Overview
Veterans, military members and other eligible beneficiaries using VA education benefits need to verify their school enrollment each month before VA releases the student’s Monthly Housing Allowance. The process is simple and can be completed online, by text, email, or phone. This verification must be done at the end of each month. Staying on top of this quick task ensures uninterrupted support for your education journey.
VA School Enrollment Verification Process
Veterans and eligible beneficiaries receiving certain VA education benefits are required to verify their school enrollment monthly to continue receiving payments such as the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) or kicker payments.
Information about the VA Enrollment Verification Process is available on the official VA website.
Who Must Verify Enrollment
This requirement applies to individuals using:
- Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33)
- Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty (Chapter 30)
- Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606)
- Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship
- Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA, Chapter 35)
What Needs to Be Verified
Each month, the student must confirm:
- Your credit hours
- The start and end dates of when those credits meet. If there are more than one meeting date component (for example a short course) you will need to verify those credits for that short course meeting component.
Methods of Verification
Verification can be completed through:
- Online tools provided by the VA
- Text messages – the VA sends a monthly prompt to confirm enrollment
- Email – for those who opt out of text messages
- Ask VA – an online messaging system to submit enrollment details
- Phone – by calling the VA Education Call Center at 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551)
For DEA beneficiaries (Chapter 35), verification can be completed through:
- Students may complete VA form 22-8979 and upload the document through the VA Portal. The school does not complete or sign this form
- By email
- Check the award letter sent to you by the Department of Veteran Affairs for additional options
- Online via Ask VA (not the preferred method)
Consequences of Not Verifying
If a student fails to verify their enrollment for two consecutive months, their education payments may be paused until verification is completed.
More Resources
Still Need Help?
Contact Registration and Academic Records.