Frequently Asked Questions on GI Bill® and Certification
- Chapter 30 - Montgomery GI Bill® – Active Duty (MGIB)
- Chapter 31 – Veterans Readiness and Employment
- Chapter 33 – Post 911 GI Bill®
- Chapter 35 - Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA)
- Chapter 1606 - Montgomery GI Bill® – Selected Reserve
- Federal Tuition Assistance - Active Duty
- Disabled American Veteran Tuition Waiver
- State Tuition Assistance Waiver (STAP) - RI National Guard
Links for VA Benefits Resources
Please visit How to Apply for the GI Bill and Related Benefits. You can apply online right now. Just answer a few questions, and the VA will help you get started with the education benefits form that's right for you.
As of August 2022, a Change of Program application is no longer required when a student switches schools. While you can submit a new application, it is not required by VA or Rhode Island College.
RIC requires that you submit a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA and a GI Bill® Certification Worksheet (request) each semester. If a COE and worksheet is not submitted, your enrollment will not be reported to VA.
Please Note: You do not need to submit a COE each semester, however, the worksheet is still required every semester.
Everyone using education benefits is also required to verify their enrollment at the end of the month. As of August 2025, this includes Chapter 35 students as well.
On the last day of each month, you will receive a text message from the VA requesting enrollment verification for that month. Reply “YES” to verify your enrollment. If you do not receive a text, you will need to call the GI Bill® hotline at 1-888-442-4551 or go to Monthly Enrollment Text Verification in order to verify your enrollment.
Every Semester, you will need to complete a GI Bill® Certification Worksheet.
Your worksheet will be received by the School Certifying Official and Veterans Resource Specialist.
All VA monthly stipends are paid in arrears, meaning you will receive those payments at the end of the month.
It's also important to note that VA payments are prorated, so your monthly payment will depend on the number of days you are enrolled in classes. For example, if your semester ends on May 15, your June 1 payment will only be for those 15 days in May.
If you have specific questions about your VA payment or you are concerned about payment delays please contact the Military Resource Center.
If you are using the Ch 33 Post 911 GI Bill®, the VA will pay tuition and fees based on your % of entitlement. For example, if you are 60% entitled, VA will pay 60% of your tuition and fees, you would then be responsible for the remaining 40%.
If you are using VR&E (Ch 31), your tuition and fees will be paid in full.
If using Chapters 30, 35, or 1606, you are responsible for paying tuition upfront.
If there are any payment issues, you will need to contact your VR&E case manager directly.
The most common reasons your payment may be less than the monthly rate is because you did not attend a full month (it’s pro-rated) or you are not attending full-time.
Prorated Example
Your full-time rate is $2900.00; however, your semester starts on August 19th and continues through December 14th. Payment for the month of August would include the 19th to the end of the month. (All months are based on 30 days, so months with more or less than 30 days would not affect the rate). Thus, your payment for the month of August would be approximately $1256.66. Payments for September, October, and November would be $2900.00 each month, and payments for December would be approximately $1353.33 (prorated from the 1st to the 14th).
If you have questions about your payment or concerns that you may have a debt with the VA, please contact Shane Grantham.
If you are using any benefit other then VR&E (Ch 31), then you are required to verify your monthly enrollment.
This policy went into effect for Chapter 35 students as well on January 2026.
If you do not receive a text notification at the end of the month, students should call the GI Bill® hotline at 1-888-442-4551. Alternatively, students can visit Verify Your School Enrollment | Veterans Affairs.
Yes! Please visit Credits for Military Training | Rhode Island College or contact the Military Resource Center for more information!
Priority registration is available for military-affiliated students.
Schedule an appointment with your academic advisors by contacting your assigned advisor directly to set up a remote or in-person meeting.
To find your advisor’s name:
- Log in to MyRIC.
- Click on the “Student Center” tile on your Student Homepage
- Click the "My Academics" link in the Academics area of the page
- Click “View My Advisors.”
If you do not see an advisor listed, please contact the Department Chair for your major.
Students exploring an initial or new major should make advising appointments with their academic advisors using Starfish. A Starfish tile is available on your Student Homepage.
Generally, an undergraduate student will need 12 credits or more for Fall and Spring, or 6 credits for Summer Sessions I and II.
While Graduate students would need 9 credits or more for Fall and Spring, or 6 credits for Summer Sessions I or II.
However, this may differ if your course has a different start or end date then other courses, or does not correspond with the typical start and end date for these terms/sessions.
Please Note: This may differ from previous experiences due to the legislation that covers course measurement.
Please contact the Military Resource Center if you have questions.
Rhode Island College allows service members and reservists to be readmitted into a program of education if they are temporarily unable due to service requirements as outlined in 20 U.S.C., §1091c and 34 CFR 668.18.
Please contact the Military Resource Center for more information regarding a departure or return due to military service.
If you are using Chapter 31 (VR&E) or Chapter 33 (Post 9/11) benefits and have a tuition-specific (fenced) scholarship, then we can only report any unpaid tuition or fees to the VA, as required by federal law. If the scholarship is not tuition specific (non-fenced), then we would not reduce the amount reported/invoiced to VA.
If you are using Chapter 30, 35, or 1606 benefits and receiving a scholarship, this will not impact you since we do not report tuition to the VA in those instances.
Pell Grants are not affected by any VA education benefit.
The VA will cover remedial courses only if there is documentation to support a need, such as HS transcripts or placement test scores. If a need is met, remedial courses must be taken in person. Online and hyflex remedial courses cannot be certified.
If a student drops any courses after the add/drop period, it may create a debt. Please contact the Military Resource Center prior to any withdrawals after the add/drop period, so that we can better help you make an informed decision.
Please Note: A complete withdrawal (from all classes) after the add/drop may lead to a larger (possibly complete) debt.
Again, we encourage students to contact us beforehand so they can make an informed decision.
The rounding out rule is an option that allows students to take additional classes in order to regain full time status. However, this rule is only available to students that are within their last term. Priority must be made for courses within the students’ degree plan (that they have not yet taken) prior to registering for courses outside their current plan.
Students should contact the Military Resource Center for more information.
VA will cover the student health insurance for Chapter 33 students, but only at their eligibility percentage. If you do not wish to keep the health insurance, you will need to waive it.
School Health Insurance Enrollment provides details on waiving their health insurance.
Please Note: VR&E students must waive their health insurance unless they intend to pay for it themselves as VR&E will not cover it.
No. VA education benefits are not reportable income and you will not receive a W-2 from VA
