Veteran students and/or their dependents may qualify for Federal VA Education benefits. To determine eligibility, contact the VA Education Center at 1-888-442-4551. 

Application Procedures 

  1. For veterans or dependents of disabled veterans, apply online at www.va.gov.

Enrollment Certification for Federal VA Education Benefits 

  1. UWA Veteran’s Affairs Office must have all appropriate documents stating the student’s eligibility for Federal VA Education benefits. 
  2. Only courses required for the student’s declared major at the University of West Alabama will be certified to the VA. 
  3. Classes that are successfully completed may not be certified again for VA purposes if they are repeated. However, if a program requires a higher grade than the one achieved in a particular class for successful completion, that class may be repeated and certified to VA again.   
  4. Additional electives not required for the student’s declared degree plan will be certified to the VA. 
  5. Minors not required as part of my program of study will not be certified to the VA. 
  6. Students must attend all classes in which he/she is enrolled. Any change in enrollment (add/drop classes, major changes) will be reported to the VA. 
  7. Class beginning and ending dates, as well as the number of credit hours registered, have a direct impact on the student’s monthly housing allowance (BAH). 
  8. You will need to complete a Veteran’s Request for Education Benefits form, which is required for each semester you’re enrolled to use your VA benefits.

Military Student Coverage Contacts

Sharon Rainey, Office of Veteran and Military Affairs located within the Registrar’s Office | va@uwa.edu | (205) 652-3930

  • Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)
  • Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30)
  • Select Reserve Bill (Chapter 1606)
  • REAP GI Bill (Chapter 1607)
  • Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA) (Chapter 35)

April Atcheson, Student Accounts | aatcheson@uwa.edu | (205) 652-3542

State VA Benefits and Tuition Assistance

  • Tuition Assistance
  • Veteran Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31)
  • Other State Scholarships
  • AL GI Dependents Scholarship

Charmaine Truelove, Financial Aid Office | ctruelove@uwa.edu | (205) 652-5382

Alabama National Guard

  • Alabama National Guard Education Assistance Program (ANGEAP)

Alabama GI Dependent Benefits

To see if you are eligible for Alabama State VA Benefits, you will need to apply through your local Veterans Service Office. Click here to find your local office.

If you have used your Al VA at another university, you will need to fill out an ADVA-5 form and send it to your prior university for processing. Once it is processed, the VA office will send us the benefits.

Section 702, Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 and 2017 Amendments.  

The following individuals shall be charged a rate of tuition not to exceed the in-state rate for tuition and fee purposes in accordance with Public Law 115-251 Sec. 301: 

  • A veteran using educational assistance under either Chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill® — Active Duty Program) or Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 GI Bill®), of title 38, United States Code, who lives in Alabama while attending a school located in Alabama (regardless of his/her formal State of residence). 
  • Anyone using transferred Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits (38 U.S.C 3319) who lives in Alabama while attending a school located in Alabama (regardless of his/her formal State of residence). 
  • Anyone described above while he or she remains continuously enrolled) other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same school. The person so described must have enrolled in the school prior to the expiration of the three-year period following discharge or release as described above and must be using educational benefits under either Chapter 30 or Chapter 33, of title 38, United States Code. 
  • Anyone using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C. 3311 (b))9)) who lives in Alabama while attending a school located in Alabama (regardless of his/her formal State of residence.) 
  • Anyone using transferred Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits (38 U.S.C. 3319) who lives in Alabama while attending a school located in Alabama (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and the transferor is a member of the uniformed service who is serving on active duty. 
  • Anyone using educational assistance under Chapter 31, Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E), effective for courses and terms beginning after March 1, 2019. A public institution of Higher Learning must charge the resident rate to Chapter 31 participants, as well as the other categories of individuals described above. When an institution charges these individuals more than the rate for residents, VA is required to disapprove programs of education sponsored by the VA. 
  • The policy shall be read to be amended as necessary to be compliant with the requirements of 38 U.S.C. 3679© as amended. 

Section 1005 of the Isakson and Roe Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public Law 116-315) states that effective 1 August 2021, the requirement for covered individuals to enroll in a course at a public institution of higher learning within three years of being discharged to receive in-state tuition is removed.