill 128 credit limit and the full amount of your remaining benefit will be available to use in terms when your cumulative GPA returns to 2.0 or higher. How does the Wisconsin GI Bill benefit work if I am not eligible but improve my cumulative GPA to 2.0 or better?
This payment represents an approximation of the difference between the benefits a student would have received from Chapter 30, Chapter 1606, or Chapter 1607 and those the student will receive after relinquishing another federal benefit to enroll in the Post-9/11 GI Bill. 32. Will all WI GI Bill eligible veterans receiving Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits also receive a supplemental payment? No. Students who receive an equivalent or larger benefit package under Post-9/11 GI Bill, or who have exhausted their 36 months of Chapter 30 benefits, will not receive a Supplemental payment. Also, veterans using Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits that were transferred to them by a parent or spouse are not eligible for a Supplemental Payment. 33. Will WI GI bill eligible children and spouses receive a supplemental payment? Children and spouses may be eligible for a Supplemental Payment if they switched from Chapter 35, Chapter 1606, or Chapter 1607 in order to use Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits transferred to them by a parent or spouse. Children and spouses are not eligible for a Supplemental Payment if they switch from Chapter 30. Children and spouses who switched from Chapter 30, Chapter 35, Chapter 1606, or Chapter 1607 to use Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits earned through their own military service are not eligible for a Supplemental Payment. 34. Will I need to supply additional documentation to receive a supplemental payment? Yes. To determine if you are eligible for a supplemental payment and to make the necessary calculations to determine the amount you will receive if you are eligible, you will need to provide the following documents to your school certifying official:
37. How will I receive the supplemental payment? Supplemental payments will be directly deposited into your student account according to standard campus business practices and are subject to any other outstanding financial obligations you may have.
38. When will I receive the supplemental payment? The Supplemental Payment will be made twice each term. The first payment will be for 50% of the estimated semester amount and applied to the student’s account sometime after the institution’s last day to drop courses. The second payment, for the remainder of the final adjusted amount, will be made after grades for the term are posted. All Supplemental Payments will be made based on this timing, even if the student is enrolled in a session that does not coincide with the standard term begin and end dates. 39. Is the supplemental payment subject to taxes?
In compliance with federal requirements, UW and WTCS institutions provide the 1098-T to students. Neither UW nor WTCS institutions provide personal tax advice or guidance to students. Students are responsible for working with a tax professional to assess the tax implications of the Supplemental Payment. 40. What if I my enrollment changes during the term and I receive too large a supplemental payment? Students will be responsible for repaying the college or university for any supplemental payment amount paid in excess of their eligibility. This is most likely to occur if a student adds or drops classes or withdraws during a semester. SPOUSE AND CHILD BENEFITS
The following documentation in addition to providing your own government issued photo I.D. (driver license, state I.D., passport, etc) demonstrates that a student applicant is a “child” of an eligible veteran. ► Biological Child: A copy of the student’s Birth Certificate or similar official documents that identify parentage.
► Adopted Child: A copy of the student’s Adoption Certificate.
► Stepchild: A copy of the student’s Birth Certificate and a Marriage License that demonstrates the eligible veteran has married a biological parent of the student, or a copy of the Certificate of Eligibility for Federal VA benefits that indicates recognition as a stepchild.
► Other Child Who is a Member of the Veteran’s Household: A copy of the veteran’s most recent state and federal income taxes where the student is listed as a dependent and the student’s permanent address is the same as the veteran’s household address.
► Non-marital Child: A copy of a certificate of paternity.
► The spouse’s government issued photo I.D. (driver license, state I.D., passport, etc).
► A copy of the marriage certificate showing the student’s marriage to the certified veteran.
► A copy of the latest federal or state tax return for the unremarried surviving spouse.
► A copy of the birth certificate or adoption papers for the youngest child born to or adopted by the unremarried surviving spouse and the certified veteran.
45. Can I provide copies of the documents to verify my relationship to the eligible veteran? Yes. Photocopies are fine.
46. What are the eligibility time and age delimiting factors for children? The child of an eligible veteran must be at least 17 years old but not yet 26 years old on the first day of instruction as established by the institution, in order to take advantage of the WI G.I. Bill in a particular academic term. 47. Can I receive the remission for that academic term if the delimitating periods begin or end within it? If the child’s 26th birthday falls on or after the second day of the term, the child would be eligible for the benefit for that term.