9/29/23
Regarding the potential government shutdown.
Please refer to the following message from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regarding your VA Benefits.
"VA benefits will continue to be processed and delivered, including compensation, pension, education, and housing benefits."
For more information please refer to the following webpage:
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVA/bulletins/37339a0
3/31/23
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) notified SVA and other veteran serving organizations that Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) Monthly Housing Allowances (MHA) scheduled to be disbursed on Friday, March 31st, 2023 may be delayed.
The exact cause of the delay is currently unknown and VA is analyzing the situation. The VA Inspector General has been made aware of the situation and a root cause analysis is being conducted. VA said that for those with direct deposit, the MHA payment could post at financial institutions by late Friday (March 31st) or Saturday (April 1st). Hard copy checks will be distributed expeditiously.
VA plans to send letters to beneficiaries that can be provided to creditors in order to explain potential delays in payment. The Department is also contacting institutions of higher learning to notify them of the delay so that schools can work to support student veterans and family members utilizing GI Bill® benefits, however possible.
On January 5, 2021, the President signed the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (P.L.116-315) into law. This new law brings significant changes to the Veteran's education benefits.
Effective August 1, 2022 all students using Chapter 35 benefits will be billed as in-state students. Please note that being billed as an in-state student will make you ineligible for the Chancellors Award or any other award specific for students being billed as out of state.
Beginning Fall 2021 Student Veterans must complete the Certification Request each semester they are enrolled. Certification won’t happen until the form is received by the certifying official at vetbenefits@umass.edu.
Effective August 1, 2021 all students using Chapter 33 (Post 9/11), Chapter 31 (Veteran Vocational Rehabilitation), Chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill®- Active Duty) or receiving benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship will be billed as in-state students provided they live in the state of Massachusetts while attending classes. This includes veteran dependents who are using transferred Post 9/11 entitlement. Please note that being billed as an in-state student will make you ineligible for the Chancellors Award or any other award specific for students being billed as out of state.
In order to use your VA education benefits at UMass Amherst, your program must be approved by the VA and listed on WEAMs https://inquiry.vba.va.gov/weamspub/buildSearchInstitutionCriteria.do
For a full list of changes, please read the fact sheet for P.L. 116-315
Fact Sheet for P.L.116-315
For up-to-date information on campus COVID-19 status and policies, visit:
umass.edu/coronavirus
Please note: ‘‘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 https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.”