Veterans Benefits
UNDERGRADUATE CATALOG INDEX

The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission has approved the courses of study at Mountain State University for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. All students receiving these benefits must comply with certain academic standards to receive educational benefits.

Eligible veterans can apply to the Department of Veterans Affairs for educational benefits after they have been accepted for admission. Veterans benefit applications are available in the veterans coordinator’s office or online at www.gibill.va.gov.

Veterans and others who are eligible may apply for and receive benefits under several programs:

• Chapter 30—The Montgomery G.I. Bill
  
• Chapter 31—Veterans with service connected illnesses or injuries
  
• Chapter 32—Veterans Educational Assistance Program
  
• Chapter 35—Dependents and survivors of veterans with 100 percent service-connected disabilities or of servicemembers who lost their life on active duty
  
• Chapter 1606—Educational assistance for members of the Selected Reserve
  
• Chapter 1607 (REAP)—Educational benefit for certain individuals activated after September 11, 2001
  

If you receive veterans benefits you must notify the veterans coordinator each semester when you have registered for classes by completing an MSU VA enrollment form, available on the veterans benefits section of the MSU website. The coordinator will certify your enrollment status with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans benefits recipients must notify the veterans coordinator of any change in name, address, enrollment status, schedule, type of class (traditional or individualized study), eligibility changes, etc. Any change in enrollment status (full time, three-quarter time, or half time) will affect the amount of monthly benefits. A change may cause an overpayment that will have to be repaid to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Attendance
In accordance with Department of Veterans Affairs regulations, class attendance is monitored for students receiving veterans benefits. Be sure to check the attendance policy for each course (listed on the syllabus). If your academic progress is unsatisfactory because of excessive absences as determined by the instructor, you may be required to repay some or all of the benefits received.

Academic Progress for Veterans
Veterans are eligible for payments only for credit hours that are required for their program of study. Federal regulations state that veterans benefits cannot be paid for a course from which the student withdraws. Students may be required to return money paid for these courses except for the first instance of withdrawal from a course or courses totalling not more than 6 semester hours or in cases of mitigating circumstances (defined as unanticipated and unavoidable events beyond the student’s control, such as deployment, illness, or accident). Students receiving veterans benefits are responsible for notifying the veterans coordinator of any mitigating circumstances so the information can be reported to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

WEST VIRGINIA VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION
Students with a qualifying physical, emotional, or other disability may be eligible for the services of the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation, which include vocational counseling and guidance, training (with payment of costs such as books, fees, etc.), and job placement. Under certain circumstances, students may also qualify for help with medical needs, living expenses, and transportation.

For more information, contact the Division of Rehabilitation Services, 200 Value City Center, Suite 800, Beckley WV 25801, 304.256.6900, or another local Rehabilitation Services office.

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