FOR VETERANS AND QUALIFIED BENEFICIARIES:

There are two ways to apply for your benefits, electronically or via mail.

Online Application:

Go to the https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/ website to submit your application. You will be asked to provide the applicant's basic information along with your, or your sponsor's, military service information and direct deposit banking/routing information. It takes approximately 30 days to receive a Certificate of Eligibility from the VA.  Paper Application:

Veterans can submit a paper application called Form 22-1990. (Form 22-5490 for dependent beneficiaries) Once completed, mail it to:

VA Regional Processing Office PO Box 8888 Muskogee, OK 74402-8888

***Note***  If you are a Veteran who is eligible for more than one chapter of GI Bill® benefit, you will have to relinquish one benefit to choose the other. Once the choice is made  to receive the Post 9/11 (Chapter 33) benefit, it is irrevocable. See the VA's Education and Training page of the va.gov website and use the comparison tool to decide which chapter would work best with your goals. For more information about each specific chapter available see the Education Programs page of the va.gov website.

If you have trouble with the application process, you can contact a VA Education Case Manager (1-888-GIBill1 (1-888-442-4551)) to ask for help.

If seeking reimbursement for testing fees, search the Public WEAMS for your license or certification.  If your license or certification is listed as approved you may apply for reimbursement with VA Form 22-0803 below. If your license or certification is not listed, please contact our office at education@veterans.idaho.gov or 208-780-1334 for approval information.

The GI Bill ® can be used in support of OJT (On the Job Training) and Apprenticeships, provided the training program is approved by the State Approving Agency.  This is an industry-based training in which a Veteran or eligible beneficiary earns a regular wage while training for a designated skill or trade and also receives tax-free GI Bill® benefits. OJT's and Apprenticeships offer a variety of training experiences and a majority of trades are approvable providing that the establishment can satisfy the approval criteria.

• An OJT program is acceptable in length when it is at least six months, but not more than two years of full-time training per 38 CFR 21.4262(c)(3). 
• An APP is a program that ranges from two years to five years, or 2,000 to 10,000 hours in length.

To apply to become an approved OJT or apprenticeship, please complete the APP and OJT Application Packet below.

IHL (Institute of Higher Learning): Universities, colleges, community colleges, technical and/or business schools, offering instruction at the post-secondary level, which leads to an associate (or higher) degree. To be eligible for approval, the institution must be empowered by the appropriate state education authority (under state law) or accredited by a recognized accrediting agency to grant such degrees. This designation also includes hospitals that offer educational programs at the post-secondary level.

 

NCD (Non-College Degree programs): This category includes certificate programs, which do not lead to a standard college degree (program or course requirement achievements are acknowledged by certificate). NCD programs are normally offered at community colleges, cosmetology institutions, business institutions, hospitals, trade schools, etc.

 

To apply to become an approved IHL or NCD, please complete either the accredited or non-accredited application appropriate for your facility.

• For questions on payments or the GI Bill ® please call 888-442-4551 or use the submit a question button on the VA's Education and Training Home page.
• To provide feedback to the VA on the GI Bill use the VA GI Bill Feedback System.
• To appeal a VA Education decision follow the instructions on your VA correspondence and use the VA Form 21-4138-ARE below.
• Non-VA resources for student aid
• A to Z list of VA benefits
• eBenefits website - gateway to managing VA benefits

As the Certifying Official your primary function is to let the VA know if a student is registered for classes or training in an approved program, showing credit allowed for prior training, the beginning and ending dates of the enrollment period, the number of credit hours or the net amount of clock hours scheduled per week, the certification of hours monthly for training programs, and identifying the type of training as college undergraduate or graduate, non-college degree, apprenticeship, OJT, or high school diploma. You can certify a student for VA benefits by mailing the appropriate forms or electronically certifying through VA ONCE.

 

Commonly used forms

IHL's and NCD's:

• 22-1999 VA Enrollment Certification (Side A) - Submitted for a Veteran or beneficiary when beginning a program or new semester
• 22-1999b Notice in Change of Student Status - Submitted for a Veteran when taking a leave of absence, discontinuing training, or upon graduation
• 22-1995 Change in Place of Training - Submitted for a Veteran who has previously used their GI Bill at another facility
• 22-5495-ARE Dependents Request for Change of Program or Place of Training – Submitted for a beneficiary who has previously used their GI Bill at another facility
• 22-8794 Designation of Certifying Officials - Submitted for the facility when there are any changes to the signatories or contact information on the original 22-8794 submitted with approval paperwork

APP's and OJT's:

• 22-1999 VA Enrollment Certification (Side B) - Submitted for a Veteran or beneficiary when beginning the training program
• ID SAA 22-8864 Training Agreement - Submitted for a Veteran or beneficiary when beginning the training program
• 22-1995 Change in Place of Training - Submitted for a Veteran who has previously used their GI Bill at another facility
• 22-6553d-1-ARE Monthly Certification of OJT and APP Training Hours - Submitted for a Veteran or beneficiary to claim work hours and initiate VA payment
• 22-8794 Designation of Certifying Officials - Submitted for the facility when there are any changes to the signatories or contact information on the original 22-8794 submitted with approval paperwork
• APP and OJT Sample Tracker - Used by the Veteran or beneficiary to track the hours listed on the training outline

Certifying official hotline: 855-225-1159 

*Note that you will need to know your facility's facility code which is listed on the 22-1998 WEAMS document each facility receives from the VA upon approval.

Certifying Official's Handbook

VA's Training and Information page for certifying officials

Courses in bartending, yoga instruction and personality development are avocational and recreational in character and are specifically prohibited from approval by law; 38 CFR 21.4252(a).