Veterans Educational Benefits

Certification for educational benefits is provided by the Office of the University Registrar. We assist students with processing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) forms for educational benefits, provide guidance about specific procedural requirements, and submit enrollment certifications for each semester to VA. Students are responsible for deciding which benefit is most appropriate based on their individual circumstances and then apply to VA (VONApp) in order to use the benefits.

If you have not applied to William & Mary, please contact the appropriate admission office for information on admission requirements.

William & Mary complies with the Veteran Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (Section 702) and grants in-state tuition to veterans and their dependents who qualify under the Code. Virginia Code also provides for granting in-state tuition to certain military-related students; inquire at the [[domicile,Office of the University Registrar]] for more information.

This institution is approved to offer GI Bill® educational benefits through the Virginia State Approving Agency.

Using Benefits at William & Mary For The First Time

Students must submit completed VA Benefits Information Sheet (pdf) and Certificate of Eligibility (COE). If you have not received your COE from the VA, please contact [[vabenefits, the Veterans Benefits Coordinator]] to see what additional documentation is needed.

Continuing Benefits at William & Mary

Students utilizing VA benefits have the following responsibilities :

Each semester prior to the upcoming term’s registration, the student will receive an email from the Veterans Benefits Coordinator with instructions on continuing the process. Reply to that email from your W&M email account each semester to confirm continuing enrollment in the benefits process. The student may also elect NOT to receive benefits for any given semester. A non-response is taken as the student’s election not to receive benefits for the term in question.
DO NOT register in courses for which you have previously received a passing grade/credit (even if taken at another institution). * Be advised, VA benefits do not cover any courses that are taken on an audit basis and the credits will not be counted in the course load for the purpose of certifying your enrollment. For example, if an undergraduate student enrolls in 12 credits, three credits of which are taken for audit, it will be considered enrollment in 9 credits for the purpose of VA status.
Notify the Veterans Benefits Coordinator if you:
- Change majors
- Alter course load
- Withdraw from classes
- Do not enroll for a term that has been certified
- Have depleted your VA educational benefits
- Change addresses (an address change must also be reported directly to VA)

Study Abroad Program

Students interested in using VA educational benefits to assist in payment of a study abroad program must plan ahead! Please work closely with the Reves Center for International Studies and the [[w|vabenefits,Veteran Benefits Coordinator]] in the University Registrar's Office well in advance.

Veterans educational benefits may be used to cover some of the cost of a W&M-sponsored study abroad program and study abroad coursework can be certified to the VA as long as it applies to a student's degree program. The VA will never pay fees in excess of the standard W&M tuition and tuition-related fees.

If you are considering a non-W&M-sponsored study abroad program (including W&M semester assisted-enrollment programs or EXCHANGE programs), W&M cannot certify VA benefits. Instead, please contact the study abroad program provider directly, to inquire about the possibility for certification. Please note that host universities or study abroad program providers (eg. CIEE, IES, etc.) may not be eligible to provide certification.

William & Mary Joint Degree Programme with St Andrews

Students planning to use veterans education benefits (Chapter 30, 31 VR&E, 33, 35, or 1606) should be aware that the Department of Veterans Services has determined the Joint Degree Program between William & Mary and the University of St Andrews to be ineligible because it does not allow for transfer credit.

Study in D.C.

Students planning to use veterans education benefits are able to do so at William & Mary's DC campus.

Additional Resources

VA Benefits Information Sheet (pdf)
Study Abroad Factsheet
GI Bill® website
GI Bill® Comparison Tool - Calculate your estimated benefits and research approved programs
(888) GIBILL- [888-442-4551]

Financial Aid and Tuition/Fees Resources

Contact Information

Please feel free to [[vabenefits, contact us]] if you require any further assistance, or have any questions regarding VA benefits at William & Mary. The university does not have access to military records and cannot determine eligibility. All eligibility and payment questions should be directed to the Department of Veterans Affairs by calling 1-888-GIBILL-1.

"GI Bill®" is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill."

Yellow Ribbon Program

William & Mary participates in the Yellow Ribbon (YR) Program which is a provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. This program allows institutions of higher education (degree granting institutions) in the United States to voluntarily enter into an agreement with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to fund tuition expenses that exceed the amount payable by VA.

William & Mary currently funds five out-of-state students up to $1,000.00 per semester, which is then matched up to $1,000.00 by VA. Both undergraduate and graduate level students are eligible for Yellow Ribbon Program funds.

Students will automatically be considered for this program once a copy of the Certificate of Eligibility is submitted to the Veterans Benefits Coordinator.

For more information on Yellow Ribbon, visit the VA Yellow Ribbon Program web site.

Veteran Domicile

Students using veterans benefits may establish domicile in the same way that other Virginia in-state students do. In addition, a student using veterans benefits may also establish domicile through other pathways. The following individuals shall be charged the in-state rate, or otherwise considered a resident, for tuition purposes:

A veteran using educational assistance under either Chapter 30 (Montgomery G.I. Bill® –Active Duty Program) or Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 G.I. Bill), of Title 38, United States Code, who lives in the Commonwealth of Virginia while attending a school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (regardless of their formal state of residence).
Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits who lives in the state where the Institution of Higher Learning (IHL) is located, and the transferor is a member of the uniformed service serving on active duty.
A spouse or child using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C. § 3311(b)(9) who lives in the Commonwealth of Virginia while attending a school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (regardless of their formal state of residence).
A spouse or child using benefits under Survivors' and Dependents' Education Assistance (Chapter 35) living in the Commonwealth of Virginia while attending a school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (regardless of their formal state of residence).
An individual using educational assistance under chapter 31, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) who lives in the Commonwealth of Virginia while attending a school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (regardless of their formal state of residence).
Anyone described above remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same institution. Therefore, the described person must be enrolled in the institution and use educational benefits under Chapters 30, 31, 33 or 35 of Title 38, United States Code.

The policy shall be read to be amended as necessary to be compliant with the requirements of 38 U.S.C. Section 3679(c) as amended.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/.