Yes, payments for courses and fees will be waived based on the percentage of your Post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility while you take classes. The Department of Veterans Affairs will send payment directly to Excelsior College. Please be sure you fax a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility statement to 518-464-8777 or email vafa@excelsior.edu. If you are waiting for your Certificate of Eligibility, then you can submit your unofficial DD 214 to get started.

For additional information, visit our Financial Aid Support Center.

Excelsior College will certify your enrollment status with the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) as a student during the coming term. When the DVA processes your claim, they will make payment to Excelsior College for your tuition and fees and send you your book allowance. The book allowance is approximately $41 per credit with the 100% benefit and prorated for lesser benefits. Note: You must pay for your books and supplies when you order them and you will receive the book stipend from the VA at a later date.

Active Duty Military personnel receive a monetary allowance toward their housing costs because they have to live where the military assigns them. Each area's allowance is determined by the specific cost of living in that area.

Similarly, the Post 9/11 GI Bill will pay veterans a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) if they attend school more than half time. Veterans receive the same as an E-5 with dependents. Use the BAH Calculator to make example calculations.

Veteran students using the Post 9/11 and pursuing classes through distance learning may now receive the monthly housing allowance (MHA). The housing allowance is half the national average BAH for an E-5 with dependents.

Veteran students who want to receive the full monthly housing stipend must attend college full time. Attendance less than full time but, greater than half time will provide veteran students with a prorated rate housing stipend, rounded to the nearest tenth.

Yes, but in order to receive the MHA by using solely online courses, CD-ROM courses, and/or ECEs, you must follow these guidelines:

• A student scheduling 2 exams worth 3 credits each being taken the same day, will be considered attending full-time when an 8 week term is built prior to the exam being taken.
• Once the student has completed both exams, Excelsior College’s Financial Aid Office will file a claim by creating a semester going backwards 8 weeks. A claim will be made to the VA for the term after the exam is taken.

The MHA would be paid to the student after the exams have been taken retroactively by the VA. The student may receive the full solely online MHA if they are taking 6 credits in an 8 week period. Students can take any combination of online, CD-ROM courses or ECEs.

You can receive the MHA if you take classes from Excelsior College and take a class from a local in-residence, traditional college in your area at the same time. The MHA you receive will be based on the zip code of the local traditional college. All the courses you take must apply to your Excelsior College degree and be approved by your academic advisors. Excelsior College advisors are prepared to discuss the classes you can take in your local area that will apply to your degree while you are taking classes with Excelsior College.

You must be attending college more than 50% or more than half time for the MHA. If you want to receive the full monthly housing stipend you must attend college full time. Attendance less than full time but, greater than half time will provide veteran students with a prorated rate housing stipend, rounded to the nearest tenth.

The course samples below will help you determine your enrollment status:

Taking 12 & 15 week courses:

• If you were taking 12 credits (or 4 classes each worth 3 credits) for 15 weeks, that would be considered full-time (100%).
• If you were taking 9 credits (or 3 classes each worth 3 credits) for 15 weeks, that would be considered three-quarters time (75%).
• If you were taking 6 credits (or 2 classes each worth 3 credits) for 15 weeks that would be considered half-time (50%).

Taking 8 week courses:

• If you were taking 6 credits (or 2 classes each worth 3 credits) for 8 weeks, that would be considered full-time (100%).
• If you were taking 3 credits (or 1 class worth 3 credits) for 8 weeks that would be considered half -time (50%).

Remember, each term or semester, to get the full MHA, you must take classes from Excelsior and a traditional college at the same time at the full time rate of pursuit. Also, the VA will look at every day in the month to ensure that you are carrying a course load of greater than 50%. If you are not taking 51% or more every day of that month than you will not get the prorated housing allowance rounded to the nearest tenth.

You must request a parent letter from us which we will then send to your in-residence school informing them that we will accept the credits you are taking from their institution. You will need to also provide your in-residence college with a certificate of eligibility on your VA benefit. The VA will then forward you the MHA for which you qualify.

See our detailed instructions for parent letter requests.